As a design staple of beautifully appointed hotel bathrooms, a freestanding bath can transform stays into memorable experiences. A long, hot soak allows guests to unwind in ultimate tranquillity away from the hustle and bustle of life, which is why it’s important to choose the ideal freestanding bath for your hotel suites. 

As well as offering wellness benefits, a freestanding bath elevates the aesthetic of a hotel bathroom, featuring as a focal point and turning the space into a luxury sanctuary. Styling a freestanding bath, particularly marble or stone, can also significantly increase your property’s value, making it more appealing to potential buyers. In many of the world’s most prestigious five-star hotels, a freestanding bath is a standout feature that adds a high-end appeal, serving as a key selling point to investors. Explore our guide to discover how to choose the correct freestanding bath for your hotel design.

What to consider when choosing a freestanding bath?

Aesthetic Appeal

The aesthetic of your hotel will determine the style of bath you select for your bathrooms. A freestanding bath not only offers comfort and tranquility but also makes a dramatic visual statement, often becoming the centerpiece of a hotel suite and one of its most defining features.

If your interior is traditional, a cast iron bath or a stone bath with classic design notes are ideal options. With intricate details such as claw feet, roll-top rims, and geometric patterns, cast iron baths are a popular choice for boutique hotels with a classic design. Stone baths, on the other hand, are ideal for more minimal spaces. The embodiment of tranquility, a stone bath is the perfect fixture for hoteliers aiming to create a spa-inspired retreat, bringing a tactile surface and element of nature to a bathroom. For modern hotels, look to style spaces with concrete baths that embrace an industrial look. Renowned for its raw aesthetic that complements contemporary and urban hotel designs, the clean lines and matte finish of concrete baths offer a striking contrast.

As well as the aesthetic of the material and style of the freestanding bath you select for your hotel bathroom, shape is also a key factor to consider. The soothing form of round baths can create a calm oasis and add a sense of balance to a bathroom, making them ideal for creating a tranquil, spa-like ambience. Particularly when crafted from natural materials such as stone and marble, round baths also offer an earthy appeal that complements natural elements such as greenery, wood and natural lighting. If you’re aiming for a timeless aesthetic, the gently curved and symmetrical shape of oval baths make them a versatile choice for a wide range of design styles.

Durability

Selecting a highly durable freestanding bath is crucial for hotel use. It must be able to withstand decades of daily use by guests, ensuring it lasts for years to come and maintains its quality throughout, ultimately reducing long-term costs. Organic materials such as stone and marble are ideal choices to meet these needs, as they are sustainably sourced, extremely durable and superior in strength.

Lusso’s Cortese stone baths are built to last a lifetime. Crafted with over ten years of research, the stone baths are resistant to scratches as well as anti-yellowing pigments, and are renowned for their solid construction, making them the ideal design for hotels. Additionally, stone baths and marble baths offer a high thermal efficiency, allowing your guests to indulge in even longer hot soaks.

Maintenance

As a hotel bathroom is designed to be frequently used by guests, it’s important to invest in a freestanding bath that’s not only easy to maintain, but will also retain its immaculate appearance over time.

Stone baths and marble baths require straightforward everyday care, and can be cleaned simply with warm soapy water and a microfibre cloth after each use. If any damage appears, stone baths can also be professionally repaired, removing the need to regularly replace fixtures. Marble baths need a little more attention to preserve their striking looks, and should be sealed regularly - we recommend sealing every three to five months to prevent staining and to ensure your marble bath lasts a lifetime.

Size

When selecting the right size freestanding bath for a hotel bathroom, it’s essential to consider both the proportions of the bath in relation to the room. The aim is to ensure that the freestanding bath complements the layout, providing a comfortable and visually balanced experience for guests.

For smaller hotel bathrooms or rooms with limited space, choosing a compact freestanding bath between 1200mm to 1500mm ensures the bathroom feels open and functional without overwhelming the space. The bath should be placed in the centre or a corner of the room, creating a focal point without overcrowding the space. A bath at this size helps maintain the flow of the space and keeps the layout comfortable, providing more room to style other pieces of decor, such as a walk-in shower. Although smaller in size, a compact bath still allows guests to enjoy a tranquil experience, and enables you to maximise the sense of space.

A freestanding bath between 1500mm to 1700mm in length is usually more suited to medium-sized hotel bathrooms. This offers a balance between luxury and space efficiency, providing ample space for guests to relax while leaving enough room to style other statement fixtures such as vanity units. A bath of this size range works well as a central piece, allowing for a spacious, open design, however the bath can also be placed against a wall or near a window, to maintain a feeling of airiness while making most of the space. Guests can enjoy a more comfortable soak, making them suitable for mid-range suites where guests expect both comfort and indulgence.

In larger hotel bathrooms and luxury suites, a large freestanding bath between 1700mm to 1900mm can serve as a beautiful focal point, offering a more spacious bathing experience and a greater sense of indulgence. It’s important to avoid making the bath feel too overwhelming by ensuring ample space on all sides. A large bathtub also works well if the bathroom features a separate shower enclosure or vanity unit area to maintain balance. These indulgent baths provide a truly luxurious experience, with generous space for guests to relax, and they can even allow couples to enjoy double ended bathing.

Trending Designs

Spa-inspired soaking tubs are becoming a key trend in the hospitality sector, driven by the growing demand for wellness centric experiences and the desire to offer guests immersive retreats. As wellness tourism continues to grow, travellers are seeking experiences that allow them to disconnect and recharge. Hotels and resorts are responding by incorporating features that prioritise relaxation, self-care and overall well-being. Deep and spacious tubs, especially those designed for soaking and relaxation, offer guests a sanctuary from the stresses of daily life. A Japanese soaking tub promotes both physical and mental relaxation - reducing anxiety and aiding to soothe muscles and joints - making it an ideal feature for hotels creating a spa-inspired bathroom with their customers' wellness at the forefront.

Discover a curated collection of hotel designs featuring freestanding baths, offering inspiration for your own design vision. Let these remarkable projects guide you in creating a truly exceptional space.