What usually goes wrong
- Stone floors and high ceilings make the lobby boom.
- Check-in conversations carry.
- Ballroom speeches are unclear.
The main noise sources are guests, luggage, events and the sound system. Sound bounces off hard walls, floors and ceilings, so it lingers and builds up. Absorbing panels soak up those reflections.
Where the panels go
- Large clouds in the lobby ceiling.
- Feature wall behind the front desk.
- Upper walls of the ballroom.
Mistakes to avoid
- Choosing panels that clash with the interior scheme.
- Skipping the ceiling in a tall lobby.
Fire rating and codes
Assembly occupancy for ballrooms; Class A finishes in lobbies, corridors and exits.
Blocking sound between rooms
Panels make a room sound better, but they don’t stop sound passing through a wall. For that you need a wall assembly rated around STC 55, between guest rooms, and between ballroom sections with movable walls. Read about STC ratings and soundproofing.
Recommended
Panels that suit hotel lobbies
Learning center
14 guides for hotel lobbies
Acoustic panels for hotel lobbies: the complete guideWhat makes hotel lobbies noisy, which panels fix it, and how to plan treatment from start to finish.How many acoustic panels does a hotel lobby and ballroom need?A worked Sabine calculation for a typical hotel lobby, with panel counts for small, typical and large rooms.Where to put acoustic panels in a hotel lobby and ballroomWhere panels do the most good in hotel lobbies, in priority order.Wall acoustics for hotel lobbiesHow walls behave acoustically in hotel lobbies and how to treat them with panels.Ceiling acoustics for hotel lobbiesClouds, baffles and ceiling tiles for hotel lobbies, and how much of the ceiling to cover.Choosing panel thickness for a hotel lobby and ballroom1, 2 or 4 inches: which thickness suits hotel lobbies and why.Reverberation time targets for hotel lobbiesThe reverberation time to aim for in hotel lobbies, and why it matters.What acoustic treatment costs for a hotel lobby and ballroomBudget estimates for treating a typical hotel lobby, and where the money goes.Fabrics, colors and shapes for hotel lobbiesFabric types, colors and shapes that work in hotel lobbies.Fire ratings and code requirements for panels in hotel lobbiesFire ratings, occupancy rules and mounting requirements for panels in hotel lobbies.Installing acoustic panels in a hotel lobby and ballroomTools, hardware and step-by-step installation for panels in hotel lobbies.Common acoustic mistakes in hotel lobbiesThe errors we see most often in hotel lobbies, and how to avoid them.Soundproofing and STC ratings for hotel lobbiesWhen hotel lobbies need soundproofing, which STC rating to aim for, and how to get there.Hotel lobby and ballroom acoustics checklist and FAQA one-page checklist and answers to common questions about hotel lobby acoustics.