When to Consider Renovations for Your Hotel

International researchers have found that hotel renovations can significantly impact occupancy rates in some circumstances.

When you and other management members consider the size and scope of major renovations, you’ll want to consider the time of year that might be best, among other factors.

JLL found that the average hotel gets a renovation once every 7-10 years. Little Hotelier suggests that customer feedback is especially important and that no manager should feel compelled to renovate if performance is especially strong.

Take a look at hotel renovation trends more generally.

If you choose to do one, you want to be in a position where your redesign looks as modern as it can since that helps attract viewers. GLR Hospitality suggests that hoteliers consider what outside factors might influence the machinations of their rebrand.

Sometimes, hotels must adhere to larger tenets of a rebrand by a company like Marriott or Hilton. In other cases, a hotel that isn’t tethered to some larger brand has more free reign over the smaller details, but that comes with figuring out how to serve your guests best.

Little Hotelier distinguishes between remodeling and renovations, but in either case, cost should be front of mind as you and other leaders figure out what might be best given the particular context(s) at your building.

How long has it been since the last renovation?

The pandemic moved the renovation timeline up for many hotels, and those businesses now operate even in a post-pandemic era.

A set of experts at Seacoast Construction says hotels before 2020 would plan on renovations every 7-10 years. Nowadays, that time period is closer to 3-5 years. Guests’ tastes have changed, and with that, the expectations they have for hotels have changed as well.

Whether it’s a minor set of renovations or a major one that could take several months, you, as a hotelier, must consider their scope. Any of your proposed changes will impact operations for your staff and guests alike.

HR Construction suggests that any hotel that hasn’t had any changes in five years should consider the next course of action for their hotel.

An Illinois-based firm called Cicero Construction puts it even simpler — an overdue renovation only becomes more expensive in cost and reputation.

There’s no substitute for this process; putting it off can only put you further behind more nimble and willing competitors. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your guests are so loyal that they will overlook a series of issues that would even bother you if you were a guest.

How much can daily life for guests change with some changes?

You don’t want smelly carpets or dingy upholstery to give guests a negative view of your buildings.

HR Construction says that those types of issues mean you’re too late to the party, and, likely, business is already decreasing if you’re noticing them. In some cases, the same aesthetic issues can cost a hotel money, making it much more important to change them when possible. Whatever it takes to get guests in the building long-term, consider undergoing these changes now for the sake of reaping the benefits later.

Hotels4humanity suggests that any hotel that wants to undergo repairs or renovations do so during a downtime where hotel traffic is concerned. The aim is to minimize the disruption so guests can go about what they need to do in your hotel without worrying about optics or other details that should not imperil their stay.