A great hotel bar is more than just good drinks and comfortable seating. It is about the atmosphere. The lighting, the decor, and the sound all work together to create a vibe that makes guests want to stay longer. If the room is too quiet, it feels awkward. If the music is too loud or the wrong genre, guests might leave for a quieter venue down the street.
To get the most out of your beverage program, you need a plan. If you are looking for a broader overview of audio strategies for your entire property, read our main guide on music for hotels.
Why Hotel Bar Music Matters for Revenue
Music does more than fill the silence. It drives behavior. Studies have shown that the tempo and volume of background music can directly influence how fast people drink and how much they order.
In a hotel bar setting, you generally want a higher energy level than in the lobby or the fine dining restaurant. Upbeat music encourages faster consumption, which can lead to higher drink sales. However, if you serve food at the bar, you need to find a balance. You want guests to feel comfortable enough to eat, but energized enough to order another round.
Choosing the right hotel bar music is a business decision. It sets the pace for the evening and signals to the guest what kind of experience they are about to have.
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Legal Rules for Hotel Bars
Many small business owners make the mistake of using a personal Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music account to play songs in their establishment. This is not legal. Those services are for private, non-commercial use only.
When you play music in a business, it is considered a “public performance.” This requires specific licenses to ensure the songwriters and artists are paid royalties. If you get caught using a personal account, you could face significant fines.
To avoid legal trouble, you must use a service that provides licensed audio for business use. These providers handle all the licensing fees with organizations like ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, so you don’t have to worry about copyright infringement.
Tips for Curating Music for the Hotel Bar
To build the best strategy, think about the time of day. Your “dayparting” schedule is critical for a hotel bar.
- Afternoon: The bar might be used for casual meetings or guests catching up on work. Keep the volume lower and the tempo moderate.
- Happy Hour: As the work day ends, increase the volume and the tempo. This signals that the business day is over and it is time to relax.
- Late Night: If your goal is a high-energy nightlife vibe, switch to upbeat genres like Pop, Rock, or Electronic.
- Last Call: You can use music to subtly signal closing time by lowering the tempo or switching to a calmer genre.
Getting the mix right is one of the most cost-effective upgrades you can make for your hotel.
Matching the Right Music to Your Hotel Bar Concept
Every venue has a unique personality, and the sound needs to reflect that. A playlist that works for a busy sports pub will feel wrong in a quiet lounge or speakeasy. It’s important to take the time to find the right vibe that will match the decor, drink menu and even your staff.
Here are specific music strategies for common hotel bar styles:
Upscale Hotel Lounge: This space needs to feel expensive and intimate. The music should be a backdrop for conversation, not the main focus.
Recommended Genres: Jazz Standards, Modern Soul, Instrumental Lo-Fi.
Casual Lobby Bar: This area welcomes everyone, from business travelers to recreational vacationers. The sound should be familiar and friendly, but not distracting.
Recommended Genres: Adult Contemporary, Acoustic Pop Covers, Soft Indie.
Hotel Sports Bar: The energy here needs to be high to match the excitement of the game. The music must cut through the noise of cheering fans.
Recommended Genres: Classic Rock, 80s Hits, Upbeat Pop.
Rooftop Bar: These venues often compete with local nightlife. The vibe should transition from a relaxing sunset view to a trendy party spot at night.
Recommended Genres: Deep House, Chillout, Tropical House.
Speakeasy or Whiskey Bar: These hidden gems rely on a dark, moody atmosphere. The music should feel like a throwback to a different era.
Recommended Genres: Vintage Jazz, Blues, Classic Crooners.
Selecting the Right Equipment to Play Your Music
Once you have a licensed provider, you need a way to play the audio. You cannot rely on a smartphone behind the bar or a Bluetooth speaker with a limited range. You need a reliable system that covers the entire space evenly.
Most modern business music providers offer apps that work with existing sound systems, or they provide proprietary hardware boxes. Some even integrate directly with systems like Sonos. For a deeper look at your hardware options, read our guide on streaming options for music for business playback.
Connecting the Bar to Your Hotel Ecosystem
The bar is often the social hub of the hotel, but it does not exist in a vacuum. As guests move through your property, the audio experience should shift naturally to match the purpose of each room.
- The Lobby: This is the transition zone. The audio here should be welcoming and calm, leading guests naturally toward the higher energy of the bar. Read our Hotel Lobby Music Strategy Guide.
- The Restaurant: If your restaurant is adjacent to the bar, the sound needs to be distinct but compatible. While the bar pumps up the energy to drive drink sales, the restaurant should focus on comfort for dining. Read our Hotel Restaurant Music Strategy Guide.
- Pools and Gyms: These areas require completely different playlists. The gym needs high BPM tracks for workouts, while the pool usually requires a relaxed, vacation vibe. Read our Hotel Pool and Gym Guide here.
- Hallways: These areas act as a palate cleanser for the ears. Keep volume low and neutral. Read our Hotel Elevators and Hallways Strategy Guide here.
Managing these different vibes can be difficult if you have multiple business zones or locations. Using a central dashboard allows you to control the volume and schedule playlists for every zone from one computer. This ensures the bar stays lively while the lobby remains relaxing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use my personal Spotify account for my hotel bar?
A: No. Personal streaming accounts are for private use only. Spotify’s Terms of Service are clear about that. Using them in a public business setting violates copyright law. You must use a commercial music service that covers public performance licensing. To be very clear, there is no Spotify for Business, Apple Music for Business or Amazon Music for Business.
Q: What acts as the best music for hotel bar environments?
A: The best music depends on your brand and clientele. However, most hotel bars benefit from upbeat, recognizable songs during peak hours to encourage social interaction and drink sales. Slower tempos work better for afternoons or quiet lounges.
Q: How loud should the music be in a hotel bar?
A: The volume should be loud enough to create energy and mask the sound of cocktail shakers and operational noise, but not so loud that guests have to shout to converse. You may need to adjust the volume throughout the night as the crowd size changes.
Q: How do I manage music for the bar and the lobby separately?
A: You should look for a music provider that offers multi-zone control. This allows you to play different genres and set different volume levels for the bar, lobby, and restaurant, all managed from a single account or app.
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By John Boyle
John is a music for business expert and the founder of MusicforBusinessFinder.com. He focuses on helping small business owners navigate the confusing world of commercial music licensing, improve sales, and protect their businesses. By providing clear, independent analysis of top audio platforms, he ensures owners can make informed choices with confidence. He also loves rooting for the Mariners and his daughter’s soccer team.