Picture the scene: The owner, the architect and the design team wait in the lobby, they are giddy with excitement. The property they have worked on so tirelessly for the past 2 years is nearly complete.
It is time to hand over the keys to the third party operator. This is their first hotel. This is the first time someone from the hotel industry has been involved. It is a big day.
The GM gets out of the car and looks at the shiny new property. This is her third pre-opening. She appreciates the privilege it is to be the first 'boots on the ground'. Getting the pre-opening right will be the foundation to the hotel's success.
Entering the lobby she greets the owner and his team as her eye catches the front desk. 'Something is not right with that!' she thinks. Ever the professional, she smiles and commends the design. The owners team continue the show round.
By the time she has seen the kitchen she has made a note of at least 3 potential health and safety violations. Then there is back of house, or the lack of it. Linen storage, delivery entrances and service routing all seem to be lacking. She breathes deep as she looks at rest of the property and makes a mental note of at least 8 more issues, some of which will require retrospective renovation before opening. 'Why is it always like this?', she asks herself.
Well, it does not have to be.
(Painful) experience at Infinitude Hospitality has taught us the benefits of getting a hotelier's eye on the plans at the earliest possible point is immeasurably beneficial. Many pre-opening GMs and GMs have to invent clever work rounds due to poorly thought out designs and plans. GMs are problem solvers so they can always find work rounds. However, the problem not existing in the first place is optimal.
Infinitude Hospitality sets out 3 clear phases of development throughout the hotel lifecycle. We call phase one, 'The Hotelier's Eye'. A nifty bit of nomenclature, hey?
Usually the first hotelier to get a look at the property is the pre-opening GM as per our fictional opening paragraph. However we recommend a much earlier stage. Right at the start. Before the construction team has even broken ground. When the site is overgrown with weeds. We firmly believe a stitch in time saves nine.
It is never too early.
At the earliest stage we can get to work by putting together the initial studies and an indicative business plan. This starts with a site inspection. What is the access from the likely source markets? What is around the site? Would an F&B attract local footfall? Will the property need parking facilities? Is the site big enough for a separate service entrance? If not let's put our heads together and find a design solution.
In the rush to build and design, key fundamentals can often be overlooked. A review of plans and input from a hotelier will pay back in the long term. A successful hotel is the culmination of many micro-efficiencies all working together. This is why The Hotelier's Eye phase is an investment in the long term success of the property.
Working with the owners we can establish the likely target guest profile and requirements. This information can be baked into the hotel design rather than an odd on at a later stage. This is critical point for lifestyle properties. Authenticity must be genuine rather than a marketing slogan.
At an early stage, working with the owners, we can advise on and help select the right architects and interior designers. We can provide expert opinion on creating the hotel brand or whether it is better to look to franchise the hotel. If it is the later, we have partners across the major brands and this can inform the designs and key brand standards such as room sizes and food & beverage requirements.
Looking at the more advanced Giga Projects in Saudi Arabia when can see the 'hoteliers eye' at work. This is particularly true at the impressive Diriyah Gate Development Authority development.
Diriyah - a shining example of development in Saudi Arabia.
In short, it is never too early to engage hotelier knowhow. Even if this is to only confirm existing ideas it is better to be safe not sorry.
Ashley Harvey is a partner in infinitude hospitality Pte. Ltd. and co-founder of infinitude hospitality Japan KK.
infinitude hospitality offers third party and white label hotel management services to create mutually beneficial hotel management agreements (HMAs) for owners of luxury hotels and hospitality ventures in Asia Pacific and Middle East. In addition, we utilise our in-depth field expertise to advise hotel owners in any related area to maximise their assets.
infinitudehospitality.com / infinitudehospitalityjapan.com
