LAYOUT OF GUEST ROOMS

LAYOUT OF GUEST ROOMS

SIZES OF ROOMS

Internal room dimensions are dictated by market requirements, the standards of the hotel, and the number and sizes of beds and furniture. Twin beds or one double are most common, with queen size, king size beds used in higher grade hotels.

The standard minimum area for a single room is approximately 24 sq. metres, for a double room, 29 sq. metres; and a twin room, 30 sq. metres.

The floor-to-ceiling height is usually 2.5 - 3 metres. The most critical planning dimension is room width---3.6 metres is efficient, allowing a wardrobe in the living room and furniture along the walls. With staggered wardrobes and minimal or space-saving furniture, the width can be reduced to 3.4 metres. For a narrow frontage, the minimum room width is 3 metres. Increased room width creates an impression of spaciousness and allows alternative bed and bathroom layouts.

Room length is usually more flexible and may extend to a balcony or angled window for directional views. Executive rooms have a workstation or lounge near the window.

Room doors are usually 76-90 cm wide. The entrance has the room number displayed on it. A door stop is necessary to prevent damage to walls. Windows should be of a standard size as this avoids the need to sort out curtains of different lengths. The walls should be soundproof as far as possible to exclude noise from the corridors and adjacent rooms. Skirting boards help prevent damage to the walls.

The guestroom design should be versatile, so that the same room can be converted to a different type of accommodation if need be.

En suite bathrooms

A standard room should have minimum bathroom space of 9ft x 5ft.

These are mainly sited against the interior walls of the room and equipped with extractor fans and ventilation ducts. For minimum building width, bathrooms may be one adjacent to each other between two rooms. Adjacent pairs of rooms are thus arranged as mirror images to share common vertical ducts and isolate bathroom noise.

Typical fittings and fixtures in the bathroom include a 1500 mm bath tub with grab bars, shower, retractable clothesline, shower curtains, WC, and vanity unit. High- grade hotels use a 1700 mm bath tub, twin basins set in vanity surrounds, and a bidet as well as a WC. Luxury units include a separate dressing area and shower cubicle.

Safety considerations are critical. Safety, hygienic and other requirements include non-slip, easily drained surfaces; tiled walls; acoustically insulated ceiling, mirror over basin; screened, moisture-proof lighting; mixer valves and thermostat control of hot water; shelf space; towel racks; toilet-roll holder; electric point for shaver or hair dryer; lidded waste bin (sani-bin); tissue dispenser; toilet tray or basket, telephone and music relay.

Guestroom Furniture

Furniture may be defined as the movable articles that make a room suitable for living or working in. The characteristics of good furniture are that in addition to being designed for a specific purpose, it is carefully related to the user’s comfort and complements the interior architecture. In simple words, the furniture must be both functional and attractive. It is important to choose the right type of furniture, keeping in mind the kind of use it has to undergo.

Some guidelines for selecting furniture

Certain points that need to be checked before finalizing the purchase of a piece of furniture are outlined below.

Check whether the furniture

• Is free from coarse, unfinished edges.
• Is sturdy and stands firm on the floor.
• Is free from surplus adhesive.
• Is reinforced with suitable, well fitted joints.
• Is well balanced, whether empty or full.
• Has drawers or sliding doors that move smoothly along the tracks.
• Has efficient hinges, bolts, latches, locks, and handles.
• Has smooth, conveniently placed handles.
• Has furniture glides in case a carpet is in use.
• Has castor wheels that manoeuvre well and have no sharp edges.

Materials Used for Making Furniture

The materials used for the construction of furniture affects the durability, appearance, and cost of the finished article. These are

Wood

Historically, the most common material for making furniture is wood, but other materials such as metal and stone were also used. In many hotels, the most valuable pieces of furniture are antiques, dating back 100-300 years or more. Wooden furniture that dates back to a period before the year 1840 is considered an antique.

Types of wood that are used in furniture making are:-

• Solid Wood
• Plywood
• Veneers
• Wicker and cane

Iron and Steel

Iron and its alloy steel are now being increasingly used in hotel furniture.

Aluminium

The advantage of aluminium furniture is that it is low in cost, lightweight, and does not rust. Aluminium is not used much in making furniture for hotels, however. Where used, it is often coated with plastic.

Plastic

Plastic, like aluminium, is cheap and lightweight. It is a low-maintence material and is now often used for outdoor furniture. These can easily be stacked and stored.

Common Furniture items in Guestrooms

The usual furniture in guestroom include beds, luggage racks, nightstands, coffee tables, chairs, a writing table, a wardrobe, and (in some rooms) a dresser/drawers.

