If you dream of opening a boutique hotel or a high-end luxury resort, remember that the experience of the guests is much different than that of those who work there. Though visitors and patrons might marvel at the sight of grand lobbies and pristine rooms, the staff know that there are entire sections of the hotel that guests never see. However, these “secret spaces” are essential to the smooth running of the hotel and require just as much attention as the ones that the guests access.
The Laundry Facilities
It doesn’t really occur to guests, but to keep a hotel’s worth of linens, towels, covers, and more clean, you need a laundry facility the size of a laundromat. In addition to these items that the guests use, there are other items that need cleaning like staff uniforms, kitchen worker jackets, and even personal laundry for those staying for longer periods of time. Being organized is of the upmost importance, and a well-designed laundry room is the first step. By installing track garment conveyor systems that can be configured to handle almost any hanging garment, you can minimize the size of your laundry room, leaving more room for guest rooms and common areas that you can charge a premium for. Build in efficient systems and protocols that will ensure that there is never a shortage of clean bedding or towels, and that guests are always happy with the cleanliness and quality.
The Kitchen
Nearly every hotel has a kitchen, even if a modest one used for preparing hot beverages and continental breakfast. To keep your service smooth, install equipment that will allow you to accommodate for a full capacity. Though you won’t have many guests meandering through the kitchen, keeping it clean and up to standards is of the greatest importance. Not only will it be reflected in the food that comes out of the kitchen, but also keep your reputation spotless as the Health and Safety Inspectors come through.
Staff Room
Despite the fact that you won’t be making a direct profit off of it, investing in a well-equipped staff room can keep employee satisfaction high, strongly affecting the quality of work that they put in. Hospitality is a 24-hour industry, and the truth is that you will have employees onsite at every point of the day. Provide comfortable resting areas, a welcoming gathering area, storage lockers and more. If they feel like they are valued, they themselves will create value that your guests will feel and love.
Storage Closets
Extra soaps, clean towels, trash bin liners, cleaning supplies and toilet paper all have to be stored somewhere! Though it might not be the size of an entire room, consider putting in a big hallway closet on each floor where these kinds of supplies can be stored. This way, you have easy access without giving away too much valuable real estate for such a role. However, if these closets are to remain relatively small, you will have to dedicate a bigger space elsewhere for bigger orders. Make the most of these areas by installing stacking shelves, smart garment racks, and more. This investment means that you can minimize the square footage that you will need to set aside for storage rooms and closets.
Though as an investor or principal owner of a hotel, you might want to convert every square foot of space into a room that you can charge guests for, remember that to deliver on the quality and retain customer satisfaction, you will need to save some floor space for the “behind the scenes.” In time, you might find that your laundry room, kitchen, staff room and storage areas are even more important to the operation of your business than the reception desk.