Atrium

An atrium is the tall, open interior space at the heart of a hotel, usually rising through multiple floors with rooms looking inward over balconies and a glass roof letting in light from above. The modern hotel atrium was basically invented by architect John Portman with the Hyatt Regency Atlanta in 1967, he turned the lobby into a vertical theater. The most extreme example is the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, which has the world's tallest atrium at 180 meters. Newer atria are getting more plant-filled and sustainable (think Marina Bay Sands or 1 Hotels). The big benefit: instant wow on arrival. The downside: a lot of energy to heat and cool that volume of air.