Specifications for hotel furniture

Chairs, upholstered chairs and sofas

• Seats should be long and wide enough to be comfortable.
• The minimum width of an armchair should be 48cm
• The depth of the seat should be approx. double the height of the armchair. For instance, 33-38cm high seats should have 60-70 cm depth.
• The depth of the seat may be equivalent to the height of the upright chair. For instance, 42-45 cm high seats may have a depth of 42-50 cm.
• The arms on chairs should not extend more than 25mm beyond the front edge of the chair seat.
• Chairs meant for convention rooms and conferences must be easily stackable.
• Upholstery material should be easily detachable for ease of cleaning.

Tables

• Tables should be made to suit the primary use----working, dining, or occasional.
• Table tops should have an easily maintained finish, preferable heat and stain resistant.
• The height of the writing table from the chair seat should be at least 30 cm to allow for free knee movement. The total height of the table may be approximately 76-84 cm.
• A coffee table should be 35-50 cm high.

Wardrobe

• These should be made in accordance with the type of guests and their length of stay.
• If free standing, furniture glides must be fixed to the legs to protect the carpet.
• In a single wardrobe, the minimum width of the hanging space for clothes should be 60 cm; in a double wardrobe, it should be 90 cm.
• The depth may be 56-60 cm.
• The height to accommodate full-length dresses should be 175cm. The full height of the wardrobe should not exceed 200cm, else its top will be difficult to reach.
• The hanging rail should not be too close to the top and should be firmly fixed.

Luggage Rack

• The ideal ones are those made of solid wood.
• The dimensions should be about 120 cm in width and 53 cm in depth for a 46 cm high rack.

Nightstand (bed side table)

• These should ideally have a drawer that is 10cm in height.
• The dimensions of a nightstand should be about 56cm in width, 46cm in depth, and 60cm in height.

Refurbishing

This is just the freshening up of a property. This includes cosmetic changes such as changing the draperies, upholstery, and so on.

In other words, this process entails renovating a property so as to give it a fresh look and includes replacing furniture, fittings, and soft furnishing that have become worn out or obsolete.

This is usually carried out in every hotel once in 5-7 years, depending upon the budget of the hotel and also on the amount of wear and tear the interiors face. The following are the steps in a typical refurbishment programme:

1. Evaluation (physical inspection): The physical inspection is necessary to ascertain whether such a project is really necessary. It is done by an authorized person in housekeeping, such as the executive housekeeper or assistant housekeeper, and involves checking every room and area in the hotel for necessary renovations. A worksheet is prepared on the basis of the physical inspection sheet, which gives details of the areas and estimated costs of renovation. This is called the snag list.
2. Allocation of time: The expected completion date must also be taken into account when estimating the work and costs involved. A refurbishment programme should preferably be conducted during periods of low occupancy or at whatever is the most convenient time for the hotel.
3. Budgeting: At this stage, how much money is going to be made available for the project is decided. An action plan for expenditure to be incurred in future is drawn up, which acts as a guideline in controlling the expenditure pattern.
4. Thematic choice: This involves taking a decision as to whether the original theme of the area should be changed or retained. If a change of theme is decided upon, then the suitability of the newly chosen theme should be researched and a feasibility study carried out to find out whether it is financially viable.
5. Design feasibility studies: The project should be ergonomically sound and should meet all practicalities of hygiene, cleanliness, and comfort. Once the finances have been worked out, work studies should be carried out to ascertain these parameters can be optimally met.
6. Décor Preliminaries: Suitable fabrics, finishes, and colours should be selected. As far as possible, they should be in durable, easy to clean, fire-resistant materials, and should contribute to the ambience of the property.
7. Staffing Budget: The refurbishing project can be carried out either by hotel employees or by contractors. A cost comparison has to be made to ascertain which is more viable and also the necessity, if any, of recruiting new staff. Considerations of preparing new uniforms, training programmes, and so on also need to be taken into account.
8. Equipment Inventory: These may need to be purchased or hired if not available on the premises.
9. Raw Materials Inventory and warehousing: Sufficient supplies should be ordered and systems put in place to ensure reordering at the best possible purchase prices. Storage space should be set aside for the supplies as well.
10. Adjusting for inconvenience to guests, staff, and suppliers: Alternate arrangements should be made to minimize the inevitable inconveniences caused to guests, staff, and suppliers while the project is in progress. Temporary operational adjustments should be made, if necessary, and guests should be informed that a renovation is in progress.
11. Procedural guidelines: All the company and statutory procedures to be adhered to must be enumerated and the project evaluated in light of these. They may include:

• Planning permissions;
• Fire regulations;
• Health and safety aspects;
• Licensing laws;
• Company policies.

12. Controls: All aspects where control must be exercised should be tabulated. These include :

• Financial control;
• Purchasing control;
• Contracts;
• Insurance
• Inspection, and
• records

These are the most important aspects of control. Complete documentation in the form of a room history card should be made available, so that all the details of the project are made available for future planning.

