Rolling Stone (p.77) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[HOTEL] may be [Moby's] most personal and streamlined album yet..."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.89) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[An] ultimately rewarding collection....Impeccable of influence..."
Initial pressings included a bonus disc.
Personnel: Moby (vocals, various instruments); Laura Dawn (vocals); Scott Frassetto (drums); Shayna Steele, Brian Sperber, Jason Candler, Kurt Uenala, Orion Simprini (background vocals).
Following the runaway success of PLAY and 18, Moby takes a detour into pop/rock that leaves his signature sample-heavy electronica by the side of the road. Keyboards and drum machines are still prominent here, but they are used as background for Moby's songs, which often aim for a majestic, redemptive atmosphere. With the exception of live drums, Moby plays every instrument on the album, and sings lead on numerous tracks. Although, he's not a natural singer, Moby manages to make his half-spoken phrasing fit surprisingly well with the music, leaving the more emotive vocal tracks to Laura Dawn, as on her drowsy rendition of New Order's "Temptation."
The anthemic "Lift Me Up" and "Spiders" are prime examples of Moby's pop-savvy direction, revealing what seems like a yearning to get in touch with his inner U2 and Coldplay. On HOTEL's second disc, however, Moby returns to the ambient work that garnered him attention in the early 1990s. These wonderfully quiet and dreamy instrumental tracks make for an excellent counterbalance to the songs on the first disc, proving that Moby remains an intriguing, multifaceted artist.
