Lighting design in hotels

In this issue, how should the lighting design be in hotels. We share with you the article of Mr. Mustafa HASTAOĞLU on this subject…

Mustafa HASTAOĞLU……… Avonni LightingOtel sector aims to meet the demands and comfort needs of guests at the maximum level, whether business travel or vacation.

Lighting design in hotels is an integral part of this equation and offers more purposes than just ensuring guests have access to their rooms, meeting and ballrooms, restaurant and lobby. Hotel lighting should be designed to be in the best possible light comfort and create an attractive aesthetic. Most guests will never notice the in-room lighting unless something is wrong. All elements in the room, including lighting, need to be seamlessly integrated to create a whole that appeals to eye taste and offers visual comfort.

A lot of money, time and effort is spent on the selection of carpets, wallpaper, floorboards, furniture and other elements that make up the décor of a hotel. The last thing desired is faulty lighting, which can cause these selected elements to appear badly. With the lighting design, questions such as how bright the light is, whether the lighting temperature is hot or cold, and whether the objects are in real color (i.e. as they appear in sunlight) will be answered permanently.

Functionality: The most basic rule in design is that the form follows the function. This means that any design must first achieve functional goals. It doesn't matter if a design that doesn't serve the intended purpose looks great.

LOBBY:

The hotel lobby gives its customers a first impression of the hotel. For the first impression to be impressive, lighting should focus on the details as well as the overall design here. There should be special lighting at reception that offers a higher level of light for registered customers and receptionists. The faces of receptionists should be clearly visible. Lighting should be selected accordingly.

An excellent hotel lobby is warm, inviting and gives guests a taste of the hotel's overall style. Here are tips on how to use lighting to create that breathtaking sense of luxury when guests walk through the door.

• A good lobby needs to draw people in and make them feel at home, and that feeling can make a difference between people who choose to stay in your hotel or go somewhere else. Therefore, you should choose a softer and warmer light instead of white or blue. 2700-3000K is the recommended light level for hospitality venues, and this is similar to normal incandescent bulbs, so it can help your guests feel at home.
• The hotel lobby is a frequently used area for guests and practicality should not be sacrificed for visual design. First of all, guests should be able to easily walk around with their luggage and find out where to go.
• Each hotel has its own style, and lobby lighting combines functionality with showmanship to create a unique atmosphere. In the lobbies of hotels with a luxurious touch, elaborate large chandeliers are almost a must. Stylish, modern lobbies are always enhanced with eye-catching large, sculptural lighting.
• In many hotels, the lobby is one of the largest areas to play with light. Small lights will look lost in the middle of the ceiling, especially if the lobby has high ceilings or contains multiple floors. But large lighting and chandeliers will create a true identity and can draw guests' eyes upwards, adding height and a unique sense of space to the lobby. To achieve a remarkable effect in spacious and not too high lobbies, multiple chandeliers should be used, and if possible, an additive layer should be created by hanging them at different heights.
• Lobby lighting should be especially versatile as it will be visible at any time of the day. If there are large windows in the lobby, natural light should be allowed as much as possible by removing curtains and blinds. Ceiling lighting will only play a decorative role during daylight hours. The lobby lighting, with its large chandelier suspended in the middle, will be showing its true identity by performing at night. The large and glittering chandelier will also be very memorable for people who pass by the street where the hotel is located at night. Let your large chandeliers be seen from the outside.

GUEST ROOMS :

Guests should have a sense of privacy when they enter the room. This sense of privacy should be supported by the controllable level of lighting. It should be bright enough to work in the hotel room and dim enough to relax. Complaints due to lighting in feedback from customers are mostly due to the absence of makeup lighting and reading lamps. In order to reduce complaints, guests should be provided with adequate and functional lighting.

