A hotel lobby works harder than almost any other room in the building. Guests wait for rooms, meet friends, sit with luggage and take calls, often all at the same time. Good hotel lobby furniture gives each of them a suitable place to sit, looks right from the front door and stands up to constant use and cleaning.
This guide covers lounges and armchairs, coffee and side tables, layouts for groups and solo guests, upholstery, the reception counter and cleaning. The sofas and chairs come from our office lounges range, and the same thinking applies to a serviced apartment foyer.
Hotel lobby furniture for groups: a lounge, armchairs and a coffee table
Groups need a setting they can share, and the classic answer is a sofa facing armchairs across a low table. A three-seater with two armchairs opposite seats five around one table.
The Plaza 3 Seater Lounge ($1,528) is built for receptions, lobbies and breakout spaces. It has a pocket spring seat, loose cushions upholstered on both sides, and a zig zag steel spring and webbed base on a solid hardwood frame. Stainless steel feet, a 390kg weight limit and a 5 year warranty suit a busy lobby. It comes in black PU only, is for indoor use and needs minor assembly.
For the armchairs, the Como Single Leather Lounge ($1,058) brings square-tufted leather and chrome feet to the setting. It measures 880 x 770 x 750mm (W x D x H) with a 410mm seat height, and carries a 3 year warranty. Its page pitches it at boardroom foyers and upmarket reception areas. The price is for one chair, and the 2 and 3 seater versions are sold separately.
Between them, the Nido Stone Oval Coffee Table ($359) has a Grey Carrara sintered stone top, 12mm thick with a chamfered edge. It measures 1200mm W x 500mm D x 377mm H and sits on a black powder coated cross brace underframe with adjustable levelling feet. Its page describes it as durable for high-traffic environments, and it has a 5 year warranty. More options are in our coffee and side tables range.
Armchairs for solo guests and quiet corners
Many lobby guests arrive alone: a traveller between meetings, someone waiting for a late check-in, a guest on a work call. Single chairs set a little apart from the main group give them a seat without sharing a stranger's sofa.
The Velto High Back Lounge 1 Seater ($1,301) has a tall, enveloping back that creates a sense of separation. It measures 900mm W x 740mm D x 1250mm H, with an 830mm back height and a 420mm seat height. It is upholstered in Lena 353 Olive fabric on a black powder coated base, with a 5 year warranty.
For a lighter look, the Calypso Wing Back Chair ($896) pairs light grey 100% polyester fabric with a four-leg Ashwood timber base. The legs have a clear anti-scratch treatment, and the chair measures 800mm W x 800mm D x 1080mm H. It has a 420mm seat height, a 150kg weight rating and a 5 year warranty. More single chairs are in our armchairs and single lounges range.
Give each solo chair a small table for a coffee or a phone. The Nido Stone Side Table ($246) is 500mm in diameter and 452mm high, with the same Grey Carrara stone top as the oval coffee table. Adjustable levelling feet keep it steady on uneven floors.
Leather, PU or fabric for lobby seating
Upholstery decides how a lobby looks after a year of daily use, and each option has its place.
- Leather. Classic and hard-wearing, with a surface that wipes clean. The Como is the leather option here.
- PU. Polyurethane gives a leather look and wipes down quickly. The Plaza's loose cushions are upholstered on both sides, so they can be turned over.
- Fabric. Warmer to sit on and softer in look, which suits corners where guests settle in. The Calypso uses 100% polyester, and the Velto uses Lena 353 Olive fabric.
The reception counter
The counter is the first thing guests walk up to, so it sets the tone and takes the most wear. The Audrey Reception Counter (from $3,492) has a sintered stone top that its page says resists stains, scratches and heat. The front is MDF timber veneer ribbing in an Oak / White colourway. It comes in 2100mm and 2300mm widths, and the 2100mm version measures 2100mm W x 820mm D x 1150mm H. It needs assembly and has a 1 year warranty.
Leave clear floor space in front of the counter for guests with luggage, and keep lounge seating out of the queue. The table below matches each lobby zone to the pieces in this guide.
| Lobby zone | What it needs | Products in this guide |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival and check-in | A hard-wearing counter top and room to queue with luggage | Audrey Reception Counter |
| Group seating | A sofa, armchairs and a shared low table | Plaza 3 Seater Lounge, Como Single Leather Lounge, Nido Stone Oval Coffee Table |
| Solo waiting and calls | Single chairs with high or winged backs, each with a side table | Velto High Back Lounge 1 Seater, Calypso Wing Back Chair, Nido Stone Side Table |
Australian hotels and serviced apartments
Australian lobbies get their hardest use in the peaks: school holidays, major events and the afternoon check-in rush. Coastal and resort hotels add sand, sunscreen and wet swimwear to the cleaning list. That favours leather, PU and stone surfaces that wipe down quickly. Serviced apartment foyers are usually smaller, so one lounge, a high-back chair and a side table may be enough.
For daily care, wipe leather, PU and stone tops with a damp cloth, and vacuum fabric seating regularly. Deliveries go to the ground-floor entrance, and goods arrive flat-packed unless the product page says assembled. Each product page names the metro cities it delivers to. For office receptions and clinics, see our guide to waiting room chairs for reception and client areas.
Hotel lobby furniture — frequently asked questions
What furniture does a hotel lobby need?
Most lobbies need a reception counter, a group setting of sofa, armchairs and coffee table, and a few single chairs with side tables. The right mix depends on how many guests wait at once and how long they stay.
What is the best upholstery for hotel lobby chairs?
Leather and PU are the easiest to wipe clean, which suits busy lobbies and resort hotels. Fabric feels warmer, so it works well in quieter corners where guests settle in.
How do you arrange furniture in a hotel lobby?
Arrange it in zones. Keep the path to the counter clear, group a sofa and armchairs around a coffee table, and set single chairs with side tables a little apart for solo guests.
What size coffee table suits a three-seater lounge?
A long, low table works best in front of a three-seater. The Nido Stone Oval Coffee Table is 1200mm wide and 377mm high.
Shop the range
Every piece in this guide is listed below in the order it appears.
- Plaza 3 Seater Lounge ($1,528): a black PU three-seater with a 390kg weight limit for busy lobbies
- Como Single Leather Lounge ($1,058): a square-tufted leather armchair on chrome feet for group settings
- Nido Stone Oval Coffee Table ($359): a 1200mm sintered stone coffee table for high-traffic lounge areas
- Velto High Back Lounge 1 Seater ($1,301): a high-back single lounge that gives solo guests a sense of privacy
- Calypso Wing Back Chair ($896): a light grey fabric wing back chair on a timber base
- Nido Stone Side Table ($246): a 500mm round stone side table to sit beside armchairs
- Audrey Reception Counter (from $3,492): a stone-topped reception counter that resists stains, scratches and heat
Metro delivery is a flat $75 per order, and prices include GST.
