We often comment on how hotel furniture has to serve several purposes, from relaxing, to dining, to working, but new research indicates that this is the case to a greater extent than it has been before.
Hospitality marketing specialists Spring Engage report that the 'millennial' generation is now emerging as a driving force behind industry trends - and point to analysis from Travel Market Report as an indication of how this is changing the demands placed on hotel furniture.
"Travellers are preferring bars over restaurants, 'grab n go' options over room service, and food samplings over large menus," Spring Engage say.
While this might sound easy to cater for, by simply providing a more relaxed dining environment, the restaurant walls themselves are under attack as the millennial generation look for less clearly defined spaces in the hotel environment.
"The common dining experience is no longer appealing to this generation of travellers that are always on the move and more intrigued by taste than portion size," the report adds. "Many hotels are also renovating their common spaces to accommodate traveller needs.
"Removing boundaries between lobbies and restaurants has become a popular trend, as 36% of visitors prefer working in the lobby rather than their rooms."
All of this means already multipurpose hotel furniture must be more versatile than ever - providing a comfortable place to wait for check-in or to meet family and friends, a suitable location to work on a laptop for an hour or more, and also an environment that individuals, couples and groups are happy to dine in.
The image of a modern bar is probably most closely comparable with this, where customers can order everything from brand-name coffee and draught alcoholic beverages, to light snacks and full meals.
Like modern bar furniture, hotel furniture can combine comfortable and luxurious leather sofas with practical, ergonomic chairs suitable for use over prolonged periods; and an array of counter-height bar tables, regular dining tables, and low coffee tables for drinks and snacks.
Providing a variety in this way enhances the versatility of each item of furniture in its own right, giving the guest a wider choice of where to sit, whatever their intended activity may be.