In hospitality, every pound of spend is expected to earn its place. Whether you run a boutique hotel, a busy restaurant or a spa, decisions about décor usually come down to one question: what do we get back?
Plants are often treated as a finishing touch, something nice to have once the “real” investment is done. In practice, well-designed and well-maintained planting is one of the most cost-effective ways to shape how guests feel, how long they stay and what they say about you afterwards. Here is how to think about the return.
Guests make up their minds about a venue within moments of walking in. A lush, thoughtfully designed entrance, reception or terrace signals care, quality and atmosphere before anyone has seen a menu or a room rate. Lifeless or tired planting does the opposite.
This is why our displays are found in some of the UK’s best-known bars, restaurants and hotels. Hospitality businesses tend to want something unique and memorable, and planting is one of the few design elements that is both striking and endlessly adaptable, from a statement tree in the lobby to trailing greenery along a bar.
The return on plants in hospitality rarely shows up as a single line on a P&L. It builds across several areas.
Guest experience and perceived value.
Biophilic design, bringing natural elements into interiors, is linked to feelings of calm and wellbeing. Research cited on our biophilic design page suggests hotel guests may be willing to pay up to 23% more for rooms with biophilic features. Even if your results differ, it points to something important: guests notice and value nature in a space.
Dwell time and atmosphere.
Spaces that feel welcoming and relaxing encourage people to settle in, whether that is a second drink in a bar, a longer breakfast or an extra hour in a spa lounge. Greenery softens hard surfaces, adds colour and texture, and makes a room feel lived in rather than staged.
Reviews, photos and social sharing.
Visually distinctive spaces get photographed and shared. A living green wall, a plant-filled terrace or a standout floral installation gives guests something to post and mention in reviews, which is marketing you do not have to buy.
Brand differentiation.
In a crowded market, planting can give a venue a clear identity. It is also flexible: seasonal displays, hanging baskets and reception plant installations let you refresh the look without a refurbishment.
Wellbeing for staff as well as guests.
Hospitality teams work long, demanding shifts. Greener back-of-house and staff areas contribute to a more pleasant working environment, which supports retention in a sector where recruiting and training are significant costs.
Spa and wellness settings.
People go to a spa to leave feeling calm. Plants support that experience, and the benefit shows up in satisfied guests and repeat visits. As one spa manager at Hand Picked Hotels told us, the plants have brought a natural, calming aesthetic that guests consistently compliment.
There are practical benefits too. Indoor plants help to improve the air by taking in COâ‚‚ and releasing oxygen, and they can help break down volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that build up indoors. Their multi-layered foliage also absorbs, diffracts and reflects sound, which can take the edge off noise in busy restaurants, lobbies and bars.
These benefits are modest individually, but together they contribute to a more comfortable space, which supports the guest experience you are already investing in.
The biggest threat to the return on planting is poor execution. Plants chosen without regard to light, heat, footfall or guest behaviour tend to struggle, and a tired display can hurt your image more than no display at all.
That is why the service around the plants matters as much as the plants themselves:
Our plants are from our own greenhouses in Scotland, and our peat-free Enviroculture growing medium supports a more sustainable approach, which is increasingly important to guests and brand reputation alike.
Because the benefits are spread across guest satisfaction, revenue and reputation, the most useful approach is to define what success looks like for your venue before you invest. For example:
Compare these before and after, against the cost of design, installation and maintenance, and you have a clear picture of the return. If you want a starting point, the ROI calculator on the Benholm Hub estimates the potential return of introducing plants to your space.
We have been creating and maintaining planted environments for hotels, bars and restaurants for over 30 years, from lobbies and terraces to biophilic hotel rooms, so we understand what works in a busy, guest-facing venue. We work with businesses of every size and to all budgets.
If you would like to talk through what planting could do for your venue, call us free on 0808 175 4430, explore our biophilic design service, or request a quick quote. We would love to help you create a space your guests will remember.
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