Artwork and the Hotel Guest

A recent article in the NYTimes, ‘Hospitality Boutiques’, by Terry Trucco, August 8, 2011; points to how hotels are recognizing the opportunities they have for revenue in enlarging their hotel gift shop offerings to include high end merchandise and art.  “With occupancy rates and the number of travelers on the rise, industry experts predict growth in high-concept hotel shops.  Shops are one of the remaining opportunities hotels have for people to say ‘This place is different, better, cleverer and more exciting than I expected,’ ” said Bjorn Hanson, New York University. 

When a guest stays at a hotel for a few days, think of the numerous opportunities for retail.  “If it’s done right, retailing is another layer that makes the overall experience more engaging,” said Alex Calderwood, of the Ace Hotel in New York.  Hotels have long been selling their bathrobes and linens and guests have long been stealing toiletries.  The same applies for artwork in the Boutique Hotel setting.  Rather than taking home a robe, guests are opting for the artwork in the lobby for their own homes.  Alex continues, “You want guests to find things they may not see everywhere else.” 

Artwork by Shelly Hamill
Photography by Amanda Temple
Rosewood Tuckers Point Hotel & Spa
Bermuda

Guests in the leisure hotel market must pass the lobby artwork on their way to breakfast, lunch and dinner; on their way to the pool, beach, golf and tennis- for several days in a row.  The image of the artwork is repeated and reinforced multiple times in any given day.  An emotional connection is made with the artwork and in the experience of a hotel, the convenience and ease of charging that artwork to their account makes it all the more compelling.   

Artwork by Shelly Hamill
Photography by Amanda Temple
Rosewood Tuckers Point Hotel & Spa
Bermuda

Good interior design also plays an important role.  Good design allows guests to actually see what a particular piece of artwork will look like in their own home setting.  Decorating a hotel lobby with beautiful artwork and interiors makes it easy on the collector.  The collector does not have to guess what a piece will look like with a sofa and a lamp, the concept already exists. 

Artwork by Shelly Hamill
Photography by Amanda Temple
Rosewood Tuckers Point Hotel & Spa
Bermuda

Honestly, what it really comes down to is we want that vacation feeling to continue once we get home.  We can think fondly of our time in XYZ every time we see the piece of artwork and we can share our love of XYZ every time a guest in our home expresses interest in the piece- no need to pull out the slide projector.