The ideal time to capture interior photography of a hotel is immediately after a newly completed fit-out or brand-new interior installation completion. At this point, all the furnishings and finishes are in immaculate condition. Once guests start appearing and spending time within the spaces it's inevitable that wear and tear, scruffs and scrapes will appear to knock the gloss from the overall look and feel of the built environment.
I was commissioned to photograph the interiors of 2 newly finished hotels based at Manchester Airport and built by the construction company BCEGI. The Holiday Inn and the adjacent IBIS hotel are located very close to each other and were under the same marketing team, so I only had one point of contact that could show me around and provide access to the spaces. Even whilst photographing the interiors, a final snagging walk-around was underway and the last touches and branding installs were taking place.
The space with the Holiday Inn and the IBIS offers vastly different experiences. The Holiday Inn is positioned toward attracting a guest demographic that expects good service and enjoys the amenities of a business user, of course, this comes with a higher room cost.
The IBIS hotel by contrast has a value-driven experience, with fewer amenities and a lower budget room cost.
Holiday Inn interior images
With this in mind, the interiors reflect the values and expectations of the user.
The Holiday Inn has a softer textured and inviting interior furnishing, with a fully stocked bar and an in-house fine dining experience restaurant. The colours are muted and earthy with hints of the Holiday Inn yellow branding, the lighting is soft, intimate, and exclusive. This invites the occupants to dwell in the spaces, relaxing and enjoying the hotel as a pre-flight extension to the holiday.
IBIS hotel interior images
The IBIS offers some of these facilities but the offering is very much reduced, the eating area is utilitarian and the break-out spaces are functional. The colours and lighting are bold and vibrant, to provide a fresh modern look. This hotel is very much for people who are saving their money to enjoy spending it on holiday, and also only expect a basic overnight stay.
My approach to photographing these interiors was to provide images that reflect the values and expectations at each hotel whilst clearly demonstrating the space and amenities on offer.
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