Learning center / Acoustics by building type / Hotel lobby and ballroom

Where to put acoustic panels in a hotel lobby and ballroom

Where panels do the most good in hotel lobbies, in priority order.

2 minute read · Updated Nov 2026

Placement matters almost as much as quantity. A panel in the right spot removes a strong reflection; the same panel in a corner nobody hears may do very little. In hotel lobbies, start here:

  1. large clouds in the lobby ceiling
  2. feature wall behind the front desk
  3. upper walls of the ballroom

Spread them out

Absorption works best spread across several surfaces rather than all on one wall. Treating two facing walls stops sound bouncing between them (flutter echo). If you only treat one of a pair of parallel walls, alternate panels on each so no strip of bare wall faces another.

Height

In hotel lobbies most of the sound energy reaches the ceiling, so hang ceiling products evenly over the occupied area, not just in one zone. Keep them clear of sprinklers, lights and air diffusers.

Wall or ceiling?

For hotel lobbies we suggest roughly 50% of the treatment on walls and 50% on the ceiling. In larger rooms the ceiling is the biggest surface you can treat, and the closest to every listener.

Try the 3D layout builder to arrange panels on your wall before you order.