Think about the last hotel you stayed in that you actually remembered. It probably wasn’t the thread count. More likely it was a feeling: you walked in, your shoulders dropped, and the place just seemed easy to be in.

Guests are looking for that more and more. People book a hotel to switch off, and a hotel that helps them do it has a real edge. Plants are one of the simplest ways to get there, though only if they’re done properly.

What plants can and can’t do

We should be upfront about this. Nobody can promise that a fern on a windowsill will cure insomnia, and we’d be wary of anyone who does. Sleep depends on mattresses, noise, temperature, blackout curtains and whether the person next door is watching television at 1am.

What the research on biophilic design does support is that time spent around greenery tends to lower stress and make spaces feel more restful. For a hotel, that matters. A guest who arrives frazzled from a delayed train and walks into a calm, softly planted lobby starts unwinding before they’ve reached the lift. That mood carries through the stay, and it tends to show up in reviews.

Corridors are where hotels usually lose people

Most hotels put their effort into the lobby and the rooms. The corridor in between, long and narrow with identical doors, is often an afterthought, and it’s where a lot of guests form their first impression of the room itself.

Planting can change that. A run of tall, slim planters at the end of a corridor gives the eye somewhere to land. Greenery set into alcoves or at lift lobbies breaks up the repetition and makes a long walk feel shorter. Even a few well-placed pieces can take a corridor from a place you hurry through to somewhere that feels part of the hotel’s character.

Practicalities matter more here than almost anywhere. Corridors tend to be low on natural light, and fire regulations limit what can go where, so planting has to be chosen and positioned with care. Hardy, shade-tolerant species do well, and in the darkest spots, high-quality preserved or artificial options can be the honest answer.

In the room

Space in a guest room is tight, and every item has to earn its place. A small planted arrangement on a desk, a trailing plant on a shelf above the headboard or a slim planter beside the window can lift a room without getting in anyone’s way.

A few things we’d think about:

• Keep it restful. Soft, rounded foliage and muted greens tend to feel calmer than spiky or highly variegated plants, especially near the bed.
• Think about the sleepers. Some guests have allergies, so avoid heavily scented or pollen-heavy plants in bedrooms.
• Match the hotel. A boutique townhouse and a modern city-centre property call for completely different planting. The plants should feel like part of the brand, not something bought in on the way.

Spas, restaurants and the spaces in between

Wellness in hospitality goes beyond the bedroom. Spa reception areas, relaxation rooms, breakfast rooms and lounges all benefit from planting that supports their mood. A living wall behind a spa desk, a few big sculptural plants in a restaurant, or greenery softening a stairwell can tie a whole property together.

The part nobody photographs

Here is the problem with hotel planting. It looks wonderful on opening day, and six months later there’s a yellowing leaf in the lobby and a dusty plastic pot in the corridor. Guests notice, and it undoes everything the planting was meant to do.

Hotels run around the clock, and housekeeping and front of house have plenty to do already. Watering the planters shouldn’t be on that list. That’s where we come in. At Benholm Group we design and install the planting, and then we look after it, with regular visits to water, feed, tidy and replace anything that isn’t thriving. Your team gets on with looking after guests, and the plants stay looking the way they did the day they arrived.

If you’re thinking about making your hotel feel calmer, or you have planting that’s looking tired, get in touch with Benholm today.