The Grand Lobby is the first floor of The Last Resort and the first explorable area in Luigi's Mansion 3. As its name indicates, it acts as the hotel's principal lobby, where the main entrance and reception are located.
Unlike other floors inside the hotel, the Grand Lobby is the only one that consists of a single room, this one being the Lobby, with a second level shared with the second floor 2F - Mezzanine, both of them even shown on the same map.
This is where Hellen Gravely, Steward, and the Goobs are introduced to the player, although hiding their true forms as ghosts, the Goobs appearing once again in their real appearence later in the story. Chambrea is also seen briefly on the upper floor when entering The Last Resort for the first time.
Rooms
The Grand Lobby and the 5F - RIP Suites are the only floors inside the hotel that the player can also see in their golden illusions, a false vision created by King Boo to trick the protagonists. Despite the aesthetic differences between the two versions, day and night, the two have the same distribution of furniture and sections for every room.
Lobby (Level 1)
Map of the Lobby.
The Lobby is a large room made up of three big areas, the central one where the entrance is located and the other two on its sides. These two are openly attached to the much larger middle one, creating a plus shape on the map. It also contains enormous windows and chandeliers.
The first area that Luigi visits is the entrance of the hotel, where a reception desk is located in the northest side, between the two staircases leading to the second level. the inside serves to catalog some books, folders, letters and keys of the other rooms, with also a bell and a telephone available for the staff and guests on the front desk.
On the west side is what appears to be a waiting area, with two sofas and a small information desk with pamphlets and another telephone.
However, on the east side, there's a hallway leading to the elevator, a map of the hotel can be found beside it. There's also a door leading to the B1 - Basement stairs. This side also has two couches and a table as a resting area.
Lobby (Level 2)
The Grand Lobby and The Mezzanine share the upper level of the Lobby room with each other, even with the elevator of the Mezzanine in this same site. But given the small number of rooms on this floor, some rooms of the Mezzanine are used as part of the gameplay for this area, where Luigi will find Professor Elvin Gadd trapped in one of the frames. This can confuse some players, making them think that these rooms are part of the Grand Lobby floor instead.
The second Level of the Lobby consists of a big door in the center that the player will encounter when climbing to the end of the stairs, and where on each side has a corridor, very similar to the Foyer of the first Luigi's Mansion. To enter this door, the player needs the key downstairs, stocked in the reception.
The west hallway will lead to a dead end, although in this one the player will find a hole in the wall next to a trash can, with which Luigi can interact to see through, revealing one of the 2F - Mezzanine gems. At the end of the hall, a grate will be hidden under the carpet, this one will be necessary to get one of the Grand Lobby gems.
On the east side, the player will now find a path that leads to the Mezzanine elevator, with a map of the hotel next to it. On this side, a door with cutlery and vegetables designs will be visible that leads to the restaurant, unfortunately, a sign will be blocking it, which can only be destroyed once the Suction Shot has been obtained.
Light Form
Appearance
At the start of the game, the lobby is bright, colorful, and lit up, with presents, flowers, balloons and staff everywhere, who in reality are ghosts disguised with masks.
Right at the entrance will be a table on either side of the door, decorated with an ice sculpture of a swan each one. The one on the west will display some desserts and pastries, and the other one will be filled with gifts instead, with an hotel sign placed in front.
There are also pictures hanging from the ceiling of Luigi, Mario, Princess Peach, and one Toad as a welcoming sing, with some elegant garlands.
A carpet leading from the entrance door to the front desk will be present in the daytime, but in the nighttime this one will not be placed anymore, revealing a disturbing face-like floor design underneath.
Walkthrough
This is the first place where the player is given free movement, is for this reason that the floor serves as a tutorial of the basic controls with a little free tour, this way the player can also appreciate the scenery. The story progresses after the player decides to check in with Steward in the front desk, so this exploration is skippable.
In this scene, the floor can be fully explored by the player. Luigi can approach and talk to the other characters, resulting in funny scenarios and comments as a result. If the player is observant, they will notice that the staff will sometimes act unnatural, giving away their true nature as ghosts. They will also say things with double meanings, mostly Hellen Gravely, revealing their real intentions.
One of the Goobs will offer drinks and snacks to Luigi on the east hall, where some teapots and cups are available under a painting of the hotel, In the front entrance is also a table on the left filled with desserts, where Mario goes immediately to try some, despite this, Luigi can't eat anything in this section. Peach will be in front of the reception desk, admiring the hotel, and Polterpup will follow Luigi, investigating some areas and characters of the hotel on his own from time to time.
Most parts of the Grand Lobby are inaccessible at this time, including the elevator and the stairs to the second floor. The west staircase will be blocked by the Toads and Peach's suitcases, while the east staircase will be guarded by a disguised Goob, exactly like the basement's door and the elevator.
Luigi must talk to the Steward at the front desk to check in and see the rest of the hotel. Hellen Gravely then will appear to escort them up to their rooms on the fifth floor, the RIP Suites, using the elevator.
Dark Form
Appearance
After obtaining the Poltergust G-00 from the Garage, Luigi can now return to the Grand Lobby. but the next time this floor is visited, it undergoes major changes.
It will be much more darker and less colorful with even a different color palette and items, resembling a Halloween theme. Some Jack o' lanterns will be scattered across the floor, and even skulls and candles on tables as decorations. The swan ice sculptures will be now gargoyles, the gifts will reveal cardboard boxes instead, the balloons will show a spooky face and the drinks will have a strange green substance inside.
