Changing Spaces: Why Hotels are Unlocking Doors to Inspiration

When we say ‘creative ingenuity’, what springs to mind for you?

For us, it’s definitely about jaw-dropping, impactful visuals and copy that makes you think. But it’s also about savvy ideas grown out of curiosity to do more. The ones that make a business do something differently, carve out their niche, and create new opportunities.  

Our newest series, ‘Changing Spaces’, dives into the world of hotels, pubs, museums, and beyond to discover how they’re stepping outside convention with their spaces. Making the most of them (with a twist) to tap into new revenue streams. 

We headed to a brutalist, buzzy central London hotel with a difference – to see what it had to offer and check out how it’s utilising space with bold creative ingenuity! 

But first, let’s look at why hotel spaces are needing a shake-up in 2024… 

Work smarter, not harder

According to Mintel, the volume of UK hotel guests will reach £74.4 million in 2028.¹ That’s a huge opportunity for hotels!  

And with the increase in hybrid working (with just 30% of UK companies working fully on-site today),² there are more ‘nomad workers’ than ever opting to leave the house for a more interesting, sociable environment. With hotels seeing a 23% rise in Q1 for F&B income³ this could suggest more demand for working facilities like meeting rooms and event spaces in these locations where catering is often included.  

And speaking of work, with four-day weeks on the rise, weekends are becoming longer. That means more opportunities to experience great hospitality (hello Friday brunches!). 

What catches our eye the most is that select services hotels (room-only operations with no food and beverage offering) saw occupancy rates rise 79% in Q1-24³, 3 percentage points higher than 2019. Great for them, not so great for the upscale and luxury hotels who offer something completely different!  

The solution? Utilising spaces and turning different dayparts into unique opportunities… Creating spaces and events for hotel guests and ‘the rest’ – like remote workers, weekend brunchers, local meetup organisers, and happy hour enthusiasts. Proving that the modern hotel has a space for everybody and every occasion… Something we reckon could drive profit and offer healthy competition to select service hotels! 

Paying guests don’t need to be staying guests 

This change has led to some real innovation for hotels up and down the country, across different dayparts: 

• Wine and dine: Savvy hotels are making sure that non-staying guests feel just as special as overnighters, while they soak up the ambience of the hotel (for a fraction of the price!). We’re not just talking afternoon teas… Think brunches at Dalloway Terrace (The Bloomsbury hotel’s Insta- and TikTok-famous terrace that changes with the seasons). Viennese coffee culture (and snacks) at Wombat Hostel, or Italian aperitivo at Xenia. And of course, dinners that always draw a crowd – from the Savoy Grill to The Restaurant at NoMad. Proving you don’t have to stay in a hotel to get a proper taste of it.  

• Workspaces, re-imagined: We’ve all been there… in-between meetings or events and looking for somewhere calm to get your head into work. Hotel bars and lounges have clocked on – and are more than happy to help. The savviest hotels have realised they need to serve up three things… 1) a space that’s comfortable to crack on with work, 2) an exciting food and drink offer that keeps you there, and 3) an environment suitable for meetings where you can do all of the above! Check out hotel workspaces like CloudM at Citizen M Tower of London, or scroll on to find out how The Standard is ticking all the boxes for digital nomads. 

• Events: Another revenue stream calling out for a shake-up is hotel events. Because why should hotels limit their spaces to stuffy private events when there’s demand for informal events like community meetups, boozy bingo, speed dating, yoga sessions, and tarot card readings? A great example of a hotel using its space is The Treehouse Hotel – where you can join events like pizza masterclasses, sundae making sessions, fire breathing performances, pup-friendly happy hours, and guest DJs.  

• Weddings with a twist: While hotel weddings are nothing new, city-based hotels like Moxy are going for something more playful in their spaces. Here, guests can kick back with table football or even grab their guitars off the wall to really start the party! And at Mama Shelter, wedding guests can sing their hearts out in one of the karaoke rooms!  

The trends shaking up hotel communal spaces 

Hospitality technology company, MEWS, has pinpointed four trends behind the changes to communal hotels spaces.⁴  

1. Convenience: It’s more convenient for guests to work from communal spaces with comfortable chairs and tables, coffee bars, and more of an atmosphere than their hotel room. And it couldn’t be more handy for those coming in off the street who need a space to refresh and relax or catch up on work while fuelling up on food and drink.  

