Hotel Architect News

We’re excited to share some thrilling news with our community: the grand opening of the Hotel Architect playtest is happening 4th - 14th October! This is a momentous occasion for us, and we can’t wait for you to be part of it.

[h2]What to Expect[/h2]
Our playtest will give you an exclusive first look at Hotel Architect, where you’ll have the opportunity to dive into the world of hotel design and management. As a playtester, your feedback will be invaluable in shaping the future of the game. Whether you’re creating luxurious suites or managing guest experiences, your insights will help us refine and enhance the gameplay.

[h2]How to Join[/h2]
Participating in the playtest is easy! Simply join our Discord community at Discord.gg/HotelArchitect. By becoming part of our Discord, you’ll not only secure your spot in the playtest but also connect with fellow fans and developers.

Once you’re in, keep an eye out for further instructions as we get closer to the playtest date. We’ll be sending out all the details you need to ensure you’re ready to jump right in!

[h2]Why Join the Playtest?[/h2]

• Be one of the first few to experience the game! The only others before you will have been those at Gamescom!

• As a playtester, you’ll have a direct way to have your feedback seen by the dev team, giving you the chance to share your thoughts and suggestions.

• Join a vibrant community of fellow hotel enthusiasts to talk all things Hotel Architect, share ideas & have fun!
  

• Get a snazzy & exclusive Playtester Discord role for the Hotel Architect Server!

[h2]Mark Your Calendar![/h2]
Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to play a crucial role in the development of Hotel Architect. The grand opening of our playtest is just around the corner on 4th October. We’re eager to hear your thoughts, and together, we can create an unforgettable gaming experience!

[h2]Join Us![/h2]
Ready to book your stay? Head over to Discord.gg/HotelArchitect and join our community today! We can’t wait to see you in the hotel lobby on the first day of the playtest!

Thank you for your continuous support, and let’s start building our hotel empires! 😎

Running a successful hotel isn’t just about stylish decor - it’s also about keeping everything spick-and-span. In Hotel Architect, maintaining a clean and well-kept hotel is crucial for guest & critic satisfaction, or maybe you have other ideas if you’re feeling the chaotic gremlin vibes!

For those that want to please those critics with a clean and friendly hotel, here’s how you can keep it spotless and running smoothly.

[h3]1. Hire a Housekeeper! [/h3]
One of the first things you do when building your hotel is build a laundrette which requires a housekeeper, but they also clean other areas of your hotel too.
Each area of your hotel, from the lobby to guest rooms, requires regular attention. Housekeeping staff will clean rooms daily, ensuring that every guest enjoys a fresh and welcoming space. Don’t forget the common areas too - keeping them tidy is key to making a great first impression!


[h3]2. Keep an Eye on Maintenance [/h3]
No one likes a leaky faucet or a broken elevator. In Hotel Architect, regular maintenance work done by a janitor will help you keep on top of issues before they become major problems!
If you have a big hotel, you may need an entire team to regularly inspect appliances and other facilities. We also recommend building a workshop for your janitors, this way they will have all the tools they need for the job!


[h3]3. Stay On Top Of The Trash! [/h3]
If your bins are full and there is no way to leave the rubbish in the bin outside, your guests (and staff) will start to leave trash on the floor! This is your reminder to regularly order a waste pickup!


[h3]4. Listen to Guest & Critic Feedback [/h3]
Guests and Critics are quick to notice when something isn’t quite right, whether it’s a dirty carpet or a malfunctioning air conditioner. Pay attention to their reviews and comments, and use this feedback to improve your hotel! Addressing these concerns quickly not only boosts guest satisfaction but also helps maintain your hotel’s reputation.


[h3] 5. Look after your staff! [/h3]

Staff need somewhere to take their breaks, and certainly won’t work effectively if there isn’t a staff room zone to replenish their energy levels in, no matter their skill level! The last thing you want is for your receptionist to fall asleep at the lobby desk or a janitor to slack off and not repair the items!


Well, there you have it, our top 5 tips for keeping a clean and maintained hotel, but it’s up to you whether you decide to follow these or turn your hotel into a nightmare stay!

