When you walk into a hotel, what catches your eye first? Is it the infrastructure? The personnel? Perhaps, the displays of art? Art is being connected to business once again; this time in the form of attracting guests to stay at hotels. There has been a growing trend in the investing of art by hotels in order to distinguish them from the other competitors. Some choose to hire architects to help renovate their building while others purchase art for display.
In her article, A Place to Stay, Surrounded by Works of Art, Jane L. Levere highlights the various reasons of including art in hotels through several examples. The Savoy located in London is a large participant in using art to attract visitors. They have different artists who reside in the hotel like David Downes, who painted the Thames flotilla of 1,000 boats. It has also been renovated over the past few years with a budget of $356 million to help create a more art friendly space in hopes of reaching out to guests in terms of showing their style and personality.
Inside the Langham
This has also been happening in Chicago where the art is indigenized to fit the local culture. In addition to its unusual architectural design, the Langham provides commissions to artists of numerous fields including contemporary painters Judy Ledgerwood and David Klamen, sculptor Virginio Ferrari and architectural photographer Bill Engdahl. They have also hired a former museum curator to help organize art exhibitions and events at their hotel. Similarly, Le Meridien pays artists to create works for the hotel and to design distinctive key cards as souvenirs for guests.
Though displaying art may not result in immediate higher profit, hotel management realizes that clean rooms and tasty restaurants are not as important as the whole visitor experience. They often act as private investors, collaborating with artists to make good use of the space they have. Because the arts are a less popular field in the modern culture, it is great to see other fields incorporate art with what they do. Personally, I would be more interested in a hotel that features different art exhibits rather than one that simply looks pretty. There is more meaning behind a hotel knowing that they make an effort in including art, even if it’s for profit purposes.
Levere L. Jane. “A Place to Stay, Surrounded by Works of Art.” The New York Times. 25 Oct. 2013. Web. 08 Nov. 2013
Le Meridien
So interesting. You’re right when i walk into a hotel I am staying at I usually find the comfiest looking couch and just look at the art on the walls of on pedestals. There is this hotel I visited in prague ( I didn’t stay there, just walked in) that is so known for their art that the price of the rooms are ridiculous. Art collectors stay at this hotel because of the artworks this hotel has collected.
It is a smart investment for hotels if they are going for high-class guests.
I definitely agree with your idea that art literally is everywhere, and that hotels very often make their lobbies look aesthetically pleasing to look at in order to ensure that they draw a larger crowd. I know that there have been several hotels that I’ve been to that had beautiful lobbies! I was mesmerized by the different sculptures and paintings scattered around the lobbies. I would definitely love to see a wider incorporation of art into our everyday lives.
I definitely see this as a great idea. The whole concept of incorporating more art into hotels is great. Meanwhile, commissioning artists, sculptors, and paying curators seems a little insane. Sure we can add more art to hotels, but trying to go above and beyond others may be a bit extreme. I think art should be everywhere, for instance our train stations could greatly benefits from some nice paintings and sculptures. We don’t necessarily need someone to be coordinating art events and exhibits at the train stations, but I guess at hotels that might work as an extra activity to keep people interested. It would definitely be nice though if this idea of spreading art became more widespread, instead of simply stopping at hotels.
Very interesting, especially since most hotel chains are actually somewhat of a franchise in that the hotel brand manages the hotel for an individual investor. So when you mentioned how the hotel owner collaborates with the artist that proves especially important. Whenever I travel I try to walk over and take a peak at the nicest hotels in the area. When I was in Singapore I walked over to the Ritz Carlton where they are famous for there Chihuly chandeliers (which sell for millions) and sculptures. It really is interesting what hotels are doing these days to try to give themselves a leg up in the hospitality industry. All in all, I think using art is a great way of separating, often boring, hotels from one another. I also think its great for the artist recognition, so I am happy to hear it is a growing trend.
Art is all over the place these days. In my younger years, I don’t recall exquisite paintings and other art forms hotels have today. I guess (and from this article) they are moving in a direction to impress their guests with their art to make their place more memorable. I agree that it also attracts a higher class of people also, no doubt. I think it’s a promising thing that art isn’t on the decline in society (at least not in hotels).
Art is all over the place these days. In my younger years, I don’t recall exquisite paintings and other art forms hotels have today. I guess (and from this article) they are moving in a direction to impress their guests with their art to make their place more memorable. I agree that it also attracts a higher class of people also, no doubt. I think it’s a promising thing that art isn’t on the decline in society (at least not in hotels).
(sorry for the 2nd post, I wasn’t logged in the first time)
I love the idea of curating art in hotels and public spaces. We are naturally drawn to places and things that are pleasing to the eye, so this is a great idea. Also, it is a great publicity move. Though their attention to art may separate them from other, “lower end” hotels, I don’t think that it makes the art exclusive. Nothing is stopping a tourist from going into the Savoy or Langham’s lobby and appreciating the art. The amount of money put into the arts is repaid with publicity. Think about all the installations of art even in New York City, from Madison Square park, to museums- it adds a great feel to the area. I hope to see more places investing in art.
Wow, the hotel, Le Meridien, is extremely beautiful! I feel like the outside of the hotel and it’s infrastructure is a piece of art by itself. I think that investing money into art exhibits inside the hotel is a wonderful idea because it gives people who are staying in the hotel a more cultural experience. Although investing in art pieces is a great idea, I think only high end hotels or 5 star hotels should invest in them. I feel like lower end hotels, or hotels with not many stars should invest that money in improving the hotel instead.
This is a great example of how art is no longer just in museums and galleries. Today we can see art everywhere we go: it surrounds us in our daily lives often without us realizing it. But I, like you and many other people who posted comments, always recognize and appreciate when the hotels I stay in make an effort to include art and other aesthetics into the visual appeal of the building. In today’s society many people who are art appreciators but not enthusiasts do not have time to visit galleries and exhibitions. So when art is integrated like this into our vacations or business trips it provides both more exposure for the artists and more opportunities to view art for the average, busy person.
That sounds like so much fun–art exhibits in hotels, I mean! For someone who’s on a business trip and has a few moments to spare, going to see an art exhibit might be a bit of a mini-vacation. Curiously, I don’t think that this sort of thing will happen at hotels near theme parks or other places of interest–I mean, if people are going to a certain place to visit a specific attraction, it’s almost guaranteed that they won’t want to go visit an art exhibition. On the other hand, you have those who don’t really appreciate art. But all that aside, since this concept seems to be for specific people, it sounds like a very good idea.
I agree with you that it is great how these hotels using art to attract customers. Although they most likely do it only for business purposes, doing it means that they recognize the importance of art in society. It may seem like art is not the most popular thing in mainstream society anymore, but when businesses bring “not so cool” things back, it means that those things are still valued in some way.
Art is definitely a great way to differentiate yourself from your competitors. I mean even if your competition does have art, it almost certainly won’t be the same type of art that you have. What I was wondering while reading your article however is whether average hotels are also following suit. As awesome as it is to have a known artist design a goodbye card for you, it is certainly a luxury, one that I would assume few hotels other than the “Meridians” of the hospitality industry can afford. Still, if you have the money, why not?