When asked what their primary sources of revenue are, hotel managers almost always list room revenue, restaurant revenue, and bar revenue among the top five. While most of the traditional methods of cost cutting are well understood and implemented broadly around the world, one powerful tool for the generation of revenue and earnings remains largely unexploited. A minor investment by hotel owners in this area requires no maintenance, works every day all day and all night year around, and pays dividends for many years. That investment is artwork.

The right artwork draws attention from hotel patrons. It is colorful, soothing, and reminiscent of the most pleasant experiences of the hotel traveler. It harkens us back to less hectic times, and to the beauty that surrounds us when we afford ourselves the time to appreciate it. It causes the onlooker to pause, and calls to their subconscious mind, imploring them to slow down and at least in their mind's eye, smell the roses.

So how does this impact a hotels financial bottom line? Actually, it happens in a number of ways. First of all, it lowers the customer attrition rate, enhancing the opportunity for repeat business. This translates to higher room revenue with the same or lower advertising costs. Hotel guests who are affected,even subliminally, by their surroundings in a positive way are more likely to return. Secondly, an uplifting visual environment stimulates the release of endorphins, resulting in less stressed and more relaxed guests. That customer satisfaction translates into longer delays in the bars and restaurants at the hotel, which of course results in more spending. Thirdly, beautiful fine art photography on the walls elevates the image of the hotel, making it a more desirable location for business meetings, meals, and other forms of entertaining. Again, more people lingering longer means more revenue.

What types of photography work best for hotels? It varies by area of the hotel, but some common sense guidelines here include:

Lobbies and waiting areas. These are areas where more interesting art should be hung. The art displayed here should be colorful, attention grabbing images that distract the viewer in pleasant ways to minimize the natural impatience of standing in line, wrestling with bags, and waiting for colleagues.

Hotel Rooms and suites. Hotel rooms and suites function primarily as a respite. Especially in traditional hotel rooms where there is basically a sleeping room and a bath, the artwork most appropriately includes images that remind the traveler of home-like environs, and hearken the viewer back to a events and places that are likely to evoke pleasant memories. Nature and landscape photography can be rewarding when scenes are pastoral, and sunsets are almost always attractive to viewers seeking solace. Especially in tropical climbs, moonlit palm trees waving over the ocean shoreline are a great example. Often hotels strive to include images of local landmarks and attractions. However, it is important even in these cases to commit the photography to depictions of these locals in softened tones and tranquil ways. High visual energy levels are not the best application for sleeping quarters artwork. In cases where a suite is involved, the living room or dining room areas may be more transitional, containing images of more energy, color, and interest. Bright images of flowers, local landmarks or more exotic locations, and even an occasional portrait can be of interest.

Hallways and foyers. Hallways and foyers rarely afford more than a passing glance at artwork, and hence are most appropriately treated with simple and uncomplicated images. Hotel management should not spend much of the furnishings budget here, but rather shift their attention and resources to more prominent areas. Suggested images for halls and foyers include images that reflect leaves and foliage in fall colors, waterfalls, and occasional portraiture.

Restaurants and bars. Restaurants and bars are most successfully decorated with images that are colorful, lively reflections of life and living. Event photography works well in these settings, especially in bars. Sports photos, construction photos, transportation photos, and images of high adventure and exploration work well. Adventure is a key theme for these environs. With restaurants, artwork often reflects the cuisine favored by the establishment. Italian restaurants utilize Tuscan imagery, while Asian restaurants often display water-born junks and pagodas. In these settings, it is often important to reinforce the interest that the chef is attempting to create around the food. Images of corn still on the cob can be rendered quite beautifully, for example, and softer representations of prepared foods such as breads and cheeses can be displayed in ways that actually reinforce the hunger pangs of patrons.

Meeting rooms, conference rooms and ballrooms. Meeting rooms are typically places of business, and as such they deserve compelling artwork. While the photographs should not be so bold as to compete with speakers and event themes, they should be broadly inspirational without too much complexity. Subtle inspiration and acclamation of greatness is the desired goal here. Kayaks in white water, Lewis and Clark type exploration, Lighthouses beaconing to ships struggling against a storm, these are the types of images that often work well. Event photography is typically a solid foundation upon which to rest artwork for these venues. A hot air balloon race getting under way and a BMX bicyclist traversing challenging terrain can both be great places to start.

All in all, hotel artwork should assist the hotel guest in getting through the activities of the day. It should encourage and inspire in business settings like conference rooms, sharpen the appetite in restaurants, lighten the mood in bars, distract and calm in lobbies and waiting areas, and comfort and soothe in sleeping quarters. Remember, a happy guest is more likely to linger and spend money, invite others to join him or her at your hotel, and return again without cajoling. Good photographic artwork is a sound investment that pays dividends in revenue and earnings year after year!