Beyond the Lobby Values on Display Viceroy at Ombria Algarve Patina Maldives A similar interplay of art and literature shapes the on-arrival guest experience at Patina Maldives , where future-focused, conscious travel is central. In the Greenhouse Entrance, guests are greeted by Home Deep Blue , a six-metre tapestry by New York artist Hiroko Takeda that evokes the island’s fragile ecology. Positioned alongside it, a curated collection of books on marine life, local landscapes, and sustainability reinforces the message, encouraging thoughtful engagement with the environment and the values of mindful exploration. The New Town Square Hoxton Vienna Vienna, Austria The Langham, boston Rooted in Place Amanera, Dominican Republic Why do book collections matter? Book a consultation with a ~personal curator Contact Quick Links Follow us @ultimatelibrary Join our community
More Than a Welcome: Curating Collections That Bring Lobbies to Life
23 Jul 2025
Lobbies have long served as the grand opening handshake of a guest’s stay, offering the first impression of a luxury experience. Yet for years, they functioned largely as transitional spaces where guests simply checked in, checked out, and moved on. Today, as experiential travel takes center stage and personality and warmth take precedence over traditional formality, lobbies are being reimagined as vibrant hubs of creativity, culture, and visual storytelling.
Discover three ways hotels are transforming their lobbies into immersive spaces that reflect their identity and invite guests to linger, connect, and engage.
At
Viceroy at Ombria Algarve
, the lobby’s reception desk—crafted by local artist Carolina Queiroz Cunha—serves as a tactile symbol of the brand’s commitment to preserving Portuguese craftsmanship. It’s just one of 500 works by regional artisans showcased throughout the property, part of a wider initiative to support local economies and safeguard cultural traditions at risk of disappearing. A curated library by Ultimate Library reinforces this ethos, with titles like
The Craft Companion
and
Clay: Contemporary Ceramic Artisans
offering guests deeper insight into the skill and dedication behind handmade work. Together, the art and books subtly express the brand’s values of sustainability, education, and cultural preservation.
Housed in the city’s former Chamber of Commerce, the lobby at
Hoxton Vienna
becomes a cultural living room. Ennismore’s vision of the hotel as a neighborhood hub comes to life in a space where comfort and experience take precedence. Guests and locals alike can settle in with a coffee, sink into vintage, locally sourced furniture, and browse illustrated volumes curated by Ultimate Library on Austrian artists and designers—from Gustav Klimt to Stefan Sagmeister. Titles like
Modernist Estates and Mid-Century Modern
serve as quiet narrators of AIME Studios’ design intent and the building’s layered history.
Like the Hoxton Vienna, the multi-functional lobby at
The Langham, Boston
is a space where legacy and contemporary luxury are blended to create opportunities for cultural exchange and storytelling. Featuring a European-style champagne lounge, refined dining spaces, and generous function areas, the space invites both relaxation and connection. The extensive lobby library curated by Ultimate Library deepens the narrative, with titles on financial history, Bostonian literature, and American culture that echo the hotel’s daily Heritage Tour.
The lobby at
Amanera
is an invitation into a deeper dialogue with place. Designed by architect John Heah, the open-air space embraces a minimalist, mid-century aesthetic that amplifies, rather than competes with, the surrounding coastal panorama. In true Aman fashion, the design speaks softly but deeply, inviting guests to connect with the landscape. The adjoining library complements this vision, with books such as Hannah Stowe’s
Move Like Water
and Karen Armstrong’s
Sacred Nature
guiding readers into the rhythms of ocean life and the sacredness of the natural world. Here, the lobby becomes a sensory prologue, setting the tone for an experience led by Mother Nature herself.
Books can transform your lobby into a space guests remember. Ready to get started? We’d love to help. Reach out
here
.
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We believe in the power of books to create a sense of place and new perspectives. Our bespoke book collections have a great impact on a guest’s overall experience of a hotel or resort. It’s small extras like books in rooms and library spaces that make a guest’s stay extra special, and many of our clients receive high praise for their book collections. For private clients they make a house their home.
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