2. Community: Communal hotel spaces are also great community hubs. Whether that’s digital nomad workers or groups who want to share experiences and collaborate in a relaxed setting with food, drink, music or anything else! MEWS also highlights that the more these groups feel they belong, the more likely they’ll stay for extended periods – so it pays off to help different communities feel at home in hotels. 

3. Flexibility: Hotel spaces that are flexible enough to be a coffee shop, meeting and events space or workspace mean they can host all kinds of experiences and bring in different types of hotel guests.  

4. Home away from home: Making both overnighters and non-staying guests feel right at home in hotels often starts in communal spaces. Giving a sense of comfort – so people can chat over coffee, play games together, and read books from the library – mirrors the warmth they get at home. 

Changing spaces at The Standard 

With the building’s unusual design and colourful decor, The Standard attracts guests off the main road and is a stone’s throw from King’s Cross and St. Pancras stations. 

With a whopping seven spaces (plus the sleek townhouse event suites), there’s something for every taste…  

We loved The Rooftop for its panoramic city views, ice-cold cocktails, and pizza slices. And in true city hotel style, they’re used to putting on a buzzing event – from live lounge recordings to chess evenings and bottomless brunches.  

Crackers’ opinion: A great use of space – it’s a huge draw for guests who are after skyline views (and need to make the last train!).

For carrying on the evening in style, Sweeties is your go-to spot. Step into the late-night lounge and discotheque, and sip playful drinks on the plush couches. You can even get hitched at the hotel – so if you fancy a nightclub-style reception, Sweeties is the place! 

Crackers’ opinion: A cosy yet buzzy space with unique interior design touches. Cleverly planned for carrying on your evening after rooftop drinks, with no need to leave the hotel!  

If hunger’s calling, there are three other spaces to choose from, each with their own identity…  

At Decimo, Michelin-starred chef, Peter Sanchez, merges his family’s Spanish cuisine with his love of Mexico. The result? Colourful plates and bold tastes.   

Crackers’ opinion: A key trend we’re seeing at the moment is chefs fusing different cuisines, often linked to their heritage (see our spring ‘24 copy of The Crumb for more on this!). Decimo does this with character and style – making it as much a foodie destination as a luxury hotel! 

If you’re interested in a calm, green spot in a buzzing city, Isla Terrace offers year-round al fresco dining with a seasonal menu of light proteins and a stellar wine list. It hosts chef residencies – with names like Ixta Belfrage crafting menus with punchy flavours inspired by the countries linked to her family heritage: Brazil, Mexico and Italy.  

Crackers’ opinion: Hotels often have dormant spaces, so chef residencies and pop-ups are a genius use of space. They keep offerings fresh and exciting – so even non-staying guests always have a reason to return for new experiences, dishes, and cuisines! The Guava Margarita, Choco Taco (with honey-roasted cashew ice cream) and Prawn Lasagne stood out the most. 

For something more laid back, 70s-style Double Standard bar is where hearty fare meets draught beers and classic cocktails – all day long! 

Crackers’ opinion: With staying and non-staying guests arriving at all hours, and remote workers looking to refuel between meetings, the all-day dining offering ticks boxes for all kinds of customers. 

As former home to the Camden Council Library, of course The Standard would have its own, with a bunch of bookcases waiting to be explored. But The Library Lounge takes your usual library and cranks it up a notch… creating a workspace with charging points and comfy seats, its own menu of mains and light bites, and a cocktail list big enough to get lost in.  

Crackers’ opinion: The Standard really is pulling out all the stops with its spaces, so that also means having a calm place to work, read, and meet. It’s an inspiring space for digital nomads – where you can work amongst others but also enjoy a lunch meeting or drink with clients or colleagues. Come for the books and WiFi, stay for the grazing options and highball cocktails. 

Once you’ve had a moment to relax, read or catch up on emails, you might want to give The Sounds Studio a peek, which is also in The Library Lounge. This last space is dubbed ‘the beating heart of The Standard’ – home to the hotel’s lockdown project, Sometimes Radio. It’s a creative community, where you’ll find ambient music sets, and even cultural talks about music. 

Crackers’ opinion: Super intriguing! We love the community feel. Using their existing space to connect to London’s buzzing music and cultural scene is pure genius – attracting all kinds of people from the wider community (not just hotel guests!). 

With hotels challenged to diversify what they offer and make the most of their spaces to create new revenue streams, we see The Standard innovating in a big way. Whatever the hotel sector faces next, we believe those that think outside the box and appeal to the whole community will continue unlocking new opportunities.   

What do you think? What other hotels genius ideas do you admire? We’d love to hear about it!