Redecoration

This can involve the renewal paintwork, touching up of furniture and accessories, renewal of soft furnishings, and spring-cleaning. It is also done annually in order to maintain the standards of the rooms in a property. In many hotels, where the budget does not allow for annual refurbishment programmers, redecoration is carried out instead. The executive housekeeper should ensure that a high standard of work is maintained and should decide whether the tasks are to be contracted to an interior decorator or carried out by the housekeeping department itself. The contract, if that is the mode of operation chosen, should specify the commencement and completion days and the quanta of work to be carried out.

Procedures undertaken prior to redecoration:

• Inform the front-office and the engineering department and maintenance departments of the programme.
• Remove curtains, lampshades, bedcovers, linen, and guest supplies from the area and store them in the floor pantry.
• Get telephones disconnected.
• Disconnect and store television sets separately.
• Upholstered furniture should be sent to upholstery yard for shampooing or repair.
• Roll up and remove all carpets and send for shampooing.
• Seal bathtubs, wash basins, and other ceramic fixtures.
• Cover remaining items of furniture and fixtures with dust sheets.

Post redecoration procedures

Once the redecoration is complete and the rooms are handed over, thorough cleaning has to be done before they are made ready for sale. All preventive maintenance should be carried out during this period.

FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT

The foremost rule in furniture arrangement is that the furniture should be bought keeping in mind the size and shape of the guestroom in which it will be used. It is highly recommended that the housekeeper gets a floor plan of the rooms and plots them on a graph according to a suitable scale. The floor plan should also indicate where doors and windows are let into the walls. Then scaled cut-outs (using the same scale as the floor plan), called templates, of the furniture owned by the hotel (or being considered for purchase) should be made. These should then be arranged on the floor plan according to the requirements of the living space.

The next step is to create a centre of interest around which to group the furniture. Some guestrooms have a natural focal point, such as a fireplace or a window with a picturesque view. In guestrooms that do not have such architectural features, a focal point of interest can be created and the furniture grouped around it. One of the most practical solutions is to create a picture wall, where pictures or paintings can be hung in a symmetrical or asymmetrical arrangement. Another way is to hang a single striking painting or a decorative mirror on the wall.

Consider convenience as well as aesthetics in furniture arrangement. For instance, furniture meant for social spaces should be arranged in conversational groupings so that people can talk comfortably without having to shout to be heard.

Making allowances for traffic patterns is also crucial to furniture arrangement. This can be easily achieved by studying the floor plan. Determine the traffic paths that cross it, that is, the ways in which people are apt to enter and leave the room. These paths should not cross any conversational grouping or any area set aside for undisturbed activities or relaxation.

While placing furniture, arrange the larger pieces first and then distribute the smaller ones in stages. Do not place any piece of furniture in such a way as to touch the wall, else it may leave lines of dirt or stains on the wall.

Bedroom furniture is usually easier to arrange since the size of the bed usually dictates where it must be placed and everything must defer to it. Certain fundamentals points to consider in furniture arrangement are given below:

• Keep accessories in proportion to the furniture. For instance, a lampshade too big for a bedside table may not look out of place, but also may topple off the table.
• Keep furniture in proportion to the space. For instance, placing a three-seater sofa between two closely placed doors is not advisable aesthetically or functionally.
• Use a blend of symmetrical and asymmetrical arrangements.
• Place furniture with due regard for keeping ‘traffic spaces’ free. Consider placing larger pieces against a wall rather than in the middle of the open space in a room. One can also place furniture around a focal point of interest, perhaps a good painting or a fireplace.

Furniture Arrangement in Guestrooms Areas

Some points relating to the placement of furniture are given below, area by area.

Entrance or verandah: This area should have furniture that expresses warmth, cheer, and pleasantness. The furniture here may include a chair or two and a low table. Attention should be paid to the kind of material used, as not all materials will be suitable for verandahs and entrances. These are ideal places to use cane, wicker, or painted wrought-iron furniture.

Living Room: The living room in larger guestrooms usually contains upholstered furniture to seat the maximum number of people who may occupy the room and one or two to accommodate guests. Each large chair should be within easy reach of a table on which refreshments may be placed. Tables and chairs should harmonize in weight, size and style. Other furniture to be placed in this area are a television cabinet and sometimes a chest of drawers.

Dining Area: Most guestrooms do not have a separate dining area. In these rooms, a large coffee table and a few chairs suffice for any meal served in the guestroom. The tables and chairs should be set so as not to interfere with traffic. The colours choosen for furniture should harmonize with the colour scheme of the room as a whole.

Bedroom: The usual set of furniture in a guest bedroom is a bed, two bedside tables, a dressing table, a chest of drawers, a coffee table, chairs, a luggage rack, and a writing table. Traffic lanes around the bed should be clearly defined. Unless the room is very large, all furniture except the coffee table with its chairs and perhaps the bed are best placed against the wall.

Kitchen: Some hotel guestrooms have a small kitchen, where usually modular cabinets are utilized as furniture. It is mainly storage furniture that is found in the kitchen, in the form of cabinets and basket drawers.