We had a blast of a week at Gamescom, we met so many lovely people eager to get their hands on Hotel Architect and create their very own hotel empire! We're excited to share how Hotel Architect was received at the event but also give you a sneak peek if you couldn’t get there. We brought a playable demo to the Wired Productions booth, and it was great to see so many of you drop by to give it a try in the Home Of Indies area!


[h2]First Impressions Matter [/h2]
The demo let you as players get your hands dirty with hotel design, and it was awesome to see the creativity (and chaos!) on display. People really dove into customizing their hotels, tweaking layouts, and experimenting with different decor styles. It was clear that you all enjoyed having the freedom to create spaces that felt unique while watching the hotel come to life with guests and staff!


[h2]What We Learned [/h2]
One of the coolest things about being at Gamescom was hearing your thoughts in real-time. there was lots of  love for the detailed customization and the way the game played. Seeing those "aha" moments when someone realized they could solve a guest’s problem or maximize profits with a clever design tweak was super rewarding for us.
We did take on lots of feedback and are prepping to implement some of it to make early access even smoother on launch; For example, we now know you want more shortcuts for quicker gameplay and more chaos! 


[h2]The Buzz and What’s Next[/h2]
It was also fun to see the game pop up on social media as you shared your experiences with others. The feedback we got—both the praise and the constructive criticism—was incredibly valuable. We’re taking all of it back to the drawing board as we keep refining the game. 

Big thanks to everyone who stopped by, played the demo, and shared your thoughts. We’re excited to keep working on Hotel Architect and can’t wait to see the hotels you build when it’s ready for early access release! 

This week’s Zone focus is restaurants in Hotel Architect.

Restaurants are zones that you can create in your hotels around the globe, however they are optional features you can add. The reason we say zones is because they don't have to be separate rooms. There can be several zones in one open space. 

Restaurants in game are run by the waiting staff, who are supervised by you! Your waiter will see each guest through their dining experience and reset the table afterwards. However, before we dive into that, there’s a few things you need to know about running a Hotel Architect restaurant.



The first being that you need a kitchen for your restaurant. It will be need to be linked to your restaurant dining area. This is done by clicking the link button when the kitchen is selected and then clicking on the dining area. The dinging are will be highlighted when you select the linking option to make it clear what can be linked. It means that your kitchen does not have to directly connect to the dining room of the restaurant. It could be on the other side of the hotel if you want it to be.



Secondly you’ll need to decide what goes on your menu. Careful though, certain types of guests prefer certain types of food!  Each dish may also need different objects in the kitchen. On the left hand side of the Restaurant menu, the requirement show you all the kitchen appliances required to make the dishes on the menu.


Selecting dishes on your menu is important, you will need to balance the dishes to fit a variety of guests if you wish to please everyone. Or maybe ignore it, and potentially create some angry customers at your own risk!  Dishes vary from all types of cuisine, and have different preparation times as well so there are lots of things to consider when putting together the menu.


Lastly before getting onto the details about serving guests, your Restaurant kitchen needs somebody to cook the food! Hiring a chef is a really important step, once hired you can watch them conjure up some delicious treats in the kitchen.





Restaurants in Hotel Architect require the waiter to guide customers to their seats. Sometimes if the restaurant is busy, there will be a queue at the host desk.  Your waiter will guide them to their table that has already been prepared with cutlery etc.


When they have taken their seat, the waiter will give your guest a menu and take their order.  This is where having a wide selection of food is helpful, having something to please each type of guest can affect whether they are happy with the meal or not. If they aren’t they might get angry with the waiter!


While the food is prepared and cooked, the waiter will get the guests drink order. This might be a soft or alcoholic drink and serve it to the guest. By this time the food should be ready to serve and on the hot plate in the kitchen. The waiter will head to the kitchen and serve the meal to the guest.


When the guest has finished their meal, the waiter will check on them and the guest will pay. (Reactions may vary if they haven’t had a pleasurable meal though!) 




That's it for our deep dive on Restaurants so far in Hotel Architect! We hope you enjoyed and learnt a bit about the depth of the cogs that work behind the scenes to give hotel guests an amazing meal while staying at any hotel in game.

