Advice: Getting it right with Interiors

An obvious, though difficult thing to do as a hotelier is to take a step back and and truly critically analyse your hotel from a guest’s perspective. Although many peoples’ expectations vary, there is most definitely a standard that you simply cannot fall below without risk of being annihilated on some online review site. Speaking of which, no matter how much it pains you to see less-than-complimentary comments, this is your chance to improve your hotel and please your guests. CLASHING COMBINATIONS So often, things haven’t been kept up to date and fresh. Clashing colours, wallpaper borders, too many different patterns and the dreaded peach and green combination that should have been lost back in the early 80s. There are also many hotels that have a tendency to keep the same colour scheme and furnishings throughout, but thankfully the days of uniformity have long gone and there is no need for every room to be identical. Guests like to feel special and enjoy a unique and bespoke stay, so by incorporating a different theme or varying colour palette can really encourage your guests to fall in love with their room. Touches like this will make them more likely to re-book either a room they have grown attached to or opt for something completely different on their next visit. It is important to pamper to your guests’ needs but when it comes to accommodating varying sleeping arrangements, do not jeopardise the bedroom’s stylish edge in the process. Often when double beds are converted into two singles, the hotel owner sadly forgets that the double headboard attached to the wall can’t as easily be separated, thus failing miserably to span the width of two singles with a table perched in between. Unfortunately it’s these kinds of faux pas that draw attention, causing other stunning aspects of the room to pale into insignificance. And this leads us onto the matter of bare naked bed bases: a simple box sheet would suffice, it is not too costly yet makes a huge visual difference to the entire room. ONE THING OUT OF PLACE Don’t forget that comfort is equally as important to, if not more so than, having an overload of technology and garish décor. But comfort doesn’t just mean having a plump bed with Egyptian cotton sheets and an extensive pillow menu, it also means providing your guests with what they have become accustomed to at home or at other boutique hotels. This is where we focus on fine-tuning the simple touches. The saying ‘the devil is in the detail’ was coined for very good reason, so remember that the extra thoughtful touches really do count. If you’ve ever taken the time to read hotel reviews, you will have noticed that just one simple thing out of place or missing completely can be a niggle that your guests won’t give up on. TINY TOUCHES TO WATCH OUT FOR If you notice a light bulb that needs replacing, replace it straight away rather than waiting for a guest to bring it to your attention Provide fresh, complimentary water in bedrooms A good coffee machine and homemade cookies may seem unimportant to many hoteliers but they can light up a thousand eyes There’s nothing nicer than slipping into a fluffy bathrobe and slippers, especially in the winter months Full length mirrors are a must. It’s vital that we can see how we look from the waist down, particularly if we have just splashed out on a new pair of shoes A vanity area will undoubtedly keep the ladies happy. A bedroom without a dressing table could potentially be a disaster waiting to happen Bathrooms are another area for contention when it comes to interior hotel design. Guests generally expect more than what they are used to at home. A bathroom certainly needs to be lavish, but at the same time striking a balance with simplicity. Don’t overdo the brash colours or incorporate a suite and accessories that will soon go out of date as this can be extremely costly in the long run. Unless you have an endless budget, timeless furnishings are a much more economical option. Do, however, make sure there is a makeup or shaving mirror, quality complimentary toiletries and soft towels to hand. Zoe Cole is the managing director of CrispWhiteSheets.com. This feature first appeared in the September 2014 issue of Hotel Owner.