We like to have this in our hotel room

What is most important when checking into your hotel room? A good bed is probably at the top of the list for most people.

Then the wish list varies from person to person: maybe a good space, a possibility to open a window, a bathtub, a good place to sit, good carpets on the floor high?

We have different desires. But there are a few things hotel guests agree they value most: free Wi-Fi, good phone charging options near the bed, and a hair dryer that works at least as well as the one at home.

Now you should go away

But there are also things that are almost never used in a hotel room. And hotel room designers know all about it.

This is why there are a number of things in the way away from hotel guest rooms.

All large pieces of furniture, including desks and occasional bedside tables, disappear from the hotel rooms.

This applies to both budget hotels and hotels of the middle price level, as well as hotels with four or five stars.

Instead, the big hotels are spending time and money creating new smart solutions within the wardrobe itself, and making stays easier for guests.

Smart rooms

– Lifestyle hotels and budget hotels have been good at thinking of new things and adjusting both content and making better use of every square meter.

A good example is the HOBO Hotel in Stockholm, where the wardrobes were removed and replaced with wall hangings as hooks and a visible wardrobe rod, says Siri Luning, brand manager at the luxurious Sumero Hotel in Oslo.

Previously, she developed the luxury The Thief, the lifestyle hotel Amerikalinjen and was behind the success of Ladies Floor at the Grand Hotell in Oslo.

– Upscale resorts and hotels still have many legacy solutions like more closet space and traditional wardrobes. In resorts that offer a longer stay per guest, this is also normal because people like to unpack their bags and stay more than one night.

hand bag

In the case of Sumero, we’ve taken some obvious measures because we’re seeing people travel more with carry-on luggage, even for two nights, says Siri Luneng.

People who live alone do not need large chests of drawers or wardrobes with many shelves. They also don’t need desks with lots of drawers.

It soon sold out

– When Hotell Sommero was to be designed, the interior architects gave us a task: to remove all non-functional drawers. No guests putting things in the drawers and what’s more annoying than having a lot of empty drawers in the rooms?

Few things to forget

Another thing is that the fewer things in the room, the easier it will be to clean. You do not have to open drawers and search for items before completing payment. Thus, you are less likely to leave anything behind when you can quickly clear the room before you check out as well.

– In wardrobe solutions, we want guests to have more hanging space, and to have several hangers for each guest so that everything can be hung. Then it is tempting to unpack. Classic dressers with many shelves should have gone, Luneng says.

– We also want to make sure that those who have carry-on bags and don’t want to unpack them completely can open their suitcase at the correct height, not off the floor or on a rickety suitcase seat. It is more important to have a full length hanging mirror with good lighting than a wardrobe.

with a puff

– We also think it’s important to have a place to put your clothes for the evening, so a bench or pouf is most appreciated. A place to sit to put your shoes on. Our small rooms in the attic are designated for storage under the bed.

You can remove the cabinets and replace them with the good solutions. Give guests enough good hangers for pants, dresses, and jackets and they’ll do a lot.

– It’s like building ships, says Carolina Iguerin, Design Director of Quadrum Global, the design behind the Arlo Hotel in the USA, with rooms ranging from 180 to 200 square metres!

You want to use all angles in a smart way. We’ve found that chests of drawers and cupboards aren’t the most important thing, but bed sizes are. We prioritize a king-size bed over a chest of drawers, says Carolina Eguiguren Condé Nast Traveler.

Stoltabbe cost NOK 12,000

First choice

– Larger room categories, such as suites and junior suites, often accommodate more than one person and could be fine with more space. When rooms are larger, there are often safes.

But if a guest can choose between a larger bed and a larger bathroom rather than wardrobe space, they’ll likely choose the first two, Siri Løining says. The challenge: Will hotel rooms of the future have a TV and desk, or are they both on the way out?