The Marcus Portrush, Tapestry Collection By Hilton, UK

The Marcus

We’re excited to share an insight into Elektra’s lighting design for The Marcus Portrush Hotel, a project where light plays a vital role in shaping atmosphere, storytelling, and guest experience. From arrival through to intimate lounge spaces, the lighting was carefully layered to support both functional needs and emotional connection, ensuring every moment within the hotel feels considered and immersive.

The interior design concept is that the Marcus is a private house, the home of an eccentric traveller who has collected many strange objects and artworks on his travels. (A diving helmet sits behind reception for example). At The Marcus Portrush Hotel, the lighting reinforces both the property’s coastal identity and its playful narrative inspired by exploration. More than just a functional design, the lighting scheme acts as a design tool that amplifies texture, guides mood, and reveals the architectural and thematic details that define the hotel’s character.

Soft, warm colour temperatures were selected throughout to evoke comfort and familiarity, while controlled contrast adds drama and visual interest.

Accent spotlights draw focus to artefacts, illustrations, and the “treasures” from Marcus’s fictional journeys, encouraging guests to pause, explore, and connect with the narrative woven throughout the hotel. In contrast, low-level table lamps, softly shaded sconces, and concealed linear lighting create a cocooning, intimate atmosphere — warm, inviting, and richly textured, reminiscent of a private house, and at the same time the narrow accents evoke an art gallery. Light levels are deliberately very low, to add drama and emphasis to the “art collection”; and we used miniature accent spots in all shelves to objet d’art, rather than the default linear strip.

In the lounge and fireplace areas, lighting is deliberately restrained, allowing the glow of the fire and discreet uplighting to bring out the richness of materials, layered greenery, and festive detailing. This balance between darkness and highlight creates moments of quiet refuge within a lively hotel environment, offering guests a sense of retreat while remaining visually connected to the surrounding spaces.

In the bar area, illuminated arches and integrated shelf lighting frame the back bar, creating a focal point that draws guests in from the surrounding spaces. The layered glow highlights the rhythm of the architecture while adding depth behind the bottles, giving the bar a warm, jewel-like presence that feels both welcoming and refined. Decorative festoon-style elements and subtle reflections in glassware introduce sparkle and movement, enhancing the sense of energy without overpowering the space.

Ultimately, the lighting at The Marcus Portrush Hotel is designed not only to be seen, but to be felt — subtly shaping mood, enhancing storytelling, and supporting the hotel’s distinctive personality at every turn.