THE FIRST WOW

As is so often the case these days, we are captive to our first impressions. Hotel lobbies set a scene, a mood, an atmosphere, the expectation of memorable design and service. Their aim is for you, the guest, the visitor, to feel you are at a destination that gives you more than the usual, the mundane, the expected.

And in recent times it’s the inner city boutique hotels that have led the way. Some are parts of chains, such as Mantra and the Art Series, some have created their own brand identity like QT, while others have been