We’d love to hear your questions and feedback on the restaurant, so please check into the Hotel Architect Discord or leave a comment on our social media pages!
You can follow Hotel Architect here:

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Hotel Architect is coming to Early Access soon so it's about time we introduced the dev team behind it and how the game came to exist! Have a read below to learn more about Pathos Interactive, where they have come from and what brought about the idea to create the game. Let's begin with laying the foundations for Hotel Architect!


[h2]How It All Began[/h2]

Pathos Interactive was founded back in 2015 by three Swedish students: brothers Christoffer and Alexander Andersson, along with their childhood friend Accel Sjöström. Everything began (as usual?) in a basement – specifically, at the home of the Andersson brothers' parents.

Fuelled by a shared passion for gaming, we initially dabbled in creating small video games as a hobby. It didn’t take long for us to realize the potential for something greater. The hobby turned into a full-time business in 2016 during the development of Bannermen — a fast-paced, real-time strategy game set in a fantasy medieval world. Bannermen was released on PC via Steam in 2019. Soon thereafter, we began prototyping a new game with an expanded team. This prototype evolved into what is now Hotel Architect!


Photo - Pathos Interactive Founders (from left to right) Christoffer, Alexander & Accel in 2018 at Gamescom!

[h2]Why Hotel Architect?[/h2]

For many years, we had discussed creating a management/simulation (tycoon) game, as everyone on the team is a fan of the genre. But the idea of a hotel theme actually sparked when Christoffer was away on holiday with his family. They stayed at a hotel where many strange things happened, to say the least... (the stories he told are wild!). This made us realize that so many things can go wrong in the hotel business! A lot of interesting gameplay mechanics and fun challenges immediately popped into our heads!

At the same time, a hotel environment is very relatable — everyone has their own experiences from hotels, whether from their own stays or from watching Fawlty Towers on the telly! This made us believe a hotel setting would engage people, perhaps inspiring some to build their dream hotel, while others might create the sleaziest inn imaginable. Essentially, the theme opened many doors for us in our creative process!

[h2]Our Ambition with the Game[/h2]

Hotel Architect redefines the boundaries of simulation and tycoon games by blending multi-layered architectural design with amusing operational challenges. One of the game's standout features is the dynamic building system that allows real-time construction across multiple floors, adding more depth to the building phase compared to other games within the genre. Imagine a game where every brick laid or wall demolished has the potential to unleash a whirlwind of unexpected consequences — all carried out by a colourful cast of characters who bring the hotel to life.

This intertwines with another factor that sets our game apart: how it reacts to your playstyle. Each choice you make influences not just your hotel’s design and structure but may also trigger side effects and interactions among characters. Both guests and staff react to the changing environment and to each other, creating a cascade of events that can turn your well-oiled operation into a delightful circus of hotel mishaps.

Then there’s the economic aspect: In Hotel Architect, maintaining financial stability while satisfying guest demands requires careful strategy. Creating a five-star enterprise on a small budget demands flawless logistical chains, including managing supplies, maintaining your amenities, and hiring the right staff. And just when you think you've mastered the art of financial gymnastics, along comes Mrs. Doe, who insists her room is too close to the dance floor, and suddenly you’re offering big discounts to keep the peace — while watching your beautifully balanced books start to wobble.

With Hotel Architect, our ambition is to unleash the full spectrum of player creativity, offering structured scenarios with specific objectives, as well as a sandbox mode where every hotel can be a unique masterpiece. We've designed the game to serve as a canvas for players to experiment, innovate, and express their personal vision of the perfect hotel.



[h2]Our Perfect Match & Looking Forward[/h2]

As Pathos is a small studio, we knew we would need a great partner to realize the full potential of Hotel Architect. In 2021, we presented our prototype to Wired Productions, and it was mutual love at first sight! Thanks to Wired, we have been able to expand the scope by adding more content and cool features! With Wired taking the lead in marketing, QA, and everything outside of actual development, we at Pathos have more time to focus on what we do best: creating games!

And now, a few years down the line, we’re excited to be approaching the beta stage of Hotel Architect! But there’s still a lot of work left to be done, so stay tuned for more updates including our regular blogs which are incoming shortly!

Thanks for joining us on the Hotel Architect journey, you can keep up with smaller updates on our socials: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Tiktok | Discord 

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