Biophilic Design in Hospitality & Resorts

I have been designing hospitality spaces for over ten years, and there is a recurring pattern: hotels and resorts that incorporate biophilic design into their strategies, and do it intentionally, see quantifiable increases in their occupancy rates, average nightly room rates, guest reviews and repeat business. It’s not about making a space look nicer – it’s about realising what guests really want — to connect with nature — and putting that into the guest experience from cheque-in to cheque-out.

The hospitality industry is fundamentally different from corporate offices. In hospitality, guests are paying for an experience, not productivity. And yet, nearly all hotel and resort designers treat biophilic elements as optional amenities, and not as revenue generators. They’re wrong. Data indicates that biophilic design has a direct relationship to how much guests are willing to pay, how long they will stay, and if they will come back.

The business case for biophilic design in hospitality is stronger than virtually any other type of business. Guests are clearly interested in connecting with nature. They will pay premium prices for that connection. They will travel to destinations to experience that connection. So, the real question is not if you should implement biophilic design, but how you can implement it in a way that every design decision drives revenue and guest satisfaction.

Design Elements: How Biophilic Lobbies Create Increased Guest Stay Time and Spend

Guests spend 36% more time in biophilic lobbies than in non-biophilic lobbies. As such, biophilic lobbies present increased opportunities to sell to guests who may otherwise leave the lobby quickly. This is the key insight that most hotel managers overlook. When a guest spends more time in the lobby, that guest is being presented with more opportunities for staff to engage with the guest, offer them additional services — spa bookings, restaurant reservations, activity packages, etc. — and create a memorable interaction that will lead to a positive review and potential return booking.

There are several ways to create a biophilic lobby. Greenery creates visual complexity and perceived space depth that engages guests. Water features provide a soundscape that drowns out the surrounding city sounds, creating a space that guests want to linger in rather than rush through. Seating positioned within natural elements causes guests to linger longer. High ceilings with greenery above create a psychological sense of openness.

In addition to the design aspects, the operational aspect of biophilic lobbies is that they have a 36% greater dwell rate than traditional lobbies, which leads to a 25% greater dwell rate in terms of staff interacting with guests. When guests are in the lobby longer, staff have more opportunities to interact with guests, identify guest needs, recommend services and create memorable interactions with the guests, which ultimately leads to more positive reviews and repeat bookings.

Revenue Generating Opportunity: Premium Pricing Power — Ocean and Water Views

Ocean and water views have a direct relationship to price premiums of 20%. That is not marginal revenue. For a 200-room resort with an average nightly rate of £150 per night, a 20% premium on those rooms represents £300,000 in annual revenue from simply placing the rooms to maximise the view of the ocean and/or water.

The design strategy is both architectural and operational. The first step is to position the rooms so as to maximise the view of the ocean or water. Then, using landscape design, create a visual focal point that is visible from the guest rooms — water features, specimen trees, manicured gardens. Finally, design the layout of the room so that the primary seating area is facing outward towards the view and not inward towards the screen.

The psychological mechanism behind why guests are willing to pay a premium for a room with a view of the ocean or water is that guests perceive a room with a view of nature as having more inherent value because the view of nature has provided a genuine wellbeing benefit to the guest. Guests are not paying for a view; they are paying for the restoration and relaxation benefits of looking at nature. This perceived value creates the justification for charging a premium price for the room.

Guest Reviews — Why Biophilic Resorts Get Better Experience-Based Reviews

Biophilic hotels receive twice as many positive reviews that mention the word “experience” as standard hotels. This is important because the reviews that guests write about their experience with a hotel are used by online booking sites to determine the hotel’s search ranking and visibility. The more positive experience-based reviews a hotel receives, the higher it will rank in search results, the more visibility it will receive, and the more bookings it will receive.

The language that guests use when writing reviews of their experience at a hotel also reveals what they are actually valuing. Standard hotels get reviews based upon the cleanliness and amenities of the hotel. Biophilic hotels get reviews based upon the guest’s experience, including how they felt during their stay, how the property restored them, and how it made them feel.

As mentioned previously, the review advantage compounds. When a guest writes a positive review of their experience at a biophilic hotel, it attracts other guests who are expecting to have the same experience. If the biophilic hotel delivers on those expectations, then the new guest leaves with a positive review that further reinforces the biophilic hotel’s competitive advantage.

