A hotel switch is an electrical circuit that allows you to switch one lamp on and off from two different locations . This is often used in:
- Bedrooms (for example, one switch by the door and one by the bed).
- Stairwells (one switch for the same lamp upstairs and downstairs).
- Corridors (at the entrance and exit of the room).
In the Netherlands, the term hotel switching is used, while in Belgium it is often called a changeover switch .
How does a hotel switch work?
A hotel circuit uses two two-way switches that are electrically connected. These switches have two positions and can open or close the circuit in different ways.
The circuit consists of:
- Two changeover switches (not ordinary single-pole switches).
- Two electrical wires (the so-called 'toggle wires') between the switches.
- A power wire (phase) and a switching wire to the lamp .
When you flip a switch, the connection changes and the light turns on or off regardless of the position of the other switch.
Diagram of a hotel circuit
A simple hotel switch looks like this:
Schakelaar 1 ---- wisseldraad ---- Schakelaar 2
│ │
[L] [L]
│ │
└──── Lamp ──── Zero (N) ────[230V]
- L = Phase wire (brown)
- N = Neutral wire (blue)
- Switching wires between the two switches (black)
- Lamp wire to the lamp
Pressing either switch changes the connection, turning the light on or off.
Benefits of a hotel switch
✅ Convenient and practical – You can control lighting from multiple places.
✅ Increased security – Especially useful in hallways, stairwells and bedrooms.
✅ Easy to install – Standard electrical wiring and components.
Extension: Cross-connection
Want to control the same lamp from three or more locations ? Use a crossover switch , placing an additional crossover switch between the two two-way switches.