Refreshing the hotel sector for 2012 – Advice from Millbrook Contract Beds

With the 2012 Olympics on the way a recent survey conducted across UK hotels has helped to quantify the anticipation for it as a good year for the British hospitality industry. What it seems to represent is the chance for building up and bringing back business to a fluctuating economical climate. The hospitality industry has been suffering from these shockwaves over the past few years. Continue reading »

Tips for the hospitality industry on preparing for the London Olympic Games 2012

In the previous blog we began exploring the hospitality industry’s role in regenerating and reinvigorating the UK economy in the build-up to London 2012 Olympics.

This is the perfect time for UK hoteliers to start thinking about how to approach the coming influx of business to the country, particularly the nation’s capital, and the best ways to maximise capacity potential and optimise aesthetic and practical considerations. Continue reading »

Preparing for London Olympics 2012 – the hospitality industry

Last year we explored the coming of the 2012 Olympic Games and the potential impact on hotels across the hospitality industry. Now that we are officially in 2012 it makes sense to start thinking about this in more detail.

The London Olympics has been triumphed as the much needed economic boost to the nation’s capital, the UK tourism industry and local businesses. UK hoteliers are expecting to discover new markets and new opportunities that will have long-term reverberating effects for quite some time to come. Continue reading »

Hotel interior design options Part 2 – the Millbrook Contract Beds Way

In the previous blog we addressed the question that many hoteliers find themselves asking; “What are the benefits of hotel interior design?” Millbrook Contract Beds believes that hotel refurbishments can repay dividends but they require investment.

Let’s walk through the process in a little more detail…

You must comprehensively plan out a design proposal in order to determine what needs to be changed, amended, refreshed and bought new. This knowledge will ultimately be based on how a hotel operates and budget allowance. From a design proposal the planning stages are far more achievable and realistic. This can allow for a smoother integration of environmental ‘green friendly’ options and new technologies. As long as you meet the operational functions that are essential to running a hotel business you can begin to select what needs upgrading or replenishing from the following:

• Contract bedroom furniture (including contract beds)
• Fixtures
• Fabrics
• Textures
• Lighting
• Colour scheme

These factors are critical interior design features that demonstrate and define the presentation of your hotel to guests.

Our experience in contract beds and dealing with the hospitality industry is the basis for much of our advice. Our contract beds are tailored to suit the respective individual hotels that require different qualities and aesthetic presentations of their furniture. We cater to this need because we understand the importance of individuality.

Dare to be different with your design choices… it will only help your profit margins in the long term.

It doesn’t have to be a chore or seen as a financial zapping of your resources. There are some clear financial benefits involved beyond creating environments that guests will appreciate. Successful interior design refurbishments will have lasting effects giving you durable, up-to-date fixtures and contract bedroom furniture that won’t need replacing or repairing for quite some time.

Through investing in an interior design refurbishment you help to prevent the need for the costly dribs & drabs of work over the next several years. That’s why it’s unfortunate that many hoteliers perceive hotel interior design as an unwarranted expense even when the hotel interior design process makes perfect aesthetic and financial sense.

So if we were to step back and answer the question posed at the start of this, “What are the benefits of hotel interior design?” we would argue that differentiation and individual qualities help to distinguish between brands and businesses. People want something different, especially from an independent hotel. It’s as simple as that. Be a leader, not a follower. Use hotel interior design to build a truly recognisable, unique brand.

For more information on hotel refurbishments and hotel refreshments click on the links to our previous blogs to get a clearer idea. In the meantime please follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Hotel interior design options Part 1 – the Millbrook Contract Beds way

What are the benefits of hotel interior design? That’s the question that comes up quite a bit amongst the hotelier community when assigning limitations or increases on their budgets towards the process. Many consider hotel interior design as a one way expense, yet this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Admittedly, for some hotels there isn’t much need for a change-up in interiors and contract bedroom furniture, perhaps because they have recently undertaken refurbishments or there is nothing that really needs to be replaced or replenished at the time. However, there are many hotels in the hospitality industry that do need to undertake some serious interior design solutions.

Ask any hotel that has gone through the redesign process and they can tell you – a refurbishment can repay dividends; especially when you do it the Millbrook Contract Beds way!

An introduction to the Millbrook Contract Beds Way

Our 60 years of experience supplying the hospitality industry with contract beds gives us plenty to base our advice on. Hotel interior design is a highly important element of maintaining a consistent level of customer satisfaction. In our opinion, the better the standards of aesthetic, quality, service options and variety, the happier your guests will be.

But how do you do it effectively?

If you have read any of our blogs on maintaining contract bedroom furniture, specifically contract beds, you will know how to check for signs of wear & tare. It is important to know what needs replacing and when!

You want to find a balance between operational functionality and aesthetics. Through getting these two areas right you can conjure an ambience reflective of your hotel brand and experience. It really makes a difference if you want to stand out from the competition. Every hotel, B&B, guesthouse and residence has its own unique flavour and signature. You must recognise what it is that makes your business different and optimise the strengths inherent within that. For instance, perhaps your hotel has a running theme of medieval features from four-poster contract beds in every room to candle chandeliers hanging from the ceilings. It might be merely a quirk of the hotel interior design or it could be its defining feature, but you want to make sure you have fully optimised these qualities to stand-out and represent your unique selling points.

Your best course of action is to take inventory throughout the hotel and explore just what needs to be refurbished:

• #Guest rooms
• #Corridors
• #Reception
• #Dining room
• #Bar
• #Gym
• #Spa
• #Other

Once you have taken not of what needs the work done (if not the whole hotel) you can start drawing up design plans.

In the next part of this blog we will go into greater detail of the hotel interior design process in order to help you navigate your way through what needs to be done.

Contact Us at Millbrook Contract Beds for information on your contract beds and for impartial advice on contract bedroom furniture. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to stay in step with our community.