It’s likely we’ve all fallen in love with a hotel bathroom at some point in our lives. And, when it comes to bathroom design ideas for our own homes, there’s often something about hotel bathroom ideas that can captivate our imagination.
But, the reality is, not all of them are suited to a domestic use, and what may have felt like the perfect spa-like experience in the hotel, could soon turn into a bathroom nightmare in your home.
To save your bathroom becoming a washout, we asked bathroom experts to share the hotel bathroom ideas they say need to be approached with caution, along with suggestions for those ideas that will replicate a hotel feel, without compromising your needs.
Hotel bathroom ideas are designed for a different audience
Whether you’ve fallen in love with a luxe look or a minimalistic haven, when it comes to the reality of needing to get ready for work early in the morning, or deal with a flurry of bath time activity at bedtime, hotel bathrooms are rarely created with these practical needs in mind. They’re designed for clients looking for rest and relaxation, not homeowners.
And even though you may well be that client at some point, while hotel bathroom ideas seem to work when you’re only using them for a few days, peel away the visual appeal and it’s likely the cracks will soon start to show. But don’t feel bad for aspiring to the concept, it’s a common occurrence say the experts.
“We often have customers visit our showroom aiming to replicate the interior of a hotel they’ve previously visited,” confirms Leigh Price, co-director of Real Stone Tile & Bathroom. “But it is important to understand that sometimes visually appealing designs don’t always offer practicality in the long term.”
Leigh Price
Leigh Price, Co-Director of Real Stone, Tile & Bathroom has been in the construction industry for 35 years, and has worked in the tiling and bathroom industry for the past 16 years. His favourite aspect of running the business is guiding a client through the design process for their project, and consequently seeing it come to fruition
5 hotel bathroom ideas to approach with care
1. Be wary of wet rooms
Consider whether a shower screen is more practical in a busy bathroom(Image credit: Bathroom Mountain)
Although wet rooms are now commonplace in many homes, be wary of those that offer little or no enclosure, or easy access to drainage says Leigh Price.
“Plenty of modern hotel designs now feature minimalist open walk in shower ideas, offering a wet room’s luxurious feel. In reality, open showers often require constant maintenance to ensure the draining system doesn’t become even slightly blocked, as this will likely result in an overflow of water flooding the bathroom.
“More practical shower screen options include both shower enclosures and shower screens with roller shutters,” says Leigh. “These will offer a much stronger shield against excess water. Hotels tend not to equip bathrooms with enclosed options because they are harder to clean and maintain.”
2. Minimal hotel-inspired storage doesn’t work with full-size items
Always include plenty of storage in your bathroom(Image credit: Multipanel)
“One thing often lacking in hotel bathrooms are good bathroom storage ideas, as they simply isn’t required,” says Sally Bettison, design manager at Tissino.
“There isn’t a need to store extra bottles of shampoo or spare towels, everything tends to be travel-size or in refillable dispensers. This means vanity areas can often encompass just a sink area and a lot of wasted space and this isn’t a look or design feature that would work in many family bathrooms.”
So why is there so little storage? “Hotel bathrooms typically prioritise aesthetics over storage, offering minimal shelving or cabinetry,” says Nick Cryer, managing director of Berkeley Place. “This may work for short stays, but in a home, it can lead to clutter and frustration. Homeowners need ample storage for toiletries, towels, and personal items, making hotel-inspired minimalist designs impractical.”
Nick Cryer
Nick Cryer is a chartered engineer with over 35 years experience in property and construction. In 2009 he founded Berkeley Place, a company specialising in private residential construction with a commitment to excellence and innovation.
Sally Bettison
Sally is Design Manager at Tissino. With a background in fashion design, Sally brings her love and experience of fashion into the bathroom sector, designing trend-led and colourful products that homeowners can enjoy daily.
3. Steer clear of expensive or hard to clean materials
While visually stunning, luxe materials such as marble may require more maintenance(Image credit: J Adams Co)
“Who doesn’t love staying in a luxury hotel and taking inspiration from their bathrooms,” agrees Lidia Kane, creative manager at Multipanel and Naturepanel. “However, while they definitely look the part, bringing the same look, materials and products into your own home may not work on a daily basis,” she warns.
“One such idea is the use of expensive and premium natural materials such as wood or marble for bathroom panelling ideas,” she warns. “As beautiful as they are, they can be high maintenance and not be a practical choice for a bathroom that is used multiple times a day.”
And, when there’s an army of housekeepers keeping the space spotless each day, the thought of how difficult they may be to clean is unlikely to even cross your mind.
“Don’t forget the expense too,” adds Lidia. “These type of materials are known to often be at the high end of surface materials.” Plus, it’s worth bearing in mind that the price you will pay for purchasing in small quantities is likely to be different to the one paid on a commercial basis when buying in bulk.
Lidia Kane
Lidia Kane has expertise in design and looks to work with her team on developing the latest trend-led and timeless wall panel collections for both Multipanel and Naturepanel.
4. Open-plan hotel-style bathrooms lack privacy
Open plan works better when there’s an element of privacy included(Image credit: BC Designs)
One pet hate of mine, and one shared by the experts is a lack of privacy that can often be found in hotel bathrooms.
“Although no walls separating the sleeping area might look trendy in a hotel,” says Nick Cryer, “they lack practicality at home. The open-plan bathroom concept can sacrifice privacy and make everyday living awkward, especially in shared spaces or family homes. The lack of separation also leads to noise and moisture issues that can disrupt the comfort of the adjoining room.”
