There are a number of reasons why you might be renovating your hotel. Making sure that it stays open and runs smoothly is a huge part of the renovation process and we are here to help with that.
In this month's blog we present 5 tips on running a successful hotel operation during a renovation
1. Keep an Open Line of Communication with all Parties
When renovating a hotel, there are tons of people who have major roles in making sure that projects meet deadlines. As a hotel owner, it is important to keep an open line of communication with all of the parties involved in helping with your renovation.
Guests are the number one priority when renovating your hotel so make sure they feel at home from the second they walk through the door. You can assure your guests will have a comfortable stay by making it clear that your hotel is currently under renovation. Walk them around the hotel and show them exactly what renovations are taking place; this way they will not be caught off guard if they see the renovations during their stay. Put up signage to show guests where the renovations will be taking place. This way you can show guests what the renovations will look like when they are completed and give them a heads-up about where the renovations are taking place.
Communication also needs to stay high between hotel operations staff and the contractor. Keeping these parties up to date when renovating allows the allotted timeline to stay on track as well as expenses that might arise during renovations. A decision that does not get shared to all parties could mess both the timeline and budgets.
2. Choose the Right Contractor
Make sure you do your research before hiring a contractor. If you are renovating your hotel, find a contractor specializing in hotels, not just any contractor. Find out what services they offer and see how long they have been in business and go from there.
This way, you know they are experienced and will execute your plan the way you envisioned it originally. This will also give you a better chance of minimizing any disturbances your guests might have. If you hire a contractor that has experience in renovating hotels, they have most likely renovated while guests stay there. These experts will give you a seamless renovation, while staying on the timeline schedule.
3. Tackle Disturbances Before They Happen
During a renovation, loud noises and air quality management are two things that could potentially disturb guests during their stay. Make sure there is a specific schedule that you follow day to day. Working at normal hours of the day, not too early and not too late will give you a better chance of not disturbing your guests. To make it easy for guests to understand when the quiet time will be, set allotted quiet hours in the morning and night so that guests are not interrupted and have time to plan their day.
Smaller things like parking are even important. Having the construction workers park farther away from the hotel to let guests have a closer spot is very helpful. If a guest doesn't like their room for whatever reason due to the construction, make an upgrade for them if possible. You don’t want the renovations to disturb your guests or ruin their experience.
4. Maximize your Amenity Availability
When renovating your hotel, the number one priority is keeping your guests happy during their stay. A way to ensure they are having a good time is to keep your amenities open for as much time as possible.
If you have an outdoor pool that needs to be renovated, make sure it is completed during the off-season, allowing your guests to not miss out on any of the fun.
If you have an indoor pool, create a timeline that will complete the renovations as quickly as possible.
Schedule the renovation for your slower season. If one of your bigger amenities is under construction, draw attention to a different one that guests might enjoy. Direct them toward your restaurant, coffee shop, art gallery, or any other amenities you might have.
5. Stay Up to Date on Technology
In today’s day and age, technology is all around us. Almost everyone has a smartphone and some form of social media. Use this to your advantage! Many brands have been updating their hotel to be more compatible with technology; releasing apps and robots to help make their job easier & the guests’ experience better.
You can use this technology to communicate with your guests at all hours of the day, making sure they are having a nice and relaxing experience. Taking advantage of this technology will allow you to communicate with your guests more efficiently and not use as much staff, especially during night shifts.
Sharing the timeline of your renovation process with your social media followers will let them know what is going down and how long the renovations will last. If they have questions about the renovations, they can check social media first to see if their question could be answered there. Social media is great for showing updates to the project as well. Posting stories and going live gives guests a chance to connect with the hotel one on one.
Successfully operating a hotel while under renovation IS possible and very much doable, as long as you take the right steps to prepare for it. The experience should overall be positive. Take into account that renovations do take a long time, depending on what you are doing. As long as your guests stay happy during their stay, the renovations shouldn’t be a problem.