Can’t Go on Vacation? Recreate a Hotel Vibe in Your Home

Going on vacation is a great way to relax and refresh. And if you stay in a luxury hotel, lakeside inn, resort spa, or elegant bed and breakfast, you’ll also enjoy a lush living area, and a luxurious bathroom experience. However, you can create that hotel vibe in your own home, and enjoy luxurious living every day. Here’s how to achieve those looks.

Make your bed irresistible

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One thing everyone enjoys about luxury hotels: the luxurious beds. However, Wendy Hammerman, Founder & Lead Designer at WLH Interiors, a full service interior design studio, says you can recreate that vibe by investing in new bedding. “There is something about crisp, clean, freshly laundered sheets that says ‘I’m on vacation!’” Hammerman says. She also recommends a cozy down comforter and a feather mattress topper. “Add lots of fluffy pillows, the fluffier the better, and last but not least, add a throw at the end of the bed for a homey feel and perhaps a pop of color.”

Karen Otto of Home Star Staging agrees that luxury linens can create a luxury hotel vibe for a staycation or when family and friends come to visit. “Look for sheet thread counts higher than 500, and since we run an Airbnb, we always purchase white for ease of cleaning – and they always just look fresh and inviting.” Otto says.  “From comfy pillows to fluffy absorbent white towels in the bath, who wouldn’t want to feel like they’ve come home to a luxurious night’s sleep in a bed that looks like it was made at a 5-star hotel?”

Use appealing scents

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While creating an environment that appeals to your senses, don’t forget your sense of smell. “The first thing you will notice when you arrive at a high-end, luxury hotel and spa is the aroma,” says Hammerman.  When you enter the resort, she says you’re surrounded by a fabulous fragrance that evokes feelings of calm and comfort. “Whether it’s beachy, floral or clean and crisp, smell is a great way to transform your space and instantly take you away to another place without leaving home.”

Hammerman recommends using a candle or atomizer that you can get at any home store. “Nest is a popular brand with several scents to choose from, including my personal favorite, Grapefruit – clean, fresh and fruity.” She also recommends Ocean Mist and Sea Salt, which smell like the beach. And if you want sometime more exotic, Hammerman suggests Moroccan Amber.  “If candles aren’t your thing, Aroma 360 offers a plug-in with an array of interchangeable options, depending on your mood.”

Recreate a spa bathroom

If you want to transform your bathroom to feel like it’s in a luxury hotel, Celine Marcotte, Business Development Manager at GRAFF, recommends refreshing the shower. “Products that stimulate the senses instantly provide a luxury hotel feel. Water, light, and sound, orchestrated in a harmonic balance allow for a deeper sense of wellness, a sensation and experience that can be achieved with GRAFF’s Aqua-Sense Collection, which uses chromotherapy and LED lights.”  And the finishes and textures can also enhance a space’s appeal. “For example, 24K Gold, Rose Gold, and Matte Black come to mind as uber luxurious options.” You can also get ideas from the 2019 Trends in Bathroom Technology.

Marcotte also recommends accessories that can update your bathroom and can be easily swapped out. “Grab bars are one way to go, providing both an elevated style and a great aging in place solution.”

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According to Leah Tuttleman, a designer at Re-Bath, sounds and sights can help you achieve an ultimate level of relaxation. “Let stress float away with a countertop waterfall to help your spa achieve an air of serenity. Install dimmer switches to set a calm, sunset-like mood to capture the essence of a professional spa’s tranquil ambiance.” And you can achieve this experience by just upgrading to a massage shower head. “Whether you prefer a waterfall shower, high-pressure or hand-held, these modern designs that mimic the natural flow of falling rain emanate relaxation.”

Other elements reminiscent of high-end luxury hotels include touchless faucets and soap dispensers, and Tuttleman says they’re easy to install. “Also, matching benches are a beautiful, functional addition to almost any shower, and a built-in caddy makes storage a breeze so you can focus on that clean, simple, minimalist look of a 5-star hotel.”

