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 (approx. 258sqft),

 for a double room, 29 sq. metres(312sqft approx);

 and a twin room, 30 sq. metres(321sqft).

 The floor-to-ceiling height is usually 2.5 - 3 metres

(8.2ft-10 ft aprx)

 The most critical planning dimension is room width---

3.6 metres(11.8ft) 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(aprx11ft). 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.

(std.size 6 inches)
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(aprx
5ft) bath tub with grab bars, shower, retractable clothesline,
shower curtains, WC, and vanity unit. High- grade hotels use a
1700(aprx5.5ft) 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.

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:
a. 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.
b. 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.
c. 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.
d. 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.
e. 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.
f. 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.
g. 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.
h. Equipment Inventory: These may need to be purchased or hired if not available on the
premises.
i. 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.
j. 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.
k. 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.
l. 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.