492 Interior Design Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. For the hotel design to be successful, the designer must develop a good understanding of who the guests are. For instance, if your target market includes families on vacation, think about adding an ice cream shop or a play area in the lobby. If vacationing couples are the target, consider a romantic lounge within the space. The goal is to offer guests a delightful, welcoming area beyond their wildest imagina- tion—and one they cannot envision missing on their trip. Issues to consider in the design of a hotel include convenience, unique design, sustainable/eco-design, creativity, price point, amenities, and noise. Areas within a hotel include ■ lobby/check-in/check-out area ■ waiting/lounge ■ luggage/concierge/bellhop areas ■ coffee shops/cafés ■ business center ■ gift shop ■ meeting rooms ■ guest rooms with multiple prototypes ■ banquet rooms ■ fi tness centers The design of a hotel lobby is all about creating the fi rst impression—similar to the impression you get from shaking the hand of someone you just met. A lobby can be aloof and intimidating or unbelievably marvelous and welcoming. The owner of the hotel cannot be standing by the front door to greet each guest, although the design of the initial experience can be exceptional and give the impression of such a greeting. Ideally, the lobby should feel like an oasis—a place of rest, relaxation, and revital- ization. The best lobbies offer a haven for the tourist, the business traveler, and for the vacationing couple alike. As a blend of the best of form and function—hotel lobbies foresee the needs of the guests and introduce the hotel style. Upon entering the hotel, guests will brand it as trendy, chic, cheap, or luxurious, Figure 14-9. Photography: Kenneth M Wyner/Designed by ForrestPerkins Figure 14-9 Hotel lobbies are functional yet serve as a social gathering place for hotel guests. Evaluate these hotel lobbies. What features would cause you to brand the lobby as trendy, chic, cheap, or luxurious? romakoma/Shutterstock.com Allegria Spa at the Hyatt Beaver Creek/Photography by Don Riddle/Interiors by Associates III Interior Design