Why Does Every Office Want to Look Like a Hotel?

Offices exist to work. The question is why they increasingly need to look like hotels to accomplish that.

Terraces, specialty coffee shops, gyms, wellness rooms, lounge areas, and collaborative spaces have become common features in the newest office buildings, despite being exceptions just two decades ago. In Class A+ and Class A properties—such as Torre Diana in Mexico City, which houses a Smart Fit, or Torre T.O.P. in Monterrey, which includes a Tim Hortons location in its retail area—these locations have even become a competitive differentiator.

The shift reflects deeper changes in the way people work. With the expansion of hybrid work arrangements, particularly after the pandemic, many corporations began facing an unexpected paradox: partially empty offices despite maintaining high levels of leased occupancy.

In this regard, a real estate study found that, in 2025, 87% of corporate occupiers across North America and Latin America reported challenges stemming from hybrid work arrangements. Among them, more than half identified a lack of activity and energy on lower-attendance days as one of their main operational challenges, a situation that can translate into underutilized space and a reduced ability for offices to foster collaboration, company culture, and interaction among teams.

In that context, amenities have emerged as one of the primary responses to the challenge. If offices can no longer rely solely on mandatory attendance to bring people together, they need to offer reasons to be there. According to JLL, factors such as flexibility, sense of belonging, and quality of experience are playing an increasingly important role in workplace decisions, prompting companies to seek buildings that support their talent attraction and retention strategies.

Some figures help illustrate the trend. A study found that 54% of small companies select buildings based on amenities and services, while Class A and prime properties are the most likely to increase occupancy. Among the features with the greatest influence on lease negotiations are outdoor terraces (44%), shared amenity spaces (42%), and fitness facilities (32%). By contrast, the absence of food and beverage options would lead 39% of occupiers to reject a building.

The impact is also visible in building performance. According to JLL, in some markets, occupiers are willing to accept higher rents in exchange for a broader range of services, a sign that these features have evolved from optional extras into part of the real estate product itself.

Along the same lines, research by the NAIOP Research Foundation found that 91% of owners and 81% of service providers believe that special amenities accelerate leasing activity. The finding suggests that their primary contribution does not necessarily lie in raising rents, but in making buildings more competitive relative to other options available in the market.

Taken together, the evidence points to a shift that goes beyond building design or marketing. The growing importance of amenities reflects a different reality: physical presence can no longer be taken for granted. Because in an environment where work no longer always requires commuting, buildings are competing less to house companies and more to attract people.

To learn more about the changes reshaping office demand and occupancy in Mexico, visit SiiLA Market Analytics or contact us at contacto@siila.com.mx.