Owning a hotel without proper infrastructure is like having a Ferrari with a Fiat engine – that’s how I would figuratively put it by neglecting the hotel planning phase.

Through my desk passes a new hotel project on a regular basis. I consider this moment to be the most important in the hotel planning process, if we look at it from the perspective of its future functionality.

A large portion of them are architectural masterpieces, often the visions of investors translated onto paper, in which design takes precedence over functionality. And even if they look fantastic at first glance, unfortunately, the second glance reveals less.

Often, it turns out that the plans do not include areas that directly impact guest experiences during their stay, the optimization of work processes, or operating costs, which naturally translates into financial results throughout the entire investment cycle.

Errors encountered in hotel projects.

I come across projects where, for example:

– communication paths for guests and employees were not thought out, resulting in guests walking to the pool in bathrobes and slippers having to go through the restaurant where breakfast is served, and housekeeping staff hunting for an available guest elevator to move with their carts between floors because no service elevator was planned in the building;

– proper storage space was not provided, resulting in situations where when bed linens and towels arrive at the hotel, there is nowhere to store them, and food deliveries cause stress for the head chef, who is forced to juggle between every inch of the kitchen and storage and food safety regulations;

 – there are no storage rooms on floors, resulting in housekeeping carts lying in guest hallways after service;

– there is no office space mentioned. Once, I heard from an investor that managers are supposed to actively work in their departments, so they don’t need desks…

If there is no verification of space utilization during the hotel design phase, mistakes are usually irreversible after the construction phase has begun.

When I receive a new hotel investment project for verification, I spend most of my time analyzing the areas that will impact the functionality and profitability of the hotel after opening.

My many years of experience in hotel management are very useful in this regard, allowing me to visualize all key processes and match building infrastructure requirements to them.

Here’s my appeal to investors!

Don’t postpone the decision to engage a hotel consultant until the construction phase, as the design phase can be crucial. 

The moment of professional support is very important for maximizing benefits and investment returns. It also allows avoiding many often costly operational problems when the hotel opens its doors to guests.

After all, there is nothing worse than a building that looks beautiful but never reaches its full business potential.

Author Emanuele Dalnodar