From Homes to Hospitality: My Journey into Boutique Hotel and Banquet Design

Every designer has a journey, and mine began in the comforting, familiar world of residential and office design. Creating spaces that reflect personality, functionality, and comfort was where I honed my core design sensibilities. However, as my curiosity and passion for spatial planning evolved, I found myself drawn toward the more dynamic and detail-oriented world of hospitality design—particularly boutique hotels and banquet spaces in the heart of Delhi.

Transitioning into Hotel and Banquet Design

My first steps into hospitality design weren’t accidental. They were the result of years of observation and practice, backed by a solid foundation in residential planning. But designing a hotel is a completely different ballgame.

While residential and office projects focus on lifestyle and workflow, hotel and banquet spaces demand a meticulous blend of functionality, experience, and back-end service planning. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about how efficiently a space serves both the guest and the staff—simultaneously and continuously.

Key Learnings That Shaped My Hotel Design Philosophy

1. Passage Planning: Distance and Flow Matter

In hotel and banquet design, passage distances become a game-changer. Whether it's the flow between a guest room and the elevator, or the link between a restaurant and its kitchen, a well-planned circulation path defines both efficiency and experience.

Too narrow, and it disrupts service. Too wide, and you waste valuable real estate. Each passage must be purposeful, aligning with both guest movement and operational workflows.

2. Every Inch Counts

Unlike residential designs where you have some room for flexibility, every inch in hotel design carries value. From guest rooms to service alleys, furniture placement to bed sizes—precision in space planning is non-negotiable.

A few inches can affect furniture ergonomics, cleaning circulation, or even the perception of room spaciousness. Maximizing functionality within compact footprints became a skill I deeply refined through real projects.

3. Functionality First, Always

In residential work, emotional connection and personalization often take the lead. But in hospitality, functionality reigns supreme. You’re not just designing for comfort—you’re designing for continuous use, by hundreds of guests and staff every day.

Whether it's the placement of the minibar, the orientation of the bed, or how luggage can be stored, each design decision must consider durability, flow, and maintenance.

4. Systematic and Repetitive Principles of Design

Hotel spaces thrive on consistency. While boutique hotels may allow for creative storytelling, the underlying design systems must be repetitive and standardized—from room sizes to bathroom fittings, electrical points to air conditioning placements.

This repeatability ensures smooth execution, easy maintenance, and consistent guest experience—key components of hospitality design success.

5. Multi-Zone Planning: Banquets, Restaurants, Kitchens & More

One of the most complex yet exciting aspects of hotel design is integrating banquet halls, restaurants, service kitchens, storage, and staff areas under one roof. Each space must be designed not only for usage but for seamless backend functionality.

Here, I learned to layer design with zoning strategy:

• Banquet entries must remain separate from hotel guest entries.

• Kitchens need dedicated access to service elevators and garbage disposals.

• Storage and staff areas must be discreet yet accessible.

These layers require strategic thinking, practical layouting, and invisible service pathways that never disturb the guest experience.

6. MEP Planning: The Backbone of Hotel Design

If design is the skin, MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) planning is the nervous system of any hotel project. And in hospitality, it needs to be flawless.

Service continuity is non-negotiable in hotels and banquets. Whether it’s hot water at midnight or HVAC systems that run 24/7, MEP planning must be integrated into design from day one—not as an afterthought.

I collaborated closely with engineers and service consultants to plan layouts that allowed for easy maintenance, smart ducting, minimal energy loss, and future flexibility.

Final Thoughts

Stepping into hotel and banquet design taught me to see space as an ecosystem—where guest experience, back-end efficiency, and aesthetic storytelling intersect.

From planning passage distances to calculating every inch of furniture placement, from zoning restaurants and kitchens to integrating MEP systems—I grew as a designer not just in creativity, but in strategic and technical depth.

At Priyanka Design Studio, we now specialize in crafting boutique hotels and banquet spaces that blend soul with systems. Because in the world of hospitality, it’s not just about how a space looks—but how effortlessly it works.

By Priyanka Kalra | Priyanka Design Studio