Hotel and Restaurant Lighting: LED for Hospitality
LED lighting for hotels and hospitality: lux and colour temperature per area, light in layers for dining rooms, commercial kitchens, corridors and savings.
In hotels and hospitality, lighting sets the atmosphere: a restaurant should feel inviting, a lobby premium, a kitchen bright and safe. At the same time, many luminaires run 12 to 24 hours a day. This guide shows how to light guest and work areas properly and combine atmosphere with efficiency using LED.
- Dining room: atmosphere before lux, typically 100–200 lux with accents, 2700–3000K, dimmable.
- Commercial kitchen: approx. 500 lux, Ra ≥ 80, IP65 and easy to clean.
- Reception approx. 300 lux, buffet approx. 300 lux with high colour rendering.
- High colour rendering (Ra ≥ 90) makes food and interiors look natural.
- Corridors, stairwells and underground car parks often run around the clock: LED with sensors saves the most here.
Lux values in hotels and hospitality
| Area | Illuminance | Colour temperature | Ra min. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant, dining room | approx. 100–200 lux | 2700–3000K | 90 |
| Self-service, canteen | approx. 200 lux | 3000–4000K | 80 |
| Buffet, counter | approx. 300 lux | 3000K | 90 |
| Commercial kitchen | approx. 500 lux | 4000K | 80 |
| Reception, lobby | approx. 300 lux | 3000K | 80 |
| Hotel corridors | approx. 100 lux | 3000K | 80 |
| Conference room | approx. 500 lux, dimmable | 3000–4000K | 80 |
EN 12464-1 deliberately sets no fixed value for dining rooms, because atmosphere comes first. Conference rooms follow the same requirements as offices (see Office Lighting).
Dining room: light in layers
- General light: Dimmed and warm, so the room doesn't feel like a canteen.
- Table light: Pendants or directional spotlights on each table, so food looks good and guests can see each other.
- Accents: Highlight the bar, wine rack, walls and artwork to create depth.
- Scenes: Brighter at lunch, dimmed in the evening. Dimmable luminaires and simple scene control are usually enough.
Kitchen: bright, robust, hygienic
In a professional kitchen, function counts: around 500 lux on work surfaces, neutral white light for checking doneness and freshness, IP65 luminaires against steam and cleaning water, and a smooth, grease-repellent surface. Glass covers should be avoided. Hygiene requirements are covered in Production and Food Industry Lighting.
Luminaires for hotels and hospitality
Hotel: lobby, corridors, rooms and outdoors
The lobby is the business card: warm light, accents on reception and seating areas, high colour rendering. Hotel corridors run 24/7 and are ideal for LED with presence detectors and base light (see DALI and Lighting Control). Car park, underground garage and facade are also part of the overall impression (see Car Park Lighting).
Worked example
Hotel with 80 halogen downlights of 50W in corridors (24/7, 8,760 h) and 40 fluorescent fittings 2 × 58W in the kitchen and back-of-house (approx. 140W, 5,000 h), €0.30/kWh. Replaced by 80 LED downlights of 7W and 40 LED tri-proof lights of 55W: saving (80 × 43W × 8,760 h) + (40 × 85W × 5,000 h) = 30,134 + 17,000 kWh, around €14,100 a year.
Frequently asked questions
How bright should a restaurant be?
Typically 100–200 lux with warm white, dimmable light and targeted light on the tables. Atmosphere matters more than a fixed lux value.
Which colour temperature suits hospitality?
2700–3000K for dining rooms and lobbies, 4000K for kitchens and work areas.
How many lux does a commercial kitchen need?
Around 500 lux on work surfaces with Ra 80 or higher and IP65 luminaires.
Why does colour rendering matter in a restaurant?
With low colour rendering, food looks pale and unappetising. Ra 90 makes colours look natural and fresh.
Where does LED save the most in a hotel?
In corridors, stairwells, underground car parks and kitchens that are lit many hours a day or around the clock.
Send us the floor plan and the atmosphere you want. We prepare a free lighting plan and a no-obligation quote at direct-import prices 2–4× below comparable branded products.
Request a lighting planCover photo: Missvain, Wikimedia Commons, licence CC BY 4.0.
