Light at the end of the tunnel: Effective renovations help lead hotels into new year

As the hotel industry continues its recovery and banks are finding it more appealing to lend to hotels, building managers and GMs are looking to spend money again to make their property pleasing on every level possible for their guests. And while some will be looking to upgrade with all new furniture, many will see the benefit of refurbishing and reupholstering existing furniture assets to not only refresh the look of each individual piece, but breathe new life into the rooms they are in.

While renovating can bring the same improved aesthetic as new furniture can to a room, project managers need to make sure that they aren’t spending as they would on new furniture. Smart and effective renovations are the key to getting the most return on your investment. Spending lavishly could get the job done, but there’s no guarantee you or your hotel would get the best quality. There are many different ways to maximize renovation projects and this recent article in Lodging Hospitality offers some great pointers.

We strongly agree with all the points made, particularly with regards to “keep[ing] pace with the recovery”. Getting your projects started sooner rather than later in order to take advantage of the soon-to-be returning guests is a must, but we’d be quick to point out that you shouldn’t rush your project. Anything hurried to completion is more than likely going to cost more in the end with fixes to something that wasn’t done properly the first time.

Popular design is another point that stands out to us. While the advice of the contractor or designer who’s handling the renovation are important – and are usually made with your best interests in mind, there’s no question that the voice and opinions of those who stay (or have stayed) at your property should be held just as high. The demographic of guests and location should all be considered when renovating, otherwise you could be losing money on making renovations that guests simply don’t care enough about or worse, dislike.

The article makes other good points about effective renovations and we’re excited to see these types of stories being written. It’s a good sign when we can look at ways to improve by spending money instead of cutbacks being made to save money.