Hotel bars were once lively social hubs, but with the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting those interpersonal connections and experiences, hoteliers and hospitality designers are determined to reactivate the spaces as demand picks up.

"Hotel bars are a key for connected experiences and moments, which is the crux of hospitality," Suzie Hall, founder and CEO of design firm The Cornerstone Collective, said in an email interview. "The past year-plus has caused guests, operators, hoteliers and staff to thoroughly examine their offerings and operations."

The lobby itself has always been an essential part of the traveler experience at several of Marriott International's brands, Aliya Khan, vice president of design, lifestyle brands, said in an email interview.

"We believe this will continue to be a focal point, with people yearning for interpersonal connections more than ever," she said.

At Marriott's Moxy brand, each hotel breaks down the notion of a traditional hotel lobby starting with checking guests in at the bar, where they receive a complimentary "Got Moxy" cocktail.

"In our conception of the Moxy brand, we envisioned the lobby to serve double-duty as the main hub of activity and the hotel check-in," she added.

Hall said the industry is at its early stages of moving toward what was considered "normal" before the pandemic, but she doesn't anticipate the needle will swing all the way back to where it was in 2019.

"Operators and designers will be wise to lessen the density of seating, provide more circulation space and help patrons easily navigate the space," she said.

Cornerstone Collective has responded to the pandemic by implementing innovative and flexible seating arrangements. Back-to-back, pinwheel and staggered seating layouts have all proven to be successful, Hall said.

Using rectangular or smaller square-shaped tables that could be spaced out for now and then pulled together in the future is a smart design move, she added.

New technology has also been introduced at a quicker pace since the onset of the pandemic, some successfully and some not.

"The best technology is simple, sleek and user-friendly," Hall said. "Even better if it can be a touchless experience. Easily cleanable, antimicrobial and durable surfaces and furniture, fixtures and equipment are now paramount to an optimal bar environment. Hard surface flooring is best for hotel bars."

The desire for outdoor public spaces, including the lobby bar, heightened during the pandemic. Khan said this trend will stick around as customers have grown accustomed to having options, regardless of seasonality.

At Moxy Oakland Downtown, guests can gather at Bar Moxy facing Telegraph Avenue with floor-to-ceiling garage doors that open up for an alfresco experience, she said.

In January, when much of the world was still under lockdown, Marriott unveiled the first few examples of its new vision for the Sheraton brand. The focus for the brand going forward is creating spaces where the community can gather.

"In the current environment, the new Sheraton lobby lends itself to open, free-flowing spaces, allowing guests to work and relax without being on top of other people, while being mindful of social distancing," she said. "However, when it comes to the core of the new brand vision, what we stand for and our design strategies, the pandemic has not meant a wholesale change. We take a much longer-term view on these things."

The reimagined Sheraton lobby is meant to be the "Public Square" of each hotel for guests and locals to meet, eat and drink.

The key to bringing bars to life is unique food and beverage programming that creates a destination within itself, said Steve Palmer, founder of Indigo Road Hospitality Group, which is set to debut The Skyline Lodge in Highlands, North Carolina, this summer.

Offering just a happy hour or similar menu offering to the on-property restaurant won't suffice.

The Skyline Lodge, which will have an on-property steakhouse, has conjured up a food and beverage program at its bar that will include an oyster happy hour.

Palmer said the bar experience should have its own identity, and the more energy put into that can yield a greater response from guests.

Bars also hold tremendous revenue opportunities, and over the years Palmer's team morphed bars into an alternate dining experience, he said. This is especially ideal for solo travelers who don't want a full sit-down meal at a restaurant.

"That's been the biggest thing we've seen in bars," he said. "Chefs have really started to put a lot more energy into the bar menu, offering a separate experience, and that raises the quality of the bar."

As demand picks up, bar staffs are tasked with serving a higher volume of guests. Palmer said batch cocktails are a necessary strategy to maintain those levels.

"We all have been in that experience where we're waiting 10, 12, 13 minutes for a cocktail, and there's a point at which it doesn't matter how much care has gone into it, you want your drink," he said. "It's striking that balance between quality, innovation but also good customer experience."

Hall said the goal is to "pique curiosity and desire to explore and adventure." Signage can be used to connect guests to the spaces around the lobby bar.

This could include using information boards, messaging through technology and apps to introduce the amenities and activities on-property.

Khan said Moxy's public spaces around the lobby bar have been intentionally designed for guests to lounge at their own pace, whether it's on a couch relaxing or enjoying a lively scene at the bar.

People want to move past the caution tape and warning signs, she said, so thoughtful and welcoming details can inspire guests.

Khan suggests "vignettes that play off pairs, alcoves that are detailed and welcome for a coffee or conversation, decorative details like screens that add aesthetic value while allowing ways for people to be together but alone if they choose — comfortably."

For bar seating, Palmer said his team is gravitating more toward dining seats within the bar, either smaller booths or round tables, if space allows for it.

"Creating an environment where you can feel like you can have dinner here, and maybe it's a more casual dinner, but it's quality food, the service is there," he said.

At the Skyline Lodge, which is undergoing renovations, the team built booth seating and round tables by the bar to accompany the existing stone fireplaces and create a mini dining room.