Creating the perfect guest experience requires more than just clean towels and functional equipment. The atmosphere you build determines how long guests stay and how much they enjoy their time. While our main Music for Hotels guide covers the entire property, this page dives deep into two specific amenity zones: the pool and the fitness center.
These two areas serve opposite purposes – fun and fitness. One is often for leisure and relaxation, while the other is for effort and intensity. Getting the audio mix wrong in either space can ruin the moment.
Setting the Vibe with Great Hotel Pool Music
Your pool deck is likely a social hub during the day. If the area is silent, guests might feel awkward having conversations. Alternatively, if the music is too aggressive, they won’t be able to relax.
The strategy for hotel pool music depends heavily on your brand and the time of day. In the afternoon, you want to keep the energy light and sunny. Genres like reggae, soft pop, or “yacht rock” work well here. The goal is to create a backdrop that feels like a vacation.
However, if you host evening events at the pool, the music for hotel pool areas should shift. As the sun goes down, you might transition to lounge beats or upbeat tropical house to encourage guests to order cocktails from the poolside bar.
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Motivating Guests with the Right Gym Music
The fitness center requires a completely different approach. Silence is the enemy of a good workout. When guests walk into a quiet gym, their energy levels drop. They need rhythm to keep moving.
Hotel gym music should be high-energy and consistent. You want songs with a higher BPM (beats per minute) to match the pace of running or lifting weights. Pop, dance, and electronic genres are standard choices here.
According to research, synchronized music can actually improve workout performance, helping your guests feel better about their exercise session. Good music for hotel gym environments helps mask the sound of clanking weights and heavy breathing, creating a private zone for every guest even in a shared space.
Licensing and Technical Setup
It is important to remember that you cannot use personal streaming accounts for these areas. Using an app like Spotify or Apple Music in a public business setting is not legal. You must protect your business by using a provider that offers licensed music for business.
You also need to consider how you will get the sound to the speakers. Pools often require weather-resistant equipment, while gyms might need multiple zones. There are various music for business playback hardware and software solutions that make managing these playlists easy.
If you manage a boutique brand or a small chain, maintaining a consistent standard is vital. If you have multiple business locations, look for a music provider that allows you to control the pool and gym playlists for all sites from one dashboard.
To find the right partner for your specific needs, take a moment to compare music for business providers on our main comparison table.
Crafting the Atmosphere by Zone
The pool and gym aren’t the only areas you need to think about when curating the vibe in your hotel. As guests walk through your property, the music must adapt to fit each specific area.
- The Lobby: The right sound can put your guests in the right mood when they enter. Read our Hotel Lobby Music Strategy Guide here.
- The Restaurant: The right tempo can help control the pace of dining. Read our Hotel Restaurant Music Strategy Guide.
- The Bar: You need higher energy here to encourage more drink orders. Read our Hotel Bar Music Strategy Guide.
- Elevators & Hallways: A silent elevator or hallway can create an awkward moment. Use music to fill the empty space. Read our Hotel Elevators and Hallways Strategy Guide here.
Control all your zones from one simple dashboard. This makes your job easier and creates a smooth mood for guests as they walk from the front desk to their rooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use a Bluetooth speaker and my phone for the hotel pool music?
A: No, you should not use personal music subscriptions for a business. Personal accounts with services like Spotify or Pandora are for private use only. To avoid fines, you must use a commercial music service that covers performance rights fees. There is no Spotify for Business, Apple Music for Business or Amazon Music for Business.
Q: What is the best volume for hotel gym music?
A: The volume in the gym should be louder than in the lobby or hallways, but not deafening. It needs to be loud enough to motivate guests and cover the mechanical noise of treadmills, but not so loud that it hurts the ears.
Q: Do I need different playlists for the pool and the gym?
A: Yes. Your pool music strategy is usually about relaxation or fun social vibes (Classic Rock, Pop) while your gym strategy is about intensity and focus (Dance, Electronic). Playing relaxing pool music in the gym will demotivate guests.
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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.