SALES & MARKETING
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nnismore ’ s Sharan Pasricha says the idea surrounding the lobbies at the London group ’ s hot The Hoxton hotel brand is to walk in and “ you have this center , this burst of energy .” They call it the Hoxton Hustle . “ It ’ s this eclectic mix of furniture , fantastic lighting , great music , affordably priced food and drink with a great mix of people that live and work in the area , as well as the tourists and travelers staying in the hotel ,” he explains .
The idea of transforming what was once a space with archaic design and too-bright spotlights into a hub , a community center , remains the hottest thing going in hotel spaces . Some consider it a response to the Airbnb phenomenon ’ s “ live like a local ” vibe . Others simply call it the natural evolution of the industry responding to trends .
The reception desk is purposefully becoming harder to find — if it exists at all . “ The first impression of walking into a lobby is not of
a hotel lobby — it ’ s one of a living room space ,” Pasricha continues . “ It ’ s an enabler for people hanging out in your hotel spaces .”
Layered on top of the design and services is programming to further activate the space and make sure guests and locals are engaged ( and stick around to eat and drink more ), and to remain relevant to the overall purpose . “ For us it ’ s less about trying to attract the hipster guest . It ’ s more about creating a democratic public space , and the cultural
programming sparks the hustle ,” Pasricha says , adding that it takes an understanding of the neighborhood vibe , a big commitment from a devoted cultural team and no fear of failure , since guests will see through lame promotions . He says choosing interesting , evolving sites for the hotels matters a lot , too .
Some of the most successful programming from The Hoxton has centered around informative , educational , relevant and practical series ( how to break into fashion or
14 hotelsmag . com June 2018