Having the right bathroom ventilation in place if you are going for an open-plan feel is essential, so make sure you don’t scrimp on this element of your design when working out your new bathroom costs.
5. Too much glass can be impractical
Ask yourself whether you really need the hassle of cleaning a floor-to-ceiling shower screen and stop short of full height instead(Image credit: Roper Rhodes)
Whether it’s part of an open-plan bathroom or there are just swathes of glass in the bathroom itself, too much glass is another hotel bathroom idea that doesn’t always suit the home.
“Floor-to-ceiling glass shower enclosures and glass dividers are common in hotels, but they may not suit every household,” says Nick Cryer. “Glass requires constant cleaning to avoid water spots and streaks, and in homes with kids or pets, it’s prone to fingerprints and smudges. Additionally, full transparency again offers no privacy.”
5 hotel bathroom ideas that work at home
Although practicality needs to remain front and centre of your bathroom design, there are still ways to replicate some of your favourite hotel bathroom ideas that won’t compromise on their performance say the experts. The best way to achieve a great result? Work out your needs first and then design around them.
“When planning a home renovation, it’s essential to balance style with functionality,” says Nick Cryer. “Hotel bathrooms can be a great source of inspiration, and cleverly adapting the design to suit your household’s daily needs will ensure a space that is both beautiful and liveable.
1. Use materials that look luxe but are easier to maintain
A luxurious finish can still be achieved with materials that mimic more luxury versions(Image credit: Multipanel)
Materials are one way of adding a luxe look as long as you choose well, suggests Lidia Kane.
“If you really love this high-end look, consider looking at materials that bring the practical benefits while replicating the aesthetic,” she suggests. “From stone through to wood-effect, a lot of materials can now be replicated in fine detail but without the upkeep; ensuring you get the hotel look without the headache.”
Multipanel Linda Barker Hydrolock Calacatta Marble Shower Panel – Various Sizes
Replicate a luxury hotel style with this marble replica shower panels that look the part but offer easier maintenance and installation
2. Turn your hotel-inspired storage into a design feature
Turn your storage into a feature to disguise its practical purpose(Image credit: Tissino)
With some clever thinking, your storage can equally become a design feature, says Sally Bestinno but still provide you with plenty of space for your essentials.
“Five-star hotel bathrooms are all about luxury, as you might expect! But that means that they can sometimes be designed for style over substance, which works for hotels but doesn’t work in your own home,” warns Sally.
“You don’t have to compromise on style to get the necessary storage,” she advises. “Instead, look to find a vanity unit that has bathroom trend-led features such as fluted finishes or certain colours, but with added deep storage drawers or cabinets.”
Use a bookmatching technique to elevate your bathroom to hotel status(Image credit: Laminam)
A concept often used in kitchens, bookmatching is also a clever way of adding a sense of luxury to your bathroom design that’s as practical as it is stylish.
“Use bookmatched patterns for large areas such as behind a freestanding bath, as a basin splashback or in a large walk-in shower area,” says Claudio Corniola, Laminan’s research and development director.
“The distinctive and eye-catching look is created by adjoining two or more slabs of stone cut from the same block, right next to each other for a striking mirror-image effect.
“Bookmatching also allows for seamless continuity with no visible joins, which has the added benefit of being impervious to germs and bacteria,” Claudio adds, “while also making cleaning easier thanks to fewer grout lines.
4. Two sinks suit a luxe hotel look as well as being practical
Make two sinks work hard by mounting them atop vanity units with storage(Image credit: Veledeau)
If you’ve got the space in your bathroom, then two sinks is a concept often seen in hotel bathrooms and it’s one that not only adds a sense of opulence to your en-suite bathroom, but also improves functionality.
While you may not choose to share some bathroom ablutions, most people will cope with washing hands or face or brushing teeth at the same time and two sinks gives you that freedom to speed up your hygiene routine.
This double vanity unit has space for hotel style matching sinks but also includes the all important bathroom storage space
5. Use clever lighting to recreate a hotel vibe
Add extra lighting for a luxe layered hotel bathroom idea that’s also practical(Image credit: Laminam)
Although it can be easy to lose sight of your bathroom lighting ideas, assuming you only need to think about having plenty of light to get ready by, hotel bathroom ideas often feature a variety of different lights.
As well as single bathroom mirror lights helping to ensure you don’t disturb sleeping guest during the night, LED strips, subtle lighting in showers, touch-sensor bathroom mirror lights and floor-level lighting all helps to create the layered feel you associate with high-end finishes.
Does it work in a residential environment? Absolutely and if you’re planning your bathroom renovation be sure to avoid these bathroom lighting mistakes.
Looking for some final tips for creating that perfect hotel bathroom look? Justine Bullock, designer and director of The Tap End shares her thoughts on hotel bathroom ideas as a concept.
Combine your hotel bathroom ideas well and the result can be stunning and practical(Image credit: The Tap End)
“We are domestic bathroom designers, designing for end users and frequently we get asked for ‘hotel style’. This is so broad, and when I personally think of hotel inspired bathrooms, I often think about clever small space design which uses clean lines, easy clean products and tiles to create something that is superior to your average bathroom at home.
“Things that I don’t like when visiting hotels are tiny bathrooms with walk-in showers, which can be cold, uninviting and the water goes everywhere,” she adds.
“Equally bathrooms that are too small and have too many doors are a personal no-no. I was in a hotel recently and there was a door on the shower and a door into the room and the two collided,” she comments.
“In higher-end hotels enclosed showers and shower seating are always a bonus. And hotel bathrooms that are a decent size should, in my opinion,” says Justine, “always feature freestanding bath ideas… big enough for two!”
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