Hot take: I thought a guest lounge was just a place to sit, but a trip to a hotel in Austin changed my mind.

I stayed at a hotel in Austin last month that had a proper guest lounge on the main floor. I figured I'd just grab a coffee and leave, but I ended up staying for almost two hours. They had free local snacks, really fast Wi-Fi, and a quiet corner with power outlets. I got more work done there than in my room, and I even met a couple other guests who were in town for the same conference. It totally flipped my idea from it being a waiting area to it being a real part of the hotel experience. Now I always check if a place has one before I book. What's the best guest lounge feature you've seen that made you want to hang out?

3 comments

3 Comments

oliverw461mo ago

That quiet corner with power outlets is a total game changer for getting work done. I always look for that now because hotel desks can be so awkward. What kind of local snacks did they have?

kelly.robin1mo agoTop Commenter

Honestly oliverw46, I find those quiet corners kind of depressing. I'd rather work in the main area with some life to it. The snacks were just basic chips and candy anyway.

jessica39720d ago

The real problem is the lighting in those quiet corners. Most hotels use the same harsh overhead fluorescents everywhere. Oliverw46 might get his outlet, but he's also getting a headache from that glare. I'd take a noisy cafe with big windows over a sad little cubicle under a buzzing light any day. The snack thing just proves they don't put any real thought into the guest work experience.