Hotel Architect News

The wait is nearly over! After lots of trying to hold the secret in, we can't anymore!

We’re thrilled to announce that Hotel Architect will officially open it's doors to early access on May 20th!

This marks a huge milestone for our team and our community, and we couldn’t have done it without your continued support, feedback, and passion for building the hotels of your dreams!

Check out our release date trailer here:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

But before we roll out the red carpet, we have one final event...

[h2]The Final Is Playtest Now Live![/h2]



Starting today, our final community playtest is underway - This is your last chance to get a sneak peek at Hotel Architect before early access launch!

If you’ve signed up for the playtest, check your inbox for access instructions. If not, there’s still time to join! Head over to our steam page and request access now.

We’ll be gathering feedback, monitoring performance, and making final adjustments over the next few days so don’t be shy about sharing your thoughts with us in Discord, Steam forums or on social media!

[h2]What’s New in the Final Playtest?[/h2]
The playtest includes:

• Gothenburg and Paris (no Santorini this time!)
  
• Two New Guest types - Upper Crust and Business People
  
• Two New Zones - Spa and Conference Room
  
• Character Creator
  
• Photo Mode
  
• Balance tweaks and performance improvements
  
• A new critic review screen with more details
  
• Assignable task types for staff
  

Whether you’re returning for another stay or checking in for the first time, this is Hotel Architect at its biggest and best yet and we can't wait for you to try out early access!



[h2]Save the Date![/h2]

Mark your calendars for May 20th!

We’ll be celebrating launch day with streams, giveaways, and some surprise announcements. Make sure you’re following us on social media and join the Discord so you don’t miss a thing.

Thank you for being part of this journey. We can’t wait to see the incredible hotels you’ll create.

— The Hotel Architect Team

Hey Hoteliers!

This week we’re giving you a sneak peek at not one, but TWO brand-new zones coming to the final playtest, which is less than 7 days away!

Say hello to the Conference Room and the Spa Zones. These additions are designed to appeal to two very distinct (and higher-paying) guest types: Business People and The Upper Crust. Although, honestly, every guest could use a little productivity or pampering from time to time.

Let’s take a closer look at how these zones work, what they unlock, and why they’ll be game-changers for your hotel designs!

[h2]The Conference Room [/h2]
Looking to impress the suit-and-tie crowd? The Conference Room is your go-to space for attracting Business People, the guests who are all about productivity, efficiency, and polished professionalism.

While the Conference Room won’t push your critic score past 3 stars, it plays a vital role in drawing Business People to your hotel. These guests aren’t just looking for a place to sleep. they want a place to work. Expect to see them taking conference calls on their laptops, gesturing passionately at whiteboards, and generally doing all sorts of “important business-y things.”

Cool tip: Business People pay more per night than your average Backpacker or Sporty guest. They’re a great step up in terms of revenue so alongside sunbathers, you’ll want to bring them to your hotel!



[h2]The Spa [/h2]
If you’re aiming for a more luxurious, high-end hotel experience, the Spa is an absolute must. This is where your hotel goes from just simply nice to five-star fabulous. And here’s the kicker: if you want to attract Upper Crust guests, a Spa isn’t optional, it’s essential!



The Upper Crust are the most elite (and picky) guest type in Hotel Architect. They’ll only stay at hotels rated 5 stars by critics, and one of the key requirements to hit that top rating is, you guessed it, a Spa.

The Spa offers guests a full suite of relaxation options, including:

• Hot tubs
  
• Mud baths
  
• Massage chairs
  
• And more!
  

The It’s not just the Upper Crust that will use the Spa though, it is for all your guests to enjoy and it proves to be quite a popular attraction, particularly if you add a tanning bed for those Sunbathers so they don’t require the sunny weather to worship those rays!



We hope you're all ready for the last playtest - it's going to be a blast seeing you build in Paris!

If you haven't signed up yet, you have until April 23rd to do so and we'll send your codes to you via email, if not you'll have to head to our steam page on the 24th to request access.

Sign up here: https://Wired.gg/HAplaytest

Hey hoteliers - Welcome back to another Hotel Architect deep dive blog!

