Monday Mashups: Co-Work from the Comforts of Your Hotel

The hotel lobby is no longer just for checking in. BizBash shares that today’s travelers are happily turning hotel public spaces into their offices, bypassing the lonely and often inconvenient hotel business center. Hotels are responding by setting up hubs for co-working, where guests can connect to Wi-Fi, plug in their laptops, and get work done in an inviting atmosphere—alongside tourists, locals, and business travelers alike.

These hotel co-working spaces are a response to new attitudes about working. Besides providing the millennial business crowd with the vibrant, creative atmosphere and communal experience they expect, co-working areas provide an in-between space that’s less formal than traditional meeting rooms. For some, adding a dedicated co-working space in a hotel can open up a new revenue stream while engaging the surrounding neighborhood. Here’s how hotels are embracing the trend.

Lobbies As Living Rooms
Harbor Court San Francisco unveiled a $10 million renovation this summer that transformed its lobby into a co-working space with a communal work table, comfortable sofas, glass-enclosed meeting rooms, and a café serving up lattes and other treats. The redesigned space has been popular with locals too: Entrepreneurs book the lobby’s meeting rooms and neighbors stop by for a coffee.

In Los Angeles, Montrose West Hollywood wants to capture a similar buzz in its new co-working space called Tone Lounge, part of a $15 million remodel that wrapped up this summer. Networking guests can rent headphones, use a printer, and then wrap up a workday with the lounge’s Vino & Vinyl happy hour.

On the East Coast, the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner’s atrium lobby is a place for impromptu breakout sessions, and the hotel’s six-year-old Technology Lounge is an offshoot of the lobby, with cozy seating options and LG technology like television panels and wall monitors.

What Locals Want
The first official 24/7 co-working space to debut in Vail is located within the new DoubleTree by Hilton Vail, which opened in March. Hilton partnered with co-working management company Proximity to provide business travelers and Colorado entrepreneurs alike with user-friendly workspaces, conference rooms, and free coffee. Local co-working members of the Pivot62 space also get discounts on the hotel’s restaurant and bar, along with validated parking.

Getting access to a hotel’s amenities can be a big draw for entrepreneurs. In Washington, D.C., the new 209-room Eaton DC hotel opened its 370-member co-working space Eaton House in November. The complex boasts an open-desk area, private offices, and conference rooms. It also offers outlets for members to blow off steam, like a rooftop bar, spa, theater, and even a radio station. Looking at hotels globally, in Dubai, Nest, the co-working space within the Tryp by Wyndham Dubai, sells membership packages that include access to the property’s pool and gym.

Co-Working to Co-Living
On the flip side, dedicated co-working companies are getting into the hotel game. In April, New York’s the Assemblage opened John Street House, its second location, which also includes a 79-room hotel for long- and short-term stays.

For small meetings or getting business done on the road, these spaces go beyond the typical hotel business center. It's a no brainer as to why we're seeing more and more of these in the industry. Consider co-working on your next trip and devour the details of a stay at one of these on trend homesteads.