Imagine leaving a crowded taxi, rolling your bag through the doors, and finding a wall of tranquility. That is the enchantment of well done lobby music. It is not only background easy listening. It creates mood. The hug and the handshake count here.

Get this wrong, and even marble flooring may feel chilly. Turn out too many pop tunes, and everyone is suddenly running instead of lingering. People seem ready to doze off as creep too far into languid, echoing soundscapes waits for their room keys. The gold sits midway, a combination of mellow jazz, chill acoustic strums, and subdued ambient sounds. After a long travel, you want a sound that reminds you of new linens.

Also there is a sound-level sweet spot. Too high; after battling travel, nobody needs that, like checking into a busy nightclub. Turn it down, and the lobby becomes disturbingly quiet and embarrassing as it disappears into nothing. One wants to produce a faint sound bubble. Enough to soften noise, enough to provide a little warmth, but never so much that drowns out cheerful banter.

Lighting suits music like cheese with wine. Many daylight hours could demand energetic acoustic guitar. Middle in the day, café jazz is just right. Come nighttime, perhaps find some soft piano or seamless electronic vibrations. Change things as the day unfolds. It maintains the ambiance and guest comfort independent of the clock.

Also never all the same is the crowd. Visitors arrive with tastes as varied as their bags weigh. One person’s classic for relaxation could inspire someone else to climb the wall. This is where a combination of soothing songs from all around the world may really help. Bring in a slice of Spanish strings, a little soft African percussion, a cool layer of lo-fi sounds. It generates an international welcome mat without anyone feeling awkward.

There is hidden power in familiar songs. A well-known song’s instrumental can make the lobby seem instantly nicer and give visitors a subdued nod indicating, “you’re not far from home.” It’s comfort devoid of clichéd language.

Here is a nugget: a hotel once included birdsong and rains on their playlist. Combined with soft synth, visitors talked about it in their reviews long after they left. Sometimes the simplest, most unusual elements stand out.

Selecting soothing lobby music is not a question of instant play and leaving. It is listening, exploring, adjusting, and listening once more. When everything comes together, visitors unintentionally unwind, smiles come more naturally, and travels either start or end on a positive note. Is that not the intended outcome?