“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. No where do we see that simple truth more clearly than in a hotel renovation. Without a clear plan, your hotel project will flounder, lack focus and you will see added expenses and delays. A hotel is an investment and a renovation or redesign is a significant expense. The importance of the planning stage cannot be overstated.
Before you begin imagining new furniture and artwork, there are a few key questions you need to ask. Having those answers clear in your mind means that you will be able to communicate them to your design and construction team.
Set up your project for success by asking the following:
- Why?
- What will the scope of the project be?
- What are my potential limitations and obstacles?
Why?
This is the single biggest question to ask before beginning a project. Why are you considering a redesign?
Is it something that is mandated at a corporate level and is needed to be up to brand standards? Have you noticed the rooms look dated in photos online and want to inject some life into an aging property? How does this project tie into your hotel’s other strategic goals?
Without knowing what you hope to achieve by your project, you will never know if it has been accomplished. By way of analogy, it would be the equivalent of an archer shooting an arrow with no target. Without the effort being pointed at a goal, it can be hard to know if it was a success.
As well, knowing why you are doing the project will help determine the scope of the project.
2. What is the scope of your hotel project?
Secondly, you need to know what areas are going to be affected and the breadth of what is being changed. Are you redesigning all of the rooms, or only a portion? Are you making changes to some or all of the common areas? If you are only making changes to some areas, how will that affected areas that are not being renovated?
Above, we talked about making sure you know what the end goal is in completing your project. Having that “why” clear in mind will help you spell out your scope. For example, if the goal is to update rooms that look dated, it may be simply a coat of paints and a few new touches. However, if your brand has made major changes, then the scope of your project will be much larger.
3. What are my potential limitations and obstacles?
The best plans are plans that assume the worst. In every project, there are factors to be considered before the project begins. These include your financial situation. How much does your hotel have set aside for this project? If it were to expand, what sources could you draw from to fund the project?
As well, there are technical aspects to consider. Will your project trigger any Building Code required upgrades? If so, are you prepared to take those on?
Finally, think about your guest experience. If you are choosing to begin a project now, while occupancies are low, then you are already overcoming an obstacle. Guest experience will be minimally affected since there are fewer guests to disrupt.
There are, of course, many other questions to ask yourself. This list will give you a good start as you begin to define your project.
Of course, it is always helpful to have a fresh set of eyes. Here at Lesley Wong Interiors, we are available to help you define your project and how to make the most of your renovation budget. We would be happy to schedule a consultation and get your project started on the right foot.
