I consider the lobby of one of the Manhattan Hotels to be my temporary office when it's needed. Lots of chairs in alcoves with electric outlets, free internet, bar and restaurant if you need it, tons of tables if you want to hold a meeting, clean bathrooms, etc. Never seen them hassle anybody, often wondered if they ever asked or what (though if asked, my standard answer would be waiting for college who was coming down, checking in, on the way from the airport, attending the so and so meeting (I always check who is in their conference rooms just in case)).

At some other hotels I've been questioned within a couple minutes of waiting for somebody, and one even called up to the room to confirm.

So it totally depends on the hotel and probably their experiences in the past.

I've never had security do anything to me. My Egypt experience was the Cairo Marriott and the Hilton Luxor. The Marriott placed security right at each entrance...metal detectors, X-ray machines for everyone. Therefore, once in the lobby, you could loiter all you wanted. The Hilton Luxor was a bit off the beaten path...no security in sight. You could just walk straight through the lobby and sit by the pool if you like. My China hotels have always been Western business hotels...you could hang out in the lobby all day and no one would notice you except maybe a waitress offering to bring you a drink.

In fact, that's what I usually do if I'm killing an hour in the lobby...order a beer when the waitress passes by. That should prevent you from getting dirty looks from anyone...sort of pegs you as something other than a Wifi moocher, even if you're actually there to mooch some Wifi. ;)

Yeah. That was my point. There is an awful lot of racism going on in the places that OP mentioned. Especially if you are "tanned".

I was once in Hong Kong with a Thai friend and police stopped him and asked for his passport. I told the police that he was with me and that our passports are at the Grand Hyatt hotel. No further questioning.

I do a lot of lobby sitting. Usually at hotels where I am staying so no problem.
I've only been frowned-upon once, that I can recall, at a hotel I was not staying at.

Marriott Chicago, Michigan Ave.

Was on my laptop seated at their high tables with electrical plugs in the bar area (just off the center of the lobby). Waiter said if I did not order, I'd have to leave, so I ordered something. Stretched a salad and a coffee for 2 hours. ;)

That was the only time.

No, I didn't notice any changes. Still use lobby for as long as need it.

I've never been asked to leave a hotel lobby; usually they just pester me to order drinks. What I have noticed, more and more, is the absence of benches in places like shopping malls where there are wide open spaces in which it would be perfectly appropriate to have them. I believe they are actively discouraging loitering by employing a passive-agressive "if you're not shopping, get out" policy.

I think this is more to stop teenagers from just walking around doing nothing and having zero intention of buying anything. I've even been to a couple shopping malls that enforce a curfew for people under a certain age if they are not with their parents. They aren't worried about a 35 yo waiting around for dinner or something.

when I started being asked by friends or colleagues to meet them in hotel lobbies when I first started working, I used to get mega-hassle from security. I never knew why. Gradually it dawned on me after a succession of gentlemen seemed to try to chat me up when I did not want to be chatted up while I was waiting.

Many years on, I still use hotel lobbies to meet people but I seem to get less hassle now. Hmmmm is this cos I look so much more respectable now, or is it for some other reason? :)

Order a pot of tea or similar (most hotels will serve that sort of thing in the foyer) –.that ought to see you clear for a couple of hours. (A pot of tea is better than a cup of coffee, since you can appear much more effectively to be lingering over it.)

Hard to argue that China isn't one of the more racist parts of the world.
Equally hard to argue that the other nations mentioned don't have very real security risks, particularly at western hotels.

Wednesday night February 8, I hung out in my hotel lobby (the Courtyard Marriott in Ottawa) until 3 am and it was encouraged. Thursday afternoon February 9, a friend and I hung out in the lobby of the Chateau Laurier and no one paid any attention. In November 2002, a bunch of us were kicked out of our own hotel lobby in Montreal. We were wearing pajamas and it was before midnight, if I remember correctly, and it was the Wyndham that's now the Hyatt, at the Complexe Desjardins.

Your mileage may vary.

I used to think that it was because I was wearing a suit that I was allowed to lobby-sit extensively. But since I stopped wearing suits (for the most part) about 5 years ago, I still sit in lobbies in my jeans and I have no issues. I think it is a matter of where/when, combined with the fact that if you look and behave well, you probably get no issues. Behave like a jerk and look like a bum, you may be suspect.

Sporting a sophisticated French accent probably helps. ;)

I work at a 5 star hotel in central London. We have CCTV covering the whole lobby and entrance which is monitored 24hrs a day. We also have at least two Security personnel present in the lobby during the day. They are there to protect the guests, employees, their property and the hotel's property. We have a lot of professional bag thieves operating in central London and some will be dressed very smartly and wear lots of jewellery to mingle in with real guests. It's all down to how you behave, not how you look, that matters. Of course, if you look like a tramp, you'll be asked to leave anyway. :D

When we travel, it's usually for pleasure. That being the case, we get to know the concierge staff well, who are usually located nearby the lobby. Therefore, if I'm sitting there, for am extended period of time, no one bothers me. Also, if I were to have a late departure and wanted to hang out in the lobby, I would inform the hotel, order some tea - like another poster suggested - and go about my business until time to leave.

I have a few Hotels within the Loop of Chicago where I use lobbies a bit. As I stated in a much earlier post, only the Marriott Mag Mile asked me to buy something when I was seated at a high-table near the bar.
The rest are my hiding spots.

About 1 month ago, while flying back from HNL via ORD to MCO, I had a 9 hour layover, so I parked for a while with my luggage (change of carriers) at the Hilton Airport attached to ORD. Upstairs from the lobby near the elevators, two nice chairs, a table and a power outlet. Perfect for getting some work done.

Within 10 minutes of "settling down" a security guard emerged from the elevator, gave me a very good "look-over' for about 10 seconds, then turned around and mumbled something into his headset. But I was left to work undisturbed for a while.

He came back after about 1 hour and gave me another good look, then again turned and mumbled into his headset.

By then, I was ready to leave anyway. So I left.

I was never asked to leave, but they were keeping a watchful eye on me.