The design implications of this review advantage are that biophilic elements need to be visible and measurable throughout the entire guest journey. The biophilic elements should not be limited to the lobby or the premium suites. Rather, they should be included in the design of the entry courtyard, corridors, common spaces, and even the standard guest rooms. The ultimate goal is for every guest interaction with the property to include some element of nature connection that creates multiple touchpoints for generating positive reviews.

Market Opportunity — Wellbeing Tourism Market Growth and Biophilic Resort Positioning

In 2017, the global wellbeing tourism market reached £678.5 billion, accounting for approximately 16% of total travel spend. This is the largest growth market in the global travel industry today. Guests are travelling to seek out properties that are focused on restoring their wellbeing. Biophilic design is not a nice-to-have for this market; it is the expected minimum baseline.

The competitive positioning opportunity for biophilic resorts is significant. A resort that incorporates biophilic design principles into its design can charge a premium price and attract guests who are specifically seeking wellbeing experiences. This is a distinct market segment from standard hospitality markets. These guests book longer stays, spend more on ancillary services, and provide higher-quality reviews of the property. These are the most profitable demographics for most resorts.

Given that most guests spend 90% of their time indoors in cities, the demand for biophilic experiences in resorts is extremely high. Therefore, most guests arrive at resorts nature-deprived and seeking connection to nature. This creates a unique competitive positioning for biophilic resorts: they are providing an experience that guests actively desire after spending extended periods of time confined to their office environment.

Guest Retention and Repeat Business — How Nature Connection Increases Guest Loyalty

Repeat business is the biggest contributor to profitability for any hospitality company. Whilst a one-time guest generates revenue for one stay, a repeat guest generates revenue for multiple stays. Moreover, repeat guests require less marketing expense to retain them, as they already have a positive opinion of the property. Biophilic elements contribute to increased repeat business by providing memorable, calming multi-sensory experiences for guests.

The mechanism of this repeat business is both psychological and physiological. Guests experience reduced levels of stress from being in biophilic environments. This creates a positive emotional association with the property and a desire to return to the property to experience that restorative experience again. Over time, the property becomes emotionally associated with the guests’ perception of wellbeing and calm.

This repeat business effect is amplified when the property consistently integrates biophilic elements into the guest experience across multiple stays. A guest who visits a property multiple times should experience biophilic elements that create a sense of familiarity and deepening of their experience. Examples of this include seasonal landscaping changes, changing water features, and rotating artwork that creates a sense of dynamic nature, making repeat stays feel like new experiences rather than the same experience.

Room Design Strategies: Incorporating Nature into Guest Spaces

Whilst many resorts attempt to create a biophilic experience through lobby design and/or interior design of premium suites, few successfully integrate biophilic elements into guest rooms. Guest rooms are often sterile with little to no natural elements beyond a TV and generic artwork. By implementing strategic room design, the guest experience can be dramatically enhanced.

Start by maximising the placement of windows and views of nature. Place primary furniture items, such as beds and seating, to frame the view of nature. Remove or relocate anything that obstructs sight lines to the view. Include outdoor space — balconies or patios — to expand the room into the natural environment. Even a small amount of outdoor space increases the perceived value of the room and guest wellbeing.

Natural materials matter. Wood furnishings, stone surfaces, and natural fibre textiles create a tactile connection to nature. These are not expensive — they can be sourced second-hand or through sustainable suppliers — but they transform the sensory experience of the room from artificial to natural.

It is possible to incorporate living elements into the guest room experience without requiring excessive maintenance. Potted plants placed near windows (no special care required), living walls in corridors (maintained by professionals), and air-purifying plants in rooms (low-maintenance species) are examples of this. Plants should be distributed throughout the room to provide multiple touchpoints for nature connection rather than focusing on a single focal plant.

Designing the Lobby to Generate Revenue and Promote Wellness

The lobby is the location where the first impression of a hotel is formed, and the length of time a guest dwells in the lobby directly correlates to revenue opportunities. Therefore, a biophilic lobby should achieve multiple goals simultaneously: create a positive first impression, encourage guests to linger, facilitate staff-guest interaction, and clearly direct guests to their destination.

Water features should be located at the entrance of the lobby so that arriving guests can see them immediately, as opposed to hiding them in a corner. The visual and auditory stimulation created by water features slows down the guest’s pace of travel and creates a moment of transition from the outside world to the hotel’s experience. Additionally, the sound of water mutes the surrounding city noises and creates a psychological sense of separation from the outside world.