Today we’re focusing on your demanding guests and what they really want from your hotel. It doesn't really matter whether you’re building your first cozy inn or your 50th ultra-optimized guest haven, either way, understanding your clientele is the key to building a thriving hotel empire.

Now before we start, we do have a short video on this that you can watch if you’d prefer but it doesn’t go into the nitty gritty like the blog!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h2]Meet Your Guests [/h2]

In Hotel Architect, there are six unique guest types:

• Backpackers
  
• Sporties
  
• Sunbathers
  
• Brats
  
• Business People
  
• The Upper Crust
  

Each group has its own personality, preferences, and must-haves. To check out what each type likes (and what they absolutely require), click on the People icon in your toolbar and head over to the Guests tab in game. You'll see a list of their required amenities, and their preferences that marked with green thumbs-up icons.

The table below shows the absolute requirements a guest must have to come and visit (subject to change!):


[h2]Guest Type [/h2]
At first when playing, you might find yourself a bit stuck because you still can’t seem to get a certain guest type in your hotel. There could be so many different reasons for this, but it’s best to go step by step through what each guest wants and needs as a process of elimination.

If you’re struggling to hit a star rating, for example, Sunbathers require 3 star hotel, then that is your first point of call!


[h2]Why Star Ratings Matter! ⭐ [/h2]

Star ratings in Hotel Architect are everything. They’re the gatekeepers for which guest types even consider staying at your hotel. For example, Brats won’t even consider staying at your hotel unless it’s got a 4 star rating!

In order to unlock each star rating, there is a facility your hotel much have:

1 Star: Bathroom and laundry room + 100p
2 stars: A gym + 200p (plus previous star requirements)
3 stars: A Restaurant + 300p (plus previous star requirements)
4 stars: A Bar + 400p (plus previous star requirements)
5 Stars: A Spa + 500p (plus previous star requirements)

Slapping up a couple of paintings won’t cut it; these guests want quality and all the facilities - so make it happen hotelier! Remember your critic score can only go up by one star per visit, so 5 stars won’t simply happen overnight!



[h2]Build Smart, One Guest at a Time [/h2]

The best strategy? Start simple.
Choose one guest type to focus on.
Meet their minimum requirements, especially room setups and star level.
Layer in the amenities they love to maximize satisfaction.
Once that group is thriving, you can start expanding your appeal. Want to host both Sporties and Brats? No problem = just make sure your hotel has both a gym and a bar.
Balancing guest types becomes easier once you understand how to overlap their preferences!

Hopefully that clears things up for you and will help you bring in all the guest types when creating your dream hotels!

If you haven’t already, make sure you sign up to the playtest starting soon at Wired.gg/HAplaytest
This is the first time you will be able to play on the Paris map and also with all 6 guest types, and it’s the last chance to try for free before early access so make sure you don’t miss out!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We’re excited to announce that the final Hotel Architect playtest is coming on April 24th and we’re inviting YOU to join in the fun! This is your chance to experience the game early, shape its development, and show off your dream hotel designs to the world.
[h2]What to Expect [/h2]

As a play tester, you will get a chance to provide direct feedback to our developers, helping to shape changes and improvements before the game’s early access release! Your input could help define the game’s final features, balance, and overall experience but also the game is a whole lot of fun and you’ll get to play for free for a limited time before anybody else!

The playtest will run later this month and will be only available on steam for windows players. Where you’ll be able to:

• Advance in a career campaign or get creative in the sandbox mode
  
• Design your layout and watch as the construction workers lay the foundations and bring your dream hotel to life
  
• Freely select from several unique zone and design exquisite hotels to impress customers and critics
  
• Expand over two locations: Gothenburg and Paris!
  
• Manage a wide range of staff and contractors
  
• Welcome up to six guest types who will be sure to keep you on your toes!
  

[h2]
How to Join [/h2]
If you haven’t joined us for a playtest before, you can sign up by following this link: https://wired.gg/HAPlaytest
If you have signed up using the email, for a previous playtest, then you're all set already!
If you're a content creator who wants to register interest in Hotel Architect, fill out this form: Creator Sign Up

We will be in contact via email closer to the time with codes and instructions, so keep an eye on your inboxes - Make sure to sign up by 12pm BST on April 23rd! If you have any questions in the meantime, please join our Official Discord to ask any questions.

