Le Meridien of Starwood Hotels & Resorts has joined the increasing number of hotel chains turning their lobbies into places for networking. Their version of the concept, called "Le Meridien Hub", is now found at their Barcelona property.
Three different zones make up the new concept – The Arrival Experience begins at the entrance of the hotel, where guests will be met with “high impact arrival art” in the form of a visual art piece, a projection or a unique soundtrack.
The Interaction Zone will feature communal and coffeehouse-style seating to encourage interaction amongst guests.The lounge will be filled with a books on local culture. All these details will complemented by Le Meridien's existing event series that sees local and international artists share insights into culture and arts with in-house residents.
Guests can also enjoy a cup of coffee from the the third zone, Latitude Bar.
Starwood has transformed the lobbies of its other properties as well. Said Eva Ziegler, global brand leader of Le Meridien and W Hotels worldwide:“More than 12 years ago when Starwood launched the W brand, our lobbies became living rooms, and soon after, Sheraton brought people together with the Link@Sheraton. Most recently, the Aloft brand’s lobbies have been designed to draw people out of their rooms through open floor plans and modular, flexible seating.”
Link@Sheraton takes the standard hotel business centre, typically located away from common areas, and incorporates it in the lobby area. The Hub will be rolled out at more Le Meridien properties globally throughout the year.
Another hotel group that has recently revamped its lobby is Hilton Hotels and Resorts, with the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner in Virginia being the first to showcase the revamped product. The facilities consist of a bar, a lounge with PC and Mac stations, communal work table, as well as pod-style check-in desks (see story here).
For more information, visit www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien.
Rachael Ho
