How to Do the Hotel Lobby Trend: Free, Step by Step (2026)
How to Do the Hotel Lobby Trend: How to do the viral Hotel Lobby trend with AI, a CapCut template or for free: step-by-step, photo tips, and what to know before you post.
Updated Oct 4, 2026
The short answer
To make the Hotel Lobby style video, add a photo of each consenting performer, enter a topic and choose the orange studio. The AI writes a new song and renders both people trading verses on their own microphones. Download the result with its original music; a 720p, 12-second video uses 10 credits.
What's new on this page
- — New section: Hotel Lobby trend variations (one photo of both of you, pets) and the newer trends made the same way.
- — Added real screenshots of the video maker and a picture for each step.
- — Page published
Upload two photos to make your own Hotel Lobby style rap duo video in an orange studio, with an original AI-generated song and beat.
Here's how to do the Hotel Lobby trend yourself, the free options, and what each method actually gives you.
Three ways to do the Hotel Lobby trend
1. An AI video generator (both faces, a new performance). You upload one photo of each person and the AI renders a brand-new video of the two of you rapping together on an orange Hotel Lobby stage, lip-synced to an AI-generated rap and beat. This is what AI Rap Video Generator does. You get two real faces performing together without filming anything. (Using Higgsfield instead? Here's how the Higgsfield Hotel Lobby method works.)
2. An editing template. Choose a layout that supports your own photos and footage. Check the available photo slots and use only original music or audio you have permission to use. See our Hotel Lobby CapCut template guide for the editing workflow.
3. Filming it yourself. Two people, an orange backdrop, two mics and a lot of rehearsal. The most authentic version, and the hardest.
How to do the Hotel Lobby trend with AI, step by step
- Pick your duo. You and a friend, you and your partner, two friends who live in different cities: the photos don't need to be taken together.
- Take one clear photo of each person. Front-facing, well lit, no sunglasses or masks. A normal selfie works best.
- Open the Hotel Lobby AI video maker on your phone or computer and add the two photos.
- Keep the orange Hotel Lobby stage (it's selected by default) or pick another stage.
- Optional: tell it what to rap about. "Sam's 30th birthday", "best friends since kindergarten", an inside joke. Leave it blank and the two of you rap about being the greatest duo in the game.
- Tap "Make our rap video" and wait about 2–3 minutes. You get a vertical, roughly 12-second video sized for TikTok, Reels and Shorts.
Hotel Lobby trend variations: one photo, pets, and what came next
- One photo of both of you. Already have a picture of the two of you together? In the studio, switch to One photo of both and add just that one; both faces come from it.
- With your dog or cat. The same orange-stage rap works with two pets, or your pet and you: see the pet rap video maker.
- Newer trends, same way. If your feed has moved on, the Raindance AI trend, the Gas Station AI trend and the AI zombie trend are made the same way: your photos, one tap, a short video in a few minutes.
How to do the Hotel Lobby trend for free
- AI Rap Video Generator: full videos are paid, because rendering AI video costs real money. One-time packs: $6.99 for 14 credits, $29 for 75, $99 for 340, $199 for 800, or $499 for 2500. A 720p, 12-second video uses 10 credits; a 480p, 5-second video uses 2. The studio shows the cost before generation. A render that fails is never charged.
- CapCut: search the template library for "Hotel Lobby". Free, with the limits above.
Be careful with sites that promise "unlimited free" Hotel Lobby videos: rendering AI video costs real money, so free usually means a watermark, a queue or your photos used for something else. Read what happens to your photos before you upload them.
Tips for a better Hotel Lobby video
- Use photos with similar lighting and framing so the two of you look like you're in the same room.
- Give it a topic. A birthday, an anniversary or a running joke makes the lyrics personal, and personal videos get shared.
- Post it vertically, as is. The video is already 9:16. On TikTok, tag it #hotellobby or #hotellobbytrend so people searching the trend find it.
Original song or AI song?
This generator writes and performs an original rap, so the generated mouths match the new lyrics. Download and share the video with its own music.
Do it respectfully
Use photos of yourself and people who agreed to appear. Make your own performance with original AI music.
Not sure who to do it with? Here are 12 Hotel Lobby duo ideas.
Ready? Make your Hotel Lobby AI video: two photos, one tap, ready in about 3 minutes.