How to Choose Curtains for Your Hotel?

Choosing curtains is often referred to as a room's textile design. Hotel room textile design encompasses all the textiles present in the room, not just the curtains. This includes window curtains, bed covers, bed linens, mattress toppers, towels, and, in some cases, bed canopies. Each functional group of textiles has specific requirements.

• Mattress toppers are essential in hotels, inns, guesthouses, and bed and breakfast establishments. They protect the mattress from stains during use. Your mattress will last longer with a mattress topper.
• Towels usually have specific density and material composition requirements. The denser the material, the longer it will last. Towels are washed frequently.
• Window curtains should have a fire-retardant treatment according to fire safety regulations. Not all establishments adhere to this, but not all hotels and inns are classified either. More on this treatment is discussed further down in the text.

Window curtains are a necessity in hotel rooms, as they function as bedrooms. To ensure the best rest for your guests, it's important to provide window shading, and the higher the hotel class, the more thoughtfully it should be designed. We tend to sleep better in darkness, and light usually wakes us up.

From a design perspective, curtains should match the style of the hotel, inn, or guesthouse.

Room design in an English style. The windows feature Roman blinds and sliding curtains with tiebacks and tassels. Curtains are hung in a niche, adorned with a perimeter cornice.

A universal curtain design suitable for all styles is the straight sliding curtain. They can be equipped with tiebacks or tassels. You can use a sliding under-curtain and hang draped straight curtains on tiebacks in a second row. This way, your window will be decorated, the curtains will be functional, but not overloaded. This design option is suitable for hotels and inns in both modern and classic styles. Voile curtains are great for shielding against window-to-window views. With the lights off, your guest will not be visible. Voile also perfectly conceals a radiator if it's not covered by a screen.

Different types of hotel curtains include:

• Lifting curtains (roller, Roman, Austrian, English, French, pleated, blinds);
• Sliding curtains (classic straight, Japanese panels);
• Stage curtains (soft and hard valances, monk's sleeves, imperial curtains).

Classic-style room with a soft valance and sliding curtains on a two-row cornice above a stained glass window.

Hotel window treatment is often a combination of several curtain styles. For your hotel, guesthouse, or inn, you can choose from the following popular and impactful curtain combinations:

1. Roller blinds with blackout properties for the entire window or individual panes, combined with theatrical drapery such as a valance or classic straight curtains with tiebacks.
2. Light Roman blinds for the window, paired with a straight, sliding blackout curtain.
3. A common choice is a light voile curtain on the window with straight sliding curtains on either side.

Classic-style room window with voile and sliding curtains framed with ribbon, hung with tassels.

4.. Wooden blinds for the window, with straight sliding curtains hung from a curtain rod in front of them.

Horizontal wooden blinds and straight sliding curtains under a hard valance in a modern room interior.

5.. Indoor or outdoor shutters, which can eliminate the need for any curtains. Especially suitable for hospitality establishments located in sunny southern latitudes, shutters are less prone to fading than fabrics.

Shutters on the panoramic window of a hotel room.

6.. If your hotel or guesthouse embraces minimalism or Japandi style (Japanese minimalism), consider hanging straight Japanese curtain panels. This option is practical and unique.

Japanese curtains hung in a curtain niche in a modern room interior.

7.. If your hotel, guesthouse, or inn features a classic English style, you can confidently use theatrical drapery. These have purely decorative functions and should be used with caution to avoid overwhelming the space. Theatrical drapery includes monk's sleeve curtains, imperial curtains, French curtains, and valances. The main focus in a hotel room should be on the bed. A canopy over the bed also fits well with a classic style.

Classic English-style room interior with curtains on a round curtain rod and a headboard adorned with canopy valances.

Hotel room interiors, like everything within them, must satisfy the requirements for easy cleaning. Guests' perceptions of luxury often begin with cleanliness. Therefore, hotel room curtains should hang 1.5-3 cm above the floor. Drapery touching the floor is difficult to clean, and re-draping without a designer may not achieve the desired effect.

What kind of curtain rod to choose?

The style of your interior in the design of a hotel window can be emphasized with any type of curtain rod, creating a composition that matches the style.

1. A universal option is the curtain niche. You can hang a plastic curtain rail or a profiled metal curtain rod in it. This option is suitable for any interior style. In the classic style, the curtain niche will be decorated with a plaster cornice around the perimeter of the ceiling.
2. You can choose a round curtain rod and hang straight sliding curtains.
3. Lambrequins (if needed) can be assembled both on a round curtain rod and on a curtain rail.
4. "Smart" curtain rods are curtain rods with automatic control, equipped with an electric drive. Very often such curtain rods (for roller or any sliding curtains) are used in "smart" homes. A smart home element can also be built into a hotel room. If you equip the curtain control with a time relay, the curtains will close on their own, even without a guest, for example.

How to style a bed?

It's worth noting that a hotel bed typically consists of a sleep box (base), on which a mattress is placed, and a soft or hard headboard. The headboard can be attached to this sleep box or attached to the wall. If the headboard consists of soft panels, they are usually glued to the wall. With a variety of single and double rooms, a wall-mounted headboard makes the room more mobile, turning two double beds into one single bed and vice versa.

A double room with an Austrian curtain on the window and beds made up with bedspreads and blankets.

The main thing in a hotel room is a neat, well-made bed. The bed can be styled in different ways. These include:

1. A bedspread that covers the entire bed, or you can make several combinations of bed tucking with it. Straighten the blanket on the bedspread, making a wide or narrow roll. Tuck the bed completely.
2. A blanket that covers half of the bed and can be used if it's cold.
3. A runner. This is a budget-friendly styling option. It is laid over the made-up bed, giving it a neat appearance.
4. A canopy. This is a beautiful design element that used to protect from insects and regulate the temperature around the sleeping person. However, it is also better to consult an interior designer here, so that the room design represents a stylistically harmonious composition.

In conclusion, selecting the right curtains for your hotel is a crucial part of creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for your guests. The combinations of curtains and textiles presented in this article serve as a reliable guide to achieve the desired aesthetic and functionality for your hotel. Keep in mind that it's not just about the curtains themselves, but the whole textile ensemble that contributes to the overall guest experience. Strive for a balanced and harmonious design that complements your hotel's style and reflects the quality of your establishment. Remember, a well-chosen curtain can set the stage for a memorable and enjoyable stay for your guests.

Hotel Design: How to make a hotel room as comfortable as possible, read in this ARTICLE.
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