• Lighting should be easy to maintain and the need for maintenance should be low.
• Easily breakable lighting products should not be used in rooms. Children should also be accommodated in hotel rooms.
• The lighting to be used in the hotel room should be able to adapt to the following purposes.
  • Watching T.V.
  • Sleep
  • Reading in bed
  • Working at the desk
  • Romanticism
• The costs of lighting should also not be too high. In a hotel with hundreds of rooms, the cost of selected products should not create budget problems as they will be multiplied by the number of rooms.
• Energy-saving lighting should be used.
• Key systems should be used where the lighting is automatically turned off when guests leave the room.
• Make-up lighting should be used in the bathroom mirror.
• A lighting spot should be used in the mini hallway located at the entrance of the room.
• A foot level mini floor lighting should be used in the corridors, which can remain open all night.
• In cabinet interiors, automatic burning cabinet lighting should be used when the cabinet door is opened.
• It is recommended to use a spiral reading lamp on both sides of the bed.
• An applique with a high level of light should be used on both sides of the bed. This applique, which is lit when one of the guests wakes up at night, will not interrupt the other guest's sleep.
• A table lamp at the desk will be suitable.
• Hidden lighting should be used on the ceiling. Lighting that will give direct light, such as chandeliers and spotlights, should not be preferred.
• If the hotel room is larger than 24 m2 and the ambiance is suitable, a corner lamp will provide a suitable atmosphere.
• All lights from the bedside should be turned off with a single button.

BALLROOMS AND MEETING HALLS :

The main purpose of lighting these spaces is flexibility and versatility.

• These venues can be divided again according to the size of the meetings and events. Lighting must be adjustable to suit this partitioning.
• During presentations at conferences, the light level can be dimmed or the stage for an artist must be properly illuminated.
• Lighting should be dimmed in order to create a certain mood (e.g. bride-groom entrance to the hall) in accordance with the purpose of use.

CORRIDORS:

The corridors are an important element of the hotel. They connect the lobby to all other areas of the hotel. It must be constantly illuminated so that guests and employees can easily reach the point they want to go to. Therefore, it is important to use energy-saving lighting.

• There should be 100-150 lux lighting at a height of 100 cm from the ground.
• Room numbers should be clearly readable, if possible illuminated.
• Emergency lighting and emergency exit signs must be present.

RESTAURANTS AND LOUNGES :

Proper lighting design complements the idea that begins with the design of furniture and objects in the restaurant. Unfortunately, lighting design in restaurants is often overlooked and neglected.

Well-made lighting for restaurants is provided by using ambient lighting, accented lighting and decorative lighting elements together. Ambient lighting provides uniform and base-level light throughout the area.

Ambient or general lighting can be provided in several ways: recessed lighting; it can be used as indirect lighting of ceiling and wall surfaces, where lighting fixtures are hidden and the surface becomes a source of light.

With focused accented lighting, the architectural features of the space are emphasized and decorative elements are highlighted. Highlight lighting is generally brighter than the ambient level, depending on the total reflection value of the surfaces to be illuminated.

Decorative or featured lighting elements such as chandeliers and wall appliques strengthen the visual perception of the space

Light levels should vary by region, depending on the use of each area. Entrance areas, dining rooms, corridors and exhibition kitchens should be illuminated according to their own light needs. To inspect a menu on the table or enjoy a drink in the relaxation area, the light levels should be suitable for the use of the area.

The fact that the lighting is controllable is the key.

Dimmability and lighting control are an important tool for managing the designed atmosphere.

Energy saving standards must also be met. When developing the design, the necessary work must be carried out to save energy. At this stage, awareness and technical knowledge about current light sources are important. There are many types of light sources that the designer should consider. Normal voltage and low voltage options include halogen, LED and various fluorescents. However, the designer's choices should take into account the color compatibility, ability to create color between lamps and dimming capacity to create a connected and understandable visual environment.

The purpose of the well-designed cozy and quality restaurant is to provide a welcoming, relaxed environment where guests can enjoy and enjoy the food. Lighting is an important component of the restaurant's overall design aesthetic and an important tool in achieving this goal.

• Hotel restaurants should be able to provide a variety of moods throughout the day, as they cater to guests for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Therefore, it is important that the lighting is interchangeable at every meal time to create the right ambience for different times. For example, brighter and brighter lights are suitable for breakfasts, while dimr, more relaxing lights are best suited for dinner.
• Chandeliers may be recommended for general lighting. Decorative elements used on the wall should be illuminated and highlighted with accent lights.
• Service areas, corridors and kitchen sections should offer a higher level of lighting.
• The paths between the tables and the level of lighting on the table should also be different for contrast. For this, stalactites that illuminate the tabletop can be used.
• Color reproduction is extremely important in a restaurant setting. Not only the decorative appearance of the area, but also the customers and, most importantly, the nutrients themselves should be able to be seen in the right color. Using high CRI LED lighting provides flavor and prestige to the environment. It is recommended to use R9-featured bulbs, especially on the counters where meat products are preferred.