Whether it’s for brand standard updates or routine updates,
every hotel faces renovations at some point. Typically, during renovations
parts of the hotel will have to be closed resulting in some disappointed
guests. It’s all in how you present the updates. If you get guests excited
about the changes they will react more positively. It’s also crucial to keep
everyone involved throughout the whole project. Here are 4 tips on handling the
renovations from our hotel management company in Westlake, OH:
1.
Keep your guests up to date on the updates.
Post each step of the renovations on your social media to get the guests
excited about how awesome the hotel will be once they’re done. If you keep them
excited, the inconveniences of the work noise, closed parts of the hotel, and
whatever else may come from the updates easier to support if they know it’s
worth it. Have fun with sharing how awesome the changes are. Share construction
hats for the kids checking in or have some of the staff wear constructions hats
to make it more entertaining for the guests that are checking in during the
work.
2.
Notify your guests prior to their stay.
Nothing is worse than unexpected renovations for people checking into your
hotel. You can add pop up notification on your website and post about it on all
social media with all the necessary information well in advance of the work
actually starting. Consider sending a Kipsu message to everyone with
reservations booked on the dates of the renovations when they arrive to make
sure they’re enjoying their stay. It won’t be as frustrating if the guests know
about the work prior to check in.
3.
Pamper Guests A Little Extra. Guests will
be more likely to keep their reservations despite work, if they gain something
from it. You can have fun with it like one of our hotels that completed
renovations and offered guests a pack of gummy bears with a note thanking them
for bearing with the hotel through renovations. If your hotel has a
restaurant onsite or a good relationship with a local eatery, give your guests
a coupon for a free meal for the inconvenience of renovations. Give them a free
night’s stay in the future if the renovations are extreme. Upgrade guests’
rooms with reservations to be furthest from the work zone if possible. Keeping
the guests’ happy during renovations will keep them coming back.
4.
Manage everyone’s expectations. While
it’s vital to manage your guests’ expectations of the renovations, it is
equally as important to manage your employees and the project manager’s
expectations. Everyone involved should have a clear understanding of what the
project entails, when the deadlines are, and what the end product should be. If
everyone is on different pages, the project will end up not being what you
envisioned, which will cost more money in the end. An easy way to do this is
with weekly meetings to touch base on the progress with the management company,
GM, owners, and construction company. Keeping everyone up to speed is key to a
successful project.
Several of the hotels in the Emerald Hospitality portfolio
have recently completed renovations including our Hampton Inn by Hilton Rock
Hill and Hilton Garden Inn Plymouth. Each property has successfully completed renovations with minimal guest
disturbance thanks to these tips. Visit our website for more information
on our hotel portfolio and our development, asset management, and operations
services.
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