Kiosks are a widespread response from check-in and check-out to meeting needs in the room and elsewhere in the hotel. Rooms become modulable with adjustable comfort, entertainment, sound and lighting, and technology facilitates that for both guests and hotel staff. Sustainability has gained importance and hotel groups and organizations are giving it more attention.

The Lobby: a space for socializing and working as well as check-in

Sheraton has introduced the Community Table in response to new ways of working that are transforming the way individuals use their homes, their offices, their cities and their hotels. The table surface features built-in wireless charging with USB ports and plug-in chargers for laptops on the side, as well as drawers and dining room chairs.

Brittney Weiss Hepler, senior design manager for Global Design Strategies, remarks:

People are working remotely more and more — many companies aren’t even building enough space to house all their employees because not all of their employees are going to be in the office. We wanted to be sure that our lobby spaces were really welcoming for people to come and work — not just for the guest who’s on the road, but also inviting locals to become a part of the community.

Meanwhile, Crowne Plaza has created the Plaza Workspace with flexible solutions for one or several people to work together. They offer connectivity, as well as personalized services to order food and meet other needs using a digital tablet.

Multi-purpose lobbies 

Lobbies, as community spaces, are also often used for check-in, with check-in kiosks. But check-in has also entered another dimension with mobile phones as digital room keys. And kiosks are assuming new roles.

Monscierge is a global software company specializing in innovative hospitality solutions. Its product line, Connect, enhances communication and the relationship...