IHG Open Lobby

One of the most recognisable parts of The Holiday Inn brand is the unique Open Lobby. The distinctive open plan layout, comfortable and functional furniture and warm, bright colours all work together to create a space which can be whatever our guests want it to be. We know our guests want to eat, drink, relax, have fun and connect so whether you’re in for a business meeting, coffee with friends, meal with your family or drinks at the bar, the Open Lobby has been designed for you.

A complete list of the Open Lobby Brand Standards can be found in the Online Brand Standards Manual on IHG Merlin.

Merlin > Online Brand Standards Manual > Search Standards > By Hotel Location > Select "Open Lobby" > Go

There are a number of ways that the Open Lobby gives guests something that our competitors don’t:

• It’s a casual, unpretentious space designed to make everyone feel welcome, whether travelling alone or with a group, with kids or with colleagues

• The design has a very open feel – we’re not telling guests how to use the space. They can eat, drink, work or relax and socialise anywhere they choose. This is different from the conventional approach where guests must eat in the dining area, drink at the bar and work in the business centre or in their room

• The position of the bar makes food and drink central to the Open Lobby – this makes sense given the social nature of the typical Holiday Inn guest

• Relaxing and having fun are key to our brand – with its gaming and relaxation areas, the Open Lobby stands out compared to more business-focused hotels

• It allows guests to do all the work they need to do, but without ever looking or feeling like a business hotel

The Three Pillars of Open Lobby are:

• Design

• F&B

• Service

Within Open Lobby, we offer All Day Dining, allowing our guests the flexibility to eat and drink in an environment that suits them. Our Kitchen Philosophy is designed to offer guests value, familiarity, quality and choice.

Breakfast (Chef’s Station)

Fresh breakfast that gets me on my way quickly

Description: Our breakfast uses the freshest ingredients and offers lots of choice, with a range of hot and continental options. The Chef’s Station is the focal point of breakfast – it brings the chef into the dining area where guests can see them preparing a breakfast delighter.

Experience: Guests want a great start to the day and that means a quality breakfast in a welcoming space with all their favourites available. And seeing the chef cooking in front of them really underlines how fresh our breakfasts are.

Dining Area

Flexible areas to enjoy my favourite foods

Description: The dining area is a casual, inviting space offering flexible seating options. With high and low tables, booths and soft seating, it’s great for everyone from families and groups to lone travellers.

Experience: In our dining area, guests can sit anywhere to enjoy their favourite food any time that suits them. Whether they’re eating alone or have company, it’s a place they can relax, work on their laptop, make themselves at home and enjoy great cooking.

Bar

A casual spot to meet up and grab a drink and a bite to eat

Description: The stylish bar is at the heart of the Open Lobby. It serves food throughout the day – from breakfast onwards – as well as coffees, teas, soft and alcoholic drinks. Experience: The bar is somewhere guests feel that they can just pull up a chair and start to unwind. Our guests are sociable people and this is a place where they can connect with other travellers. The peninsula seating is particularly popular with guests eating and drinking while chatting or doing some work.

Alcohol must be covered by screens during breakfast hours.

To Go Café

A quick bite to eat and coffee on the fly

Description: Our To Go Café serves branded coffee, tea and cold drinks plus a great range of food, from breakfast pastries and cakes to hot and cold snacks. Food and drink are available 24/7.

Experience: The To Go Café is big on convenience, offering guests another chance to grab their favourite foods. Guests come here for anything from a morning coffee or lunch on the move to a midnight snack – and they don’t even have to step out of the hotel to do it.

Room Service/Take-in

An easy way to get good food to eat in my room or take away

Description: When guests don’t feel like dining in, they can phone in an order instead. They can choose Room Service and pay a small charge to have their food delivered to their room, or opt for Take-in and collect their order from the To Go Café – they get a call when the food’s ready, so it’s piping hot when they pick it up, and they can eat it in the lobby area, back in their room or on the move.

Experience: With Room Service and Take-in, our guests refuel on their own terms. Whether grabbing lunch to go or having a quick dinner in their room before bed, they know they’re only a phone call away from quality food at a reasonable price.

Our people love bringing our culture to life and they work together to do whatever it takes to give every guest an experience that they value, every time. Our Service Culture is based on:

• Our Stay Real values

• A one team approach

• The Open Lobby Host

• Training and development

Lobby Hosts (Our Guest Service Assistants)

For the space to be truly flexible, we must work flexibly too, so staff must be ready to do whatever the guest in front of them needs, whether that’s checking them in or pouring a pint. The unified Ground Floor Team where everyone is a host is a core pillar of the Open Lobby. For us, this doesn’t mean just the Guest Service team, but everyone!

Effective hosting is about being a visible presence for our guests and showing them that we care so we greet guests as soon as they enter our space, find out why they are there and curate an experience tailored just for them. However, a Host is not just there to give a great welcome to guests, but to engage with them to make sure they are happy throughout their Open Lobby experience. They should also be continually looking for opportunities to “wow!” our guests by going the extra mile.

A Lobby Host must be present at all times from the start of breakfast service until the end of evening service and must greet all guests as they enter the space and thank them as they leave.

Front Of House Chefs

This role doesn’t fall on one designated person – we all must pick up the baton and play host to our guests, regardless of job role. This is why, in an Open Lobby, even traditionally back-of-house roles are expected to get out there, smile and greet our guests.

Think of it this way… you would feel pretty weird going to a dinner party in someone’s house and never meeting the family member who made your dinner, wouldn’t you? So why would we hide our talented friendly chefs when they could be out there making our guests feel special and taken care of?

Great hosting is all about ownership and visibility, so we want our guests to see our chefs looking proud in their whites, taking a stroll through the Lobby and making sure everyone is enjoying their food, showing that we are all one team, working together with the single goal of bringing the joy of travel for all!

The chef Front of House is a great example of a role that embodies the pillars of the Open Lobby. It’s a position that brings the chef out of the kitchen and allows them to:

• Interact with guests during the day and night and demonstrate our commitment to providing quality fresh food

• Support colleagues – e.g. by clearing tables or replenishing the cold buffet

• Answer any questions guests may have about any aspect of the Open Lobby

• Finally, gain that all-important feedback that helps us to deliver an even better experience next time

Open Lobby promises a space to relax, have fun and connect. We know family means everything to the Holiday Inn guest so the space has been designed to offer a place to have fun with the kids, or even to laugh and connect with friends.

As well as maintaining a friendly atmosphere, we also offer a range of games to not only enhance the guest experience but also to give them a reason to spend longer in the lobby where we can both interact with them and wow them with our service and also increase our opportunity to sell sell sell!

Games

Draws guests into the space and gives them a reason to stay

Description: We have a variety of games for guests to choose from. They range from table football and electronic games through to traditional board games such as chess and Monopoly.

Experience: When guests want to have a bit of fun at the end of another busy day, take a break in the middle of a meeting or just have a few minutes to wait before the taxi gets here, they can grab a game and chill out. For many it’s also a great opportunity to connect with fellow travellers, family or friends. List of recommended board games: Scrabble, Back Gammon, Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary, Snakes and Ladders, Cluedo, Bingo, Guess Who? and wooden games (e.g. Jenga, Chess, Dominoes)