Vertical greenery — living walls or suspended planters — creates visual interest and expands the perceived space of the lobby. Horizontal greenery at seating height creates private, intimate gathering spaces. The combination of vertical and horizontal greenery ensures that all guests, regardless of their height or ability, can experience the biophilic nature connection.

Lighting should accentuate the natural elements of the lobby. Skylights or clerestory windows should illuminate deep interior spaces of the lobby. Accent lighting on plants or water features creates visual focal points that guide the movement of guests and create gathering spaces.

Creating Immersive Experiences Throughout the Entire Guest Journey

Effective biophilic design in hospitality is not about individual dramatic design statements. Rather, it is about integrating nature consistently throughout the entire guest journey. From the moment the guest arrives until they depart, guests should encounter multiple biophilic elements that together create an immersive experience of being in nature.

Arrival Courtyard: First Impression. Water Feature, Specimen Trees, Ambient Soundscape. Creates Expectation for the Entire Experience. Defines Emotional Tone of the Stay.

Lobby and Public Spaces: Extended Dwell Zones. Layers of Nature Elements. Spaces Designed to Encourage Staying Longer. Nature Visible from Multiple Angles and Sight Lines.

Corridors and Transitions: Not Wasted Space. Walls with Live Plant Material, Water Features, Artwork with Nature Themes. Even Brief Moments in Corridors Reinforce Biophilic Narrative.

Guest Rooms: Personal Restoration Spaces. Windows Framing Views, Live Plants, Natural Materials. Guest Rooms Are Where Guests Spend the Majority of Their Time and Where Biophilic Benefits Are Most Psychologically Significant.

Amenity Spaces: Spa, Fitness, Dining. Nature Integrated in These Spaces Reinforces the Wellness and Restorative Value of These Amenities. Gym with Views of Nature. Dining Areas with Gardens. Spa Facilities with Water Features and Plants.

Operational Considerations: Maintenance and Sustainability

Plant life improves air quality, acoustics, and cuts energy use, reducing a resort’s carbon footprint whilst enhancing the guest experience. This alignment of operational efficiency with guest benefit is uncommon and valuable.

Maintenance is a valid concern. However, the cost of maintenance for living plants, water features, etc., is typically less than the revenue generated by those elements. Furthermore, maintenance work can be scheduled during low-occupancy periods. The biophilic elements themselves create a role for staff to manage the operation of the elements, rather than requiring guest-visible labour.

When selecting plants for biophilic design, choose plants that thrive in your climate and indoor conditions. Select plants that are low maintenance and will not require constant replacement. Utilise professional landscapers for design and initial installation of biophilic elements. Train your staff to maintain the biophilic elements once installed. This combination minimises costs whilst maintaining visual quality.

Competitive Advantage — Market Positioning

85% of respondents would visit hospitality venues offering natural events and experiences. This represents a massive opportunity for differentiation in the marketplace. Virtually all resorts have not incorporated biophilic design principles into their design strategies. Therefore, the first mover in each market can capitalise on this opportunity.

The competitive advantage compounds. Early adopter wellness guests of the first biophilic resort in a market create positive reviews. Those reviews attract additional guests seeking similar experiences. In two years, the property is positioned as a leader in biophilic design and it is difficult for competitors to enter this market without a significant investment and redesign of the property.

Guests are increasingly researching destinations prior to booking. Destinations that are clearly marketed as having strong biophilic design and are emphasising nature-focused experiences will appear at the top of search results for wellness tourism-related searches. This algorithmic advantage — driven by reviews, user engagement, and content — creates a compound competitive advantage.

ROI and Budget — Creating a Financial Case for Biophilic Design

The financial investment in biophilic design can vary greatly depending on the size and scope of the project. A lobby redesign could cost anywhere from £50,000 to £150,000. On the other hand, a full-scale biophilic redesign of a resort could cost anywhere from £500,000 to £2 million. However, the ROI calculation is straightforward. A 20% room rate premium on 50% occupancy across 200 rooms at £150 average rate generates £300,000 in additional annual revenue. Add 15% improvement in occupancy rate for another £250,000. Add ancillary service spending increases from lobby dwell time for another £100,000. Total annual revenue impact: £650,000 for a £500,000 investment. Payback occurs within 9 to 12 months for most properties. After payback, the investment generates ongoing revenue stream with minimal additional cost.