How to Open a Hotel: The Do’s and Don’ts

This summer, approximately 93 million Americans will travel at least once. Though some will be staying at campgrounds and some with family, a large number will be staying at hotels. With most Americans returning to their regular travel habits, the opportunity to start a hotel has never been better.

In 2020, 4.4 million businesses were created in the U.S, the highest recorded. With so many new businesses started, maybe you should think about your entrepreneurial ambitions. If you have been curious about how to open a hotel, this article will touch on some dos and don’ts of getting started with your career in hotels.

Do Research

Starting a hotel can be difficult, but with the right research, you can be successful. Without knowing details like your target market, location, and business plan, you will find yourself struggling to make headway in the hotel industry.

Many hotels cater to different niches and offer unique amenities to their guests, often depending on location. Depending on your location and the style of your hotel, you might see more of one kind of guest, such as families, retirees, young college-aged travelers, or those traveling for business.

By knowing these kinds of insights, you can determine the type of hotel you want to open. It can be a resort, a motel, a conference hotel, a boutique hotel, or something else.

Don’t Neglect Guest Experience

One of the most important aspects of opening a hotel is service. Running a hotel is more than profits, it’s about crafting an experience for your guests that will leave them relaxed and satisfied with their stay.

By prioritizing guest experience, you can help your hotel stand out from others and give yourself the upper hand. That means from the moment your guests enter the lobby to the time they check out, you and your team have done everything to make sure the following happens:

• The room is clean and fully stocked
• A hotel concierge is knowledgeable about local attractions
• You’ve offered flexibility with booking and check-in/check out
• Offered amenities like breakfast or a bar

Prioritizing guest experience can be hard to do, but by having the right people in place you can easily wow your guests and have them wanting to come back.

Get your systems in Place

Depending on the style of hotel you want, it can be a rather complex operation to put everything together. You will need systems and processes for room service, laundry, and temperature control for each room. Thankfully, there are companies out there like Titan Products that specialize in HVAC control for your hotel rooms.

The purpose of these systems goes back to your overall guest experience. If you’re wondering how to open a hotel, it involves a lot of moving parts like raising funds, securing a location, employing staff, and much more. But your hotel will sit empty without systems fully functioning and a quality guest experience.

Learning How to Open a Hotel

There are a lot of details that go into starting a hotel. There are both big and small aspects of your hotel management that in the end can greatly impact your new hotel business. Some of the bigger issues such as financing and location can take time, but with the right business plan and emphasis on guest experience, you can take your hotel to the top of the industry.

In this very brief guide, you have learned a couple of the key components on how to open a hotel. For more articles like this, be sure to check out our business section.