How To Choose Hotel Flooring For Lobby Areas

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but people always do. That’s why it’s incredibly important for your hotel lobby to make a good impression as soon as guests step through your front doors! Your hotel flooring makes a huge impact on the space, which is why you must choose the ideal flooring for your lobby area.

To help you choose your hotel flooring for lobby areas, we’ve outlined what to consider and the different options available to you.

What to Consider When Selecting Hotel Lobby Flooring

Ready to give your hotel lobby a facelift? Here are a few things that you should consider when selecting the floors for your lobby.

Acoustics

Think of the lobby as the heart of your hotel. It’s where guests come to check-in, families congregate before heading off for their daily activities, and where guests can access amenities like workstations or breakfast. Because of the constant commotion in the space, measures must be taken to help keep noise levels down — making it easy for everyone to hear those around them. An easy way to help with that is to install flooring that helps dampen sound instead of amplifying it. Looking for a flooring option with soundproof qualities that your employees and guests will both thank you for.

Foot Traffic

With so many people entering and exiting the lobby throughout the day, you’re going to deal with wear and tear on your floors. Replacing or repairing damaged floors from foot traffic can be stressful and costly, so why not look for a durable flooring option in the first place? When browsing your options, opt for flooring that is durable and built to last — even when exposed to above-average wear and tear.

Design

What is the desired aesthetic of your hotel lobby? Are you hoping to create a modern, sleek space or a more homey vibe? Before selecting flooring for your hotel lobby, you will need to decide where design preferences lean — industrial, modern, or anything in between! Once you’ve narrowed down your aesthetic, you can find complimentary floorings such as tile and stone.

Safety

As a hotel owner or manager, you know how important it is to have satisfied customers. While you may offer fresh cookies in the lobby or have unmatched turndown service, something you can’t overlook is the safety of your guests (and employees). Be aware of how safe different flooring options are before making your selection. Is one more slippery and likely to cause employees or guests to slip? Does one offer slight variation in height from tile to tile which could cause someone to trip? Avoid the risk of injury by opting for a safe flooring option.

Maintenance

There’s nothing more frustrating than needing to constantly clean your floors to keep them looking their best. Or worse, you don’t want to deal with floors that are constantly chipping or cracking and need to be replaced. Instead, choose a low maintenance option that will look as good as the day it was installed for many years to come.

Budget

At the end of the day, your job is to focus on your hotel’s bottom line. How much do you have budgets for your lobby’s new floors? Determine your budget before browsing the options so you can automatically exclude floors that don’t fit within the amount of money you have to spend. Along with your budget, you’ll want to consider the amount of square footage that needs the new flooring, as this number will greatly affect the total cost.

Flooring Options for Hotel Lobbies

Now that we’ve covered the factors to consider when selecting your hotel lobby flooring, let’s go over the different flooring options available so you can make an informed decision. Here are a few of the most popular choices for hotel lobby flooring.

Natural Stone

When you want an exquisite floor that leaves your guests in awe as soon as they step foot in your lobby, consider beautiful natural stone. With an abundance of natural colors, patterns, and veining, there’s an option for nearly any style. As one of the most durable flooring choices on the market, you can have peace of mind knowing your floors will hold up to luggage, foot traffic, and more. However, keep in mind that this high-end look also comes with a higher price tag — but it will increase the value of your hotel!

Carpeting

When you’re working with a tighter budget, opting for carpet tiles can be a great choice. With a variety of textures, patterns, and colors to choose from, you can find anything from bold and charismatic to simple and clean. Although you won’t have to worry about the potential of cracked or chipped floors, carpet is more susceptible to stains which can be quite common in highly trafficked areas like a hotel lobby. Because of this, hospitality carpeting is more likely to need replacing every so often to keep your hotel looking up-to-date.

Porcelain Tile

If you’re looking for the ideal flooring option that checks nearly all of your boxes, don’t miss out on porcelain tile. Gone are the days of boring tile, now you have a multitude of colors and patterns to select from, allowing you to match it perfectly to your existing hotel lobby decorations and aesthetic. Porcelain modern tile also makes it possible to get the high-end look of natural stone and hardwood floors without the high price tag! While porcelain tile is low-maintenance and durable, it is susceptible to chipping in areas of above-average wear and tear.

Luxury Vinyl Tile

One of our favorite choices for hotel lobby flooring is luxury vinyl tile because of how versatile it is. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on high-end flooring materials, you can mimic the upscale look for a much smaller chunk of your budget. With luxury vinyl tile, you can get tile that looks like wood, natural stone, and ceramic tile, but in a much more durable and cost-efficient package! Whether you run a family-friendly hotel or a high-class hotel in the heart of downtown, you’ll enjoy the look of your luxury vinyl flooring for many years to come. Check out some of our favorite vinyl flooring videos to help get your started!

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