Häfele: Why lighting is no longer a finishing touch for hotels

Posted in Business, Products on 19 June, 2020

Just as we like our homes to be an oasis of calm, with design and style features carefully selected to contribute to positive health and wellbeing, hotel guests expect the same from their trips away.

An article from Forbes provided evidence that lighting in particular has a major impact on our mental wellbeing[1]. It stated that both our physical and mental health can be negatively affected by poor lighting, with excessive exposure to white and blue light highlighted for its effect on how well we can relax and sleep at night. Poor lighting can also cause eye strain, headaches and anxiety.

However, if cleverly integrated into hotel design, lighting can set apart a guest’s experiences for all the right reasons. Modern architects are using the latest lighting technology to add an experiential element to hotel environments which is equally stylish, flexible and functional, complementing a guest’s wellbeing while evoking positive reactions; after all, lighting is known to calm, motivate, inspire or even enliven us.

With the ability to create customised settings and with the option to be integrated into fitted furniture to save space, LED strip lighting has become about so much more than its reduced power usage compared to halogen alternatives.

In hotels specifically, technological LED systems, such as those controlled by apps, can be used to create a luxurious, high-end feel and give guests more control over the look and feel of their spaces. Equally, as LED systems become simpler and cheaper to install, even hotels with limited resources are using LED lighting to transform reception areas and bedrooms, creating modern spaces that impress customers.

LED lighting with a complete RGB spectrum allows a guest to set the colour and brightness of the lighting in their room, whether static or built into fitted furniture – such as headboards, bed bases and cabinets – to create specific atmospheres. For example, white light makes a room look more modern; warm light can create a relaxing feel.

Lighting systems such as Loox by Häfele offers an innovative range of furniture lighting which can be controlled via an app downloaded to a guest’s phone. It allows them to change the colour and brightness of their lighting depending on their mood, time of day or activity, making it an effective way for hotels to tailor and personalise spaces for each guest’s stay.

Guests use hotel rooms for a variety of purposes – to get work done, relax and unwind, get ready for an event, and much more. The right lighting conditions are crucial to enable them to carry out their activity safely and comfortably. LED lighting, crisper and cleaner in its outputs than halogen bulbs, increases visibility so guests can be more productive.

Hotels can also use LED lighting for health and safety purposes, for example, to illuminate walkways clearly and highlight signposts. Plus, with its low heat up, LED lighting can be easily integrated into furniture without risk of fire.

These days, hotels can combine lighting systems with wireless and USB chargers for added functionality, while many systems can also be connected to Bluetooth modules, allowing guests to play music through speakers that fit into cabinets or other furniture. This flexibility replicates the home environment, adds an extra element of comfort for guests and once again enables them to create a room tailored to their preferences and mood.

Smart, integrated lighting design is a simple and effective way to add that all-important finishing touch to a hotel in order to enhance a guests’ stay. It will encourage them to book again, leave glowing reviews or to recommend your business to a friend. As such, lighting design and technology should be considered in the initial design of hotels, or when upgrading interiors, to make sure you’re able to offer a premium and enjoyable experience to guests.

[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/pragyaagarwaleurope/2018/12/31/how-does-lighting-affect-mental-health-in-the-workplace/#260a251e4ccd

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