[h2]Updates: [/h2]
If you played the last playtest, you might notice some awesome new features in this playtest including:
- The Paris scenario.
- New guest types: Business and Upper Crust.
- New zones: Conference room and Spa.
- Improved critic behavior and more detailed critic review.
- Eyedropper tool.
- Photo mode.
- Editable task filters on certain staff types. E.g. order a cleaner to only mop floors or a waiter to only collect dishes...
- and more 👀




[h2]
Can’t wait until next the playtest? [/h2]

To celebrate the playtest announcement, we’ve got a brand new sparkly trailer showing what our friends got up to last time & a sneaky little peek at Paris!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

In the world of Hotel Architect, success isn’t just about placing furniture and decorating rooms. It’s also about strategically planning your layout and amenities to maximize revenue, guest satisfaction, and efficiency. The upgrade tree in Hotel Architect is a crucial system that determines how your hotel evolves, offering a pathway to better facilities, higher-tier services, and unique benefits such as speedy builders! Let’s break down the mechanics of the upgrade tree and how to use it effectively.



The Upgrade tree is broken down into sub sections for each area you can upgrade.

[h3]Laundry Room [/h3]
Upgrades in this branch improve laundry services, ensuring faster room turnover and cleaner facilities.

• Better Washers: Reduces the time needed for laundry cycles.
  
• Better Drying Equipment: Speeds up the drying process and eventually leads to a washer/dryer combo!
  
• Bigger Shelves: Less room taken up by those bulky towel and sheet shelves or simply just more in the same amount of squares depending on how you lay things out!
  
  

[h3]Staff [/h3]
Focuses on your employees, their efficiency and the hiring process at your hotel!

• Employer Branding: Allows you to look at more candidates when browsing to hire a new employee,
  
• Energizer: Your staff will lose energy 25% slower than normal!
  
• Candidate Screening: Means you can hire staff with better starting levels (this has a pre-requisite of your hotels star rating so watch out!)
  

[h3]Bedroom [/h3]
Enhances guest comfort through room upgrades and additional amenities.

• Luxury Furniture: Improve that all important diamond rating of your hotel easily with luxury bedding, seats and bathroom items!
  
• Add new services: These were not usable in the demo, however you may have noticed two pretty cool upgrades here including a Guest Comfort Upgrade & Room Service Table!
  
  

[h3]Financials [/h3]
Provides you with more wiggle room in expanding with loans and credit.

• Loan Magnet: You will gain access to an additional loan offer.. Doesn't mean it’ll be a good deal
  though!
  
• High Staker: Allows you to borrow more money with loans.
  
• Credit Champion: Allows you to borrow more into the red temporarily, thinkof this like an overdraft. Max this out and you’ll have an extra $100,000 at your deposal, but remember this needs to be paid back and you can run out of money!
  

[h3]Restaurant [/h3]
Focuses on upgrading dining services and food quality to enhance guest satisfaction.

• Expanded Shelves: For both plates and the pantry – similar to the laundry room shelves.
  
• Bigger Menus: Attracts different guest types and helps you cater for multiple guest types! Starting with one item on the menu is rather limiting after all.
  
• Better equipment: Bigger capacity fridges and also better dish washing equipment means less time restocking and more time making guests happy!
  
  

[h3]Miscellaneous [/h3]
Covers unique and specialized upgrades that don’t really fit into other categories.

• Vertical Velocity: Unlocks Elevators
  
• Air Conditioners: A much-needed upgrade for those warmer climates like Santorini.
  
• Trash In Style: Bigger trash cans, bins or dumpsters – however you say it.
  
• Speedy Builders: Make the most from your construction crew, now at 1.33x speed!
  

While all of the upgrade tree is beneficial, you may want to consider which parts to upgrade first and your priorities as a hotelier! Consider your location, what the goal is of your build and also if aesthetics are important to you before jumping head first as each upgrade costs money and time to research.
It’s a slippery slope, and not all upgrades cost the same!