Building a Better Hotel Lobby

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Marriott International is following the lead of Sheraton and totally revamping its hotel lobbies, according to this story in the Washington Post today. The chain, which is based in Maryland, tapped Palo Alto design firm Ideo to create a branded interior that is more welcoming, useful, and comfortable for business travellers. Some of the additions have a duh quality to them (PCs with web access and tables around which a small group may sit.) But I think the general idea of turning the hotel lobby into more of a space where you can camp out and work is a good one. I think every hotel lobby should have a wine tasting in the late afternoon (a la the Kimpton Group based in San Francisco.) I also think hotels should let a select few marketers use lobby space to offer freebies like the latest razor or toothpaste or what not to their guests. I say this because (a.) I love freebies, and (b.) I always forget a razor. How would you improve hotel lobbies?

Mike Hofman was previously editor of Inc.com and a deputy editor at Inc. magazine, which he joined in 1996. The site was nominated for a National Magazine Award for Digital Media in 2010, and was named the best business website by Folio Magazine. In 2006, Hofman was part of a team of writers nominated for a Webby Award for best business blog. He lives in New York City. @mikehofman