Layer your lighting

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Hotel rooms usually provide several lighting options. “Layer your windows with a lighter drape to accommodate sun-filtering light and a heavier drape that creates a black-out effect essential for sleeping late on lazy weekends,” Hammerman recommends.  “Also, consider a 3-way bulb in your bedside lamp which gives you the option of a bright reading light or the opportunity to create a softer ambiance.”

And there are other tips and tools to hlep you vary lighting – for example, Mike Deschamps, US Product Marketing Director at Philips Hue Signify, recommends layering your lighting – with ambient, accent and task lighting – to recreate a luxury hotel vibe at home. “Ambient lighting illuminates your space evenly; you can achieve this with the right ceiling fixtures or recessed lighting,” he says. “Accent lighting sources indirectly illuminate spaces while remaining mostly hidden; for example, use the Philips Hue Play light bars to highlight particular elements in your room like artwork or plants. “

In addition, Deschamps says you can use light strips in cabinets or under a bed or sofa. “Lastly, bring in task lighting through table and floor lamps to give you the light you need for specific activities like reading.”

Use a multi-functional sofa

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Luxurious leather sofas are common in upscale hotel lobbies and private rooms. Whether you’re waiting in the lobby with all of your luggage, or you return to your room loaded down with a laptop and suitcase – or after a busy day of shopping – those stylish sofas are convenient and handy.

However, you can also create this look at home, for less than you might think. And you won’t even have to leave the sofa when you want to charge your phone and other devices.

For example, the Coddle Smart Couch is stylish and versatile, and is available in leather and microfiber verions. “It was designed entirely with the consumer in mind. With built-in USB ports and outlets, and the ability to transform into over a dozen different positions, the couch is both practical and useful, without sacrificing a luxurious feel,” says Nuri Djavit, CMO of Coddle. It folds flat to become a sleeper sofa, but you can also choose to fold up the arm rests on either side, or fold up all or just half of the back section. In addition, any spills wipe right up.

“Through the Coddle Smart Couch’s modern design and high-end materials and finishes, the atmosphere of a luxury hotel is easily recreated, but at a reasonable price point,” Djavit say.

Redesign your storage

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In most hotel rooms, there’s a place for everything, which reduces the clutter in your room. “Declutter your space, especially your bedside tables. Keeping only the essentials handy (and maybe some fresh cut flowers) helps bring a sense of calm and simplicity,” Hammerman says. Removing unnecessary items also creates more space in the room – making it appear to be larger. And you don’t have to have a walk-in closet. “We are seeing a lot of our clients redesign their master suites lined with Ornare closet doors that become part of the design of the room, and leave the bed to float in the room – instant private island,” says Claudio Faria, director of Ornare USA.

Choose a soothing paint color

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“For better or worse, that warm Southwest-type of palette has come to be associated with mass hotel chains, and so, if you’re going for luxury or boutique, the exact opposite in terms of color and design is key,” explains Benjamin Moore Color and Design Expert, Nivara Xaykao. “Nothing beats crisp white walls, and luckily, there are new paint products out there that can keep your bedroom walls looking pristine. She recommends Chantilly Lace as one of the company’s favorite whites for achieving this look. “To bring a designer’s touch to the space, keep accent colors cool and neutral with calming grays and graphic blacks. Bold color statements can transform the bathroom into a special sanctuary.”

Deep blues are also calming and always stylish.  “Lastly, don’t forget paint sheen. Higher glosses in the right places, like cabinetry and trim, can really heighten the glamour in a space,” Xaykao says.

Add artwork

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The last step is to incorporate artwork to liven up those blank walls. “Hammerman recommends a palette of warm neutrals to create a soothing hotel-like environment.

And fortunately, you don’t have to spend a lot to get quality artwork. You can buy large framed art prints to recreate eye-catching looks without breaking the bank,” according to Alix Greenberg, Founder and CEO of ArtSugar, who recommends incorporating art featuring scenic landscapes to remind you of being on vacation. “Art or art prints featuring beaches, mountains, or even jungles can create a feeling of wanderlust, reminding you of being in a luxury hotel,” Greenberg says.

However, she recommends keeping frame colors simple. “Stick with white or black frames for a chic and elegant look reminiscent of a luxury hotel.”