The pictures of the protagonists above will also be crossed over with X's in their surface, and the lack of a carpet will reveal the design of a terrifying face on the entrance floor, almost resembling King Boo's face with his crown above.
Walkthrough
Similar to its light form, the dark form will also serve as a tutorial, this time introducing ghost combat for the first time.
Luigi will discover two Goobs barring up the front door, with which he will have to face to progress. The Lobby will give now another guide, as Luigi will face his first battle in the entrance.
The spacious room between the entrance and the reception is the ideal place to have freedom of movement to learn the actions that must be carried out in the first combat without difficulties, this way, new players can get used to the controls more easily.
After the fight, Polterpup then will lead Luigi up to the second floor, where the 2F - Mezzanine is already located, but to open the door upstairs, Luigi will need the key located inside the reception desk, which needs to be accessed opening the plank with a Burst. Polterpup will guide the player if they take a long time to access inside.
New Ghosts
Hotel Light Form
- Hellen Gravely (Disguised)
- Steward (Disguised)
- Goob (Disguised)
- Chambrea (Disguised)
- Polterpup
Hotel Dark Form
- Goob (Hostile)
- GumBoo (Boo)
Boo
GumBoo is located in the Grand Lobby. He does not have a real preference on to where he hides. Once found, he acts like other Boos. He mainly lurks at the right side. No fog covers the area when the battle ensues.
Gems
Each floor of the hotel will have 6 different gems of several colors.
All the gems in the hotel will have a distinctive shape depending on the floor they are located. The ones in the Grand Lobby will be diamond shaped.
White Gem
Luigi will need to use the Dark-Light Device of the Poltergust G-00 to make appear an invisible couch in the far west side of the Lobby, hidden beneath one of the large windows, beside the other sofa. This will make a Gem Goob appear, who Luigi will need to capture to obtain their gem.
The player can know this without a guide if they remember the aspect of the same room in its light form, where a couch was visible before the transformation. This gives the hint to investigate the same position it was located prior with the Dark-Light Device.
Red Gem
In the east side, Luigi will see a painting of the hotel above some odd drinks. below that same surface where the cups are placed, the player can see what appear to be some camouflaged gears in the wood. Luigi needs to use the Suction Shot to spin the middle one, revealing a secret compartment with the gem behind the picture.
Blue Gem
This one will be already visible in a frame above the west desk, but its obtainment is more tricky, needing Gooigi for this job.
To get it, Luigi must first climb to the upper floor and head to the west corridor, just above the gem. The player can now notice that the carpet is a little misplaced at the end. Luigi will have to use the suction or blow function of the Poltergust G-00 (depending where he is located) to reveal a grille below.
Now Gooigi just need to be placed above it to be transported underneath, where now the player can open the box where the gem is placed and send it down, where Luigi will pick it up from the desk.
Green Gem
This gem will be entangled in the plant placed next to the elevator, almost camouflaged among its leaves with its greenish color. Luigi only needs to use the Suction Shot to break the pot.
Purple Gem
This one is hidden behind the front desk. To access the area behind, the player must use the Burst function to open the desk gate, This action is also necessary to get the key to the upstairs door.
Luigi then must flash the safe with the Strobulb to reveal a secret compartment.
Yellow Gem
This one needs the help of Gooigi (In other words, available after completing 5F - RIP Suites).
Below the chandelier of the entrance, there are two hidden buttons on the floor in either side. Luigi and Gooigi will have to stand on top of a pressure plate each one to make the lamp descend.
Once this is done, they both must use the suction function at the same time to spin it, revealing various Coins and the gem inside it.
Gallery
Light Form
Dark Form
Trivia
- The Grand Lobby is the only floor of the hotel with no boss ghosts.
- This is also the only floor with one single room apart from its level 2.
- The Rooftop, where the final battle takes place, also consists of a single room.
- Steward and the other Goobs talk with Luigi directly without problems. but they don't say a word for the rest of the game after checking in the hotel.
- When walking near Mario, the music will add an arrangement of the Super Mario Bros ground theme, and when walking near Princess Peach, the music will add an arrangement of the Peach's Castle theme. The Toads will also have their own personal theme song.
- At the beginning of the game, if Luigi is put near one of the disguised ghosts, he will give a paranoid glare at them and shake in fear, suggesting Luigi is suspecting something related to the disguised ghosts.
- All elevator doors have their own floor design, but the 1F - Grand Lobby, 2F - Mezzanine and 5F - RIP Suites are an exception, sharing the same pattern.
- The Grand Lobby and the RIP Suites contain typical Halloween elements, such as jack-o'-lanterns. Luigi's Mansion 3 was released on October 31, 2019, Halloween's day.
- The dramatic face that Luigi makes after seeing the two Goobs blocking the door is a reference to the game box cover from the first Luigi's Mansion, which is also a reference to the Home Alone poster and the famous painting The Scream, by Edvard Munch.
- The use of the key on the door is a reference to the keys used in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, where they did a similar animation. The first time the key disappeared in the other game, Luigi was scared, but in Luigi's Mansion 3 he doesn't show any surprised reaction, already used to the events of the previous game.
- A rubber duck probably hidden by Clem can be found in the same compartment where the purple gem is located.