A Guide to Hotel Design Pt 12: Bathroom Layouts

Get the bathroom design wrong in an hotel and you have major problems. Because of the relationship with services such as waste and water supply changing the bathroom after completion can be a major issue. Bathrooms are for many guests as, if not more, important than the bedroom itself. Because the bedroom/bathroom combination creates the overall footprint of the building they are the primary driver of cost and the primary area where developers may try to save money. Building down to a lowest common denominator may prove expensive long term, as future proofing demands building up to a higher standard.

The bathroom traditionally stands between the corridor and the bedroom acting as a sound barrier and insulator for the sleep area. This also allows access from the corridor to the services so that maintenance issues can be sorted without the engineers having to access the bedroom directly. In addition, in some countries there is now a requirement that the toilet be in a separate enclosure to the rest of the bathroom, and this is likely to become a de facto standard even in countries like the UK where there is currently no such requirement.

At the beginning of this Guide I stressed that “managing design is a discipline as important and functionally necessary as the accounting process”. I emphasised the need to understand the likely guest profile of the target audience for your hotel. It may be that the majority of your guests will be business people who prefer a quick shower in the morning, but the family with young children will prefer a bath.

In deciding whether to offer shower only, consideration should be given to how many guests will be lost to competition, and vice versa with bath only. Decisions should be made in the light of the evidence from your marketing or customer surveys, not in light of your or your designers personal likes or dislikes.

I would also like to look at the way the bathroom layout should serve the guest, and how detail design can make this work.

It is said that you can tell an older persons bathroom by the number of pills and potions that are there. Hair dyes, cream against wrinkles, anti-perspirants, pain killers for muscle strain, statins against cholesterol, fish oils for joints – and that is just the men! While much of this may rest in a wash bag the size of a small portmanteau, a great deal – shaving tackle, tooth brushes (in my old mums case even on occasion the teeth) are left sitting out on the vanity unit. Assuming the room caters for couples this dictates a fair sized clear area around the basin where things can be laid out.

Again the bathroom should also reflect the need of the guest sector. A bathroom shared by a family, even a mother with a small babe, may require extra room. Can a family bathroom be large enough for a layette for example? Questions like this need addressing in the way the bathroom is planned not just when fitted out.

Bathrooms are also the new battlefield aesthetically. Marble or granite is now commonplace (and should be treated to be non-slip) soaking tubs with roll tops (usually pressed steel although best quality dictates cast iron) dimmable lights or alternative lighting layouts, coloured lights, candles, TV’s, sound systems all contribute to luxury in an area where hotels can still outstrip many homes in their provision, and create the ‘wow’ factor.

Bathroom mirror should be free of misting and this can be effected by the power of bathroom extractors as well as by use of heated pads behind the morrir to provide a mist free area. Bathroom extraction requirements are defined by regulation, and are essential to prevent mildew and smells

Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.