Hotel Architect Review (PC)

Hotel Architect has taught me many, many things — not only how to build a successful business, but also that you should never take cash injections from loan sharks to keep critics from pulverizing your dreams. Here, money isn’t the answer; it’s the small things—the happiness and well-being of the people, and the minor structural upgrades that make an otherwise forgettable vacation all the more trip-worthy. Cash is king, for sure, but for these four walls, it’s all about tiptoeing through the hoops in the hopes that, with enough support and a big ol’ thumbs up from the folks who come to visit, a small venture will amount to something much, much greater.

Hotel-centric simulation games, in general, are prone to asking that all-important question: What would you do if you had the keys to a vacant plot of land? Would you lay the groundwork for a beachside cubby of a resort? Would you sell out and onboard whatever came your way if it meant flipping a profit at the expense of the guest’s health? But the answers, on the other hand, are so rarely the same. And it’s thanks to things like customizable suites, themes, and a general lack of hand holding that we, as the users behind the strings, are able to unleash our inner creative and explore countless possibilities, usually without any interferences or consequences. Well, to an extent.

While the concept of maintaining a business has been tossed, squeezed, and regurgitated more times than a beach ball at a summer festival, Hotel Architect does in fact do something a little different. The question that we ought to address, however, is whether or not different is good. Is Hotel Architect superior to its kin, or a shallow attempt to gain notoriety? Let’s check in and find out.

Building an Empire

Hotel Architect puts itself on the same pedestal as its peers, with the base game comprising the traditional scenario-based campaign mode that allows players complete control over the foundations of a soon-to-be hub of hospitality. With a selection of resorts to work through, players begin their journey with the familiar task of daisy-chaining their way from the humble roots of the smallest plot of land, and then working to fulfill a checklist of some kind before swiveling off to the next, at which point the objectives become more complex, as do the facilities and other improvements that bulk out the in-game catalog.

The progression unfolds in a similar fashion as your traditional business plan: you invest the starting funds into certain modules and structural changes, which essentially allow you the chance to attract guests, critics, and other reputable resources, and then slowly carve through the general improvements in the book before meeting the target quota. The only caveat here is that, while the maximum star rating can be achieved by checking the appropriate boxes, several of those boxes can only be unlocked in later stages of the campaign. In other words, you can’t complete a level without opening all of the book, so to speak. But that’s not a deal-breaking thing, though. It adds replay value, if anything — which is always a welcome addition for any sandbox game.

Dreams of Grandeur

Hotel Architect took me by surprise in ways, as the candy-coated visuals initially led me to believe that the journey wouldn’t be unnecessarily complex. I had it in my mind that it would be an easygoing venture—a stress-free expedition to the root of a perfect world that wouldn’t involve any major curveballs along the way. Yet, the thing that caught me off guard more than anything was the fact that, cartoony audiovisual storytelling cast aside, there were a lot more items to unpack and adjustments to make than the usual entry-level business sim. I’m not saying that the act of building a hotel from the grassy roots up was stupidly unforgiving, but it had its moments, and the learning curve was certainly present even when it felt like all things were going swimmingly.

I Want, I Want, I Want

Like in any hotel setting, the guests in Hotel Architect each have their own needs and room requirements, as do the staff and other folk who foster the workflow of the hotel. To make matters more perplexing, the game tasks you with fulfilling these requirements in order to usher the campaign towards its next story beat. There are also critics to impress, cleanliness levels to keep tabs, as well as facilities to operate and maintain, which just so happens to include restaurants, spas, bars, and other areas of interest that you can unlock with the cash injections that you earn over the course of the year.

Thankfully, with so much to unlock and a diverse roster of colleagues to hire, train, and evolve, the game never makes it so that you’re at a dead end or without something to do. With a lot of moving pieces to juggle and a series of goals that feel both original and gratifying to solve, it’s certainly an easy one to roll with. The fact that the campaign also comes loaded with multiple maps, scenarios, and unique set pieces, too, makes it all the more, shall we say, meaty. And that’s great, because when all’s said and done, a game that boasts more bang for your buck is far more likely to coerce you into coming back for a second visit.

Verdict

Given the fact that Hotel Architect is still emerging from its teething phase, I have to admit that there are a lot of great bones to pick at here. Okay, so the building aspect isn’t quite up to scratch, and it does feature a couple of rough edges, particularly around the construction and multi-tool demolition options. That said, what you have here, really, is a creative way to make certain dreams of grandeur a reality on a sizable canvas with oh-so many possibilities to choose from. It could still do with a few extra screws, but again, for a game that’s still in its Early Access period, there’s a tremendous amount of potential for it to gain momentum and eventually surpass that all-important five-star status. Fingers crossed, anyway.

It’s a no brainer at this point, really. I’ll gladly stand by my word and say that, even with a couple of minor issues in its framework, Hotel Architect is still a lot of fun to play. With a handful of miniature stories to work through, a generous amount of rooms to build, and a surprisingly in-depth management system to experiment with, you could quite easily lose track of time after checking in here. I’m excited, actually, to see where the devs will take it next. Here’s hoping that the full version will prove even more rewarding than the current one. If its Early Access model is anything to go by, then we can expect great things from this one.