Whoever said looks don’t matter clearly wasn’t in charge of running a hotel. When it comes to the hospitality industry, looks are essential to customer satisfaction. Looks also contribute to repeat stays and positive online reviews—which can make or break a hotel. Revamping your entire hotel is a costly venture that isn’t realistic for most hotels outside of large, franchised chains. If your hotel is in desperate need of a facelift, but you don’t want to break the bank, explore these affordable ways to improve the look of your hotel rooms. The rooms are where guests spend the most time inside your hotel, after all. It makes the most sense to focus on the rooms when looking for an affordable and effective update.
Repaint the Walls
The first thing to do when you’re looking for an attractive update to your hotel rooms is to repaint the walls. In the rooms, the walls are most likely a neutral color—although some hotels are still working with wallpaper. If you have wallpaper, it’s time to get rid of it and join the modern era of quality paint jobs. Pick a neutral yet bold color that complements the linens and flooring. Most hotels have carpet, so choosing a color that complements rather than matches the carpet exactly can help open up the space. It also gives it a modern twist. Below are some suggested paint colors popular in guest rooms in the hotel industry:
- White: White is probably the most used paint color in hotel rooms. It is bright, reflective, and makes rooms feel a little bit bigger than they truly are. White has a clean and fresh aesthetic associated with it. The biggest challenge with white walls is keeping them clean since white shows all the dirt.
- Pale Blue: A pale, barely noticeable shade of blue is perfect for a hotel room. It is still light enough to be reflective and open a room. It is also a cool, relaxing color. Relaxation is important for hotels to provide to guests. The biggest challenge with pale blue paint is matching it to bed linens. If your bed linens don’t complement the blue hue, find a different color.
- Green: Shades of green are also a modern marvel for hotel rooms. Green is a color that encourages people to feel energetic and well-rested—a quality that hotels everywhere strive for. It is also a color associated with environmentally friendly practices and can signal to guests your commitment to helping the environment, which is of rapidly growing importance. The biggest problem with green walls in a hotel room is it isn’t the most reflective color and can make the room feel smaller.
Replace Old Pictures and Paintings
Many hotels are full of outdated pictures, paintings, art, and frames. One of the easiest ways to date a hotel is by looking at the frames that display their artwork and pictures. Intricate gold designs are a thing of the past. Sleek, silver, and modern frames are what people look for now. Do a walkthrough of all your rooms, and identify which pictures, frames, and art might qualify as outdated. Rid your hotel of these, and instead, invest in new prints, frames, and artwork. These small changes may seem minuscule to you, but guests will take notice. Small details may not produce significant changes, but your hotel will have an overall more modern feel.
Rearrange the Room Layout
Another way to update the appearance of your hotel rooms is by rearranging the furniture. Room layouts can be unappealing and date a room. Look for ways to arrange your hotel rooms so that they are easy to move around in. Also, try to situate the bed in an ideal sleeping location—not too far from air conditioning or heating but not too close to the brightness of the window. The guest experience should be at the forefront of your mind when deciding where items belong. Think functionality first, and the design will find itself.
Update Your Furniture
Updating furniture isn’t a cheap expenditure, but there is a workaround. Invest in high-quality, custom furniture slipcovers. These can make your furniture much more attractive in seconds for a fraction of the cost of new furniture pieces. The couches and chairs in hotel rooms very often go unused, so they hold their comfort and structural integrity well. The only thing that changes is the fabric. It can fade from the sun, or it might simply be an unattractive pattern or color. Slipcovers keep them looking good and make them easier to clean.
Keep It Clean
Cleanliness goes a long way in improving the look of your hotel rooms. Consider mixing up the way you make the beds or even providing more detailed cleaning instructions to the janitorial and cleaning staff. Be sure outlets, light switches, remotes, and more are on the regular cleaning checklist. Also, make sure that baseboards and crown molding get dusted and wiped down. These areas are easy to forget about, but when cleaned, they will make the room sparkle. A clean room is always more attractive than a dirty one. This subtle change can make a world of difference to your guests. Pay special attention to cleaning areas in the bathroom such as the base of the toilet, the drain of the shower, and the floor under and around the sink. These are easy-to-miss areas in hotel rooms that can gross guests out. There are truly countless affordable ways to improve the look of your hotel rooms. In a hotel, while service does matter, the first impression and the strongest impression guests will take away from their stay with you is the appearance. A hotel that is clean, organized, and stylish will always get better reviews than an old, outdated one. Investing in your hotel rooms is an investment in the longevity of your business. Discover what we can do to help update your hotel beyond just hotel bedrooms or even your lobby. We provide custom and quality slipcovers so that your furniture always looks modern, contributes positively to the overall aesthetic, and stays clean. With quality and updated room designs, your reviews, your guest experience and impressions, and your business will all improve. Contact us today to discuss your slipcover needs. 