Many hotels pride themselves in offering a series of versatile and multi-functional spaces which are suitable for events, workshops, conferences, and networking for all industries and markets.
Whether your hotel is a countryside retreat that offers weddings and private parties, or a city centre hotel that is ideal for conferences and large corporate meetings, accommodating such events and workshops diversifies your income as a business and creates a new market of guests who may otherwise not have been made aware of your hotel.
So, with rising demand for hotels that don’t just deliver rooms but can offer event space, meeting rooms, and catering for day and overnight guests, this blog post is all about how to make this ever-popular trend work for you.
The Evolution of Hotel Space Design
The intrinsic beauty of a multi-functional hotel for guests lies in the fact that modern hotels provide somewhere to meet colleagues, network with industry experts, attend events, work onsite, and sleep – all without leaving the hotel.
Guests are increasingly impressed by the industry’s ability to adapt to changing demands, with more and more hotels offering wedding and private event packages in spaces which double just as easily to facilitate corporate events. Being able to stand onsite after an event is convenient, it increases guest satisfaction, and it optimises profit for hotel businesses that get to turn event guests into hotel guests.
So, how do you create these multi-functional spaces that are suitable for all occasions?
Key Elements of Multi-Functional Space Design
Flexibility
How adaptable is the space in terms of its furniture and layout, and are there internal design elements that allow you to transform a space – creating an open plan room or a segmented space with ease?
For example, let’s imagine a large room which can be used to hold a conference, to host a large dinner, or to hold a wedding ceremony. As a hotel, you need to ensure that the space is open and neutral enough to accommodate all of these events, with furniture which can carry it from one vibe to the next with ease (and the right décor).
Technology Integration
The role of technology in facilitating conferences, workshops, family parties, or individual work spaces can be very important. Whether your guests or event hosts need an AV system, good internet, or multiple connectivity points, ensuring that a space delivers on the modern technology needs of your different target guest groups is crucial.
And while we’re on the topic of technology and everything that comes with it, something else to consider is soundproofing and how you can make a variety of events come to life without impacting and disrupting other guests.
Lighting and Acoustics
If you really want to tick the box of a multi-functional hotel space, suitable for private and corporate events alike, then you need to think beyond the bland ceiling lights of a conference hall. Think about building a lighting rig which is adjustable depending on the event, and which offers spotlights as well as larger lights to illuminate the entire room.
Similarly, acoustics need to be versatile enough to cater to social events and focussed workshops, ensuring that a space is workable for large and smaller groups.
Aesthetic and Theme
Finally, how neutral is the event space and is it easy to dress up or down according to the event?
The more customisable the space, the better when it comes to an events room in a hotel – with corporate clients looking to add branding where they can while private events and weddings are looking for a much softer and more personal approach.
Planning for Diverse Events
No matter how experienced you are in delivering events in your hotel, the first and most important thing to do is to build a space that appeals to clients – considering your location and the setting around your hotel, and the types of clients that it is most likely to attract.
From there you can build packages which combine event usage with other aspects of the hotel including overnight stays and dining packages, incorporating feedback from industry professionals and attendees to consistently improve and refine design elements in line with the guest experience.
Challenges in Designing Multi-Functional Spaces
Before we leave you to start reimagining your hotel with different events in mind, a few obstacles that are worth considering.
Perhaps the most obvious is how to make a space which is suitable for corporate events also intimate enough for a wedding. We tend to find that this comes with the neutrality of the setting, the way it is dressed and decorated, and features like natural light, windows, and the guest experience when they arrive. Where possible, if you hope to attract corporate and private clients alike, build relationships with local suppliers who can help you to transform the space, and invest in some decorative features that you can offer as part of an in-house package.
The other challenge you may face is bridging the hotel market with the event market in terms of staff and things like catering – knowing which guest group to prioritise at core dining times. Some hotels opt to build a specific event kitchen or invite event clients and guests to bring in external caterers – or create packages which deliver a simpler menu that’s more achievable for the kitchen.
Multi-Functional Hotel Spaces
With all of this in mind, it’s clear that there are benefits behind the creation of versatile hotel spaces that tick the boxes for event organisers across the private and corporate sector. The more versatile and adjustable a space, the broader the possibilities when it comes to hosting events – however, hotel owners need to be savvy when it comes to their location and the kind of hotel they run. Not every hotel is suitable for every kind of event, so be sure to match your setting with the right market and clients.
For more advice on creating adaptable hotel spaces that cater to events, workshops, and more, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Carroll Design today.