Why Hotels Need ‘Instagramability’: OZ’s Rebecca Stone Explains in HOTELS Magazine

Attracting guests to a hotel requires more than just the promise of a nice room, a comfortable bed, good service and amenities. These days, a hotel property better also possess Instagrammability, OZ Architecture Principal Rebecca Stone writes in an article for HOTELS Magazine.

More than 40% of Millennials consider a place’s Instagramability when choosing a travel destination, according to AdWeek. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, Stone asserts, as Instagrammers’ preferences are subtly but surely driving hotels away from bland uniformity, toward spaces that connect to their local environment. To do so, she suggests focusing on three areas:

• Lobbies. Hotels are turning lobbies into unique, eclectic and personalized environments. In downtown Denver, for example, the Magnolia Hotel created a lobby art installation with vintage vaults and bank machines to honor the building’s history as a 19^th-century bank. It has become one of the most photographed spaces in the hotel.

• Experiences. Hotels are connecting with local experiences and culture to give visitors a sense of place, turning themselves into neighborhood hubs where people can enjoy exercise classes, concerts, art shows and more. In this hub role, it’s critical that hotels pay close attention to detailing, because those details likely will end up on Instagram, helping to spread the word about the hotel’s unique “story” and the experience it offers.

• Event spaces. Hotels are locating event spaces in some of their most striking — and photogenic — areas. They’re also designing these spots for flexibility, to accommodate Instagram-friendly events such as family gatherings, weddings, and, yes, conferences.

In a world where customers increasingly gravitate to Instagram-ready environments and moments, hotels that understand the big picture are thinking visually and intentionally building experiences with social media in mind.

To read the full article, click here.