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The Claridges, Surajkund, experiments with a completely unique flooring look.
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Hotel flooring has to be attractive, yet durable and easy-to-maintain. Hotels now have more of a choice than ever before when it comes to flooring their guests in style, says Sapna Kulshrestha.

Flooring for a hotel has to not only cope with constant wear-and-tear and heavy foot traffic, but must also be easy to maintain, stain-resistant, and above all, retain an attractive appearance.

“No interior is complete without a floor that matches the rest of the décor, and obviously, it is the use of different types of flooring that helps segregate the different activities within a hotel space,” says architect Suman Dua.

 

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The flooring choice for hospitality varies according to the type and functionality of the hotel space. Since it should also usually be water-proof and stain-resistant, even materials like rubber would be ideal, while other options could be vinyl and concrete.

Stone flooring continues to be the hot favourite, with breathtaking results. Polished marble and granite are common flooring materials used in luxury hotels in India, while other stone materials include sandstone, limestone, slate, and Travertine - a type of rock that creates a more natural look.

Indira Paul, executive housekeeper, Trident Gurgaon, says: “Thassos marble and granite flooring in various areas of our hotel give it a feeling of royalty and luxury, adding to the overall experience.” Aarti Notiyal Kotnala, general manager, corporate communications, Classic Marble Group, further adds: “For hotels, imported marble stones have an edge over other materials, as it gels well with the contemporary interior design.”

For example Sonargaon, the Indian restaurant at Taj Bengal, Kolkata, has a cobbled stone floor to infuse an authentic ambience. As Modhurima Sinha, director, public relations- East and Khazana, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, sums up: “Every aspect of the hotel borrows from the heritage of Kolkata, and caters to the senses of the initiated.”

Then there are vitrified tiles, whose designs similar to natural Italian or Indian marble and granite, are fast replacing natural stones.

“Nowadays designers are opting for vitrified tiles as they require less maintenance, are easier to cut than stone, and can be precut in desired shapes, borders, styles, and so on,” says Abhishek Tiwari, brand manager, RAK Ceramics.

Vitrified tiles also come as large format tiles in a variety of styles and designs, both glazed and unglazed, which can either emulate the look of natural stone, or other materials such as metal, linen, and leather.

Jignesh Goswami, brand manager, Asian Granito, says: “Many hotel chains like The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts are using vitrified glazed tiles for flooring in public as well as private areas, for their stone-like appearance, and advantages like anti-skid and stain-proof.”

On the other hand, areas like boardrooms need a plusher, luxurious interior, and carpeting is usually the flooring of choice as it is one of the best insulators against sound, which is an important factor in such areas, agree hoteliers.