Part 33: The significance of art and photography within hotel design

Susan Walsh – a leading art curator who has worked on projects such as The Langham London, Ritz Carlton Hong Kong and Mandarin Oriental Macau – explains the significance of art in hotel design.

Does art draw a visitor to a particular hotel? Probably not, but art has the ability to make the stay more memorable. How many times do you hear someone return from a stay in a hotel and mention the green velvet chairs in the hotel lounge? But they will certainly mention artwork if it had an impact.

Why do so many hotels miss this unique opportunity to use artwork as a communication tool to their guests? Artwork can convey so much in one short visual moment. It is the emotional component in the room in which the furniture, light fixtures and wall coverings are not. Art creates the opportunity for a moment that can reflect humour, awe, shock or just sheer dramatic impact.

We are seeing the trend with more and more hotels valuing the artwork collection more than the standard stock artwork that prevailed for so many years. Many hotels are moving away from the attitude of “There’s a huge blank wall over there, lets fill it with something that matches the sofas.” However, for the most part, the budget for artwork is still sadly disproportionate to the allowed budget for the rest of the interior specifications. This is an enormous missed opportunity for the brands to convey personal and impactful messages to their clients that gets largely overlooked.

While the trend towards Air B&B is still growing which is driven largely by economics, hotels can still compete by creating the unforgettable experience for the visitor. Most people choose Air B&B as the cost per night is substantially lower than most ‘higher end’ hotel brands but the trade off is giving up the drama and theatre of checking into and staying in a truly exceptional hotel. The entrance, the restaurants, bars and public spaces all give the visitor a vastly different experience than the solitude of the Air B&B. Artwork can be used as a powerful tool in adding to that experience. As hotels provide amenities, service and comfort –  the architecture, interior design, lighting and artwork add to the aspirational aspect of choosing a particular hotel. Having the right artwork adds to that intrinsic value giving the visitor a chance to view the work outside of museums and galleries. They are surrounded by it and without thinking about it are having an experience because of it – if it is good. Bad art can deaden a space and create a reaction akin to questioning the point of putting it there at all.

Air B&B has has been credited with giving the traveller a home away from home feeling whereby hotels give the traveller that irreplaceable feeling of really knowing you are far away from home. Hotels respond with the artwork they choose to include as part of the interior design. The trend is moving away from gallery wall artwork collections that may resemble a visitor’s eclectic collection they may have their own living room towards larger, single impactful pieces. Traditionally, hotel corridors were lined with a series of smaller pieces all in same style and colour, hotel are now moving towards one large “Money shot” piece at the end of the corridor. This creates drama even if the visitor isn’t consciously aware of the particular piece, the scale adds to the space and creates a vibe. All of these individual moments make up the feeling of having an experience different to what you have in your normal everyday life.

Art is exciting, personal, dramatic, shocking, inspiring or sometimes downright confusing but ultimately it is emotional and that is the feeling people leave with and hopefully wish to return to. This is why artwork can add value to the brand and ultimately brand loyalty.

 

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.