Hotel Refurbishment
A steady growth in domestic and international tourism is driving hotel refurbishment across the UK. This is particularly true of independent hotels looking to increase their share of visitor numbers by offering exceptional rooms and matchless cuisine often set in buildings that were once abbeys, mansions or even castles. Studies have repeatedly revealed that tourists to the UK are often looking for an encompassing experience that blends British heritage with world class comfort, convenience and service.
Hotel refurbishment is a professional contracting and design skill that has become a specialism of Studio Fourteen Interiors and the company recently completed the redesign and installation of 14 rooms at The Cosener’s House Hotel in Abingdon, Oxford, Oxfordshire.
Studio Fourteen Interiors is an owner managed company with two distinct capabilities – residential interior design as well as commercial refurbishment and fitout. The interior design component is headed up by Claire Hayes while the commercial fitout section is driven by Dominic Hayes. Hotels represent the opportunity to bring together their unique skills to achieve beautiful and practical results.
Hotel refurbishment brings a unique set of challenges. In many cases hotels will look to have refurbishment carried out in phases so that a significant part of the building can continue operating. As the main contractor, Studio Fourteen understands the need for first-class health and safety provisions as well as ensuring that both noise and building works have little or no impact on the functioning aspects of the hotel. The goal is to ensure that guests to one part of the hotel are unaware that works are ongoing elsewhere in the building.
To achieve this goal, the company focus on extensive planning and co-ordination, practical logistics and an onsite team of specialists managed in person by the directors of Studio Fourteen Interiors. By working closely with the management of the hotel it is possible to create the minimum disruption to the day-to-day operations. This level of communication ensures that any complications are kept to the bare minimum and health & safety precautions can be both effective and intrude as little as possible. It minimises last minute changes and any variations in the original brief can be managed in a cost-effective manner.
Most importantly, project management and interior design for hotels must take into consideration the needs of the guests both during the refurbishment and after. Hotel rooms have a specific set of requirements. It almost goes without saying that they need to be welcoming, comfortable and ergonomically designed. However, the décor and styling also needs to reflect the overall theme and ambience of the hotel so that moving from a room to a restaurant and then to a lounge always feels like a seamless journey. Rooms need to reflect the needs of their future occupants and bridal suites, in particular, need to have a balance of romance and refinement but still be useable as an everyday suite. Beautiful, fresh, welcoming, comfortable, durable and practical – these are the secrets to a great hotel room refurbishment, and they don’t happen by accident.
Studio Fourteen ‘Hotel refurbishment and fitout’ specialises in luxury period properties that were once abbeys, Tudor farms, stately homes, Victorian and Georgian townhouses as well as castles and towers. The company has expertise in this area and a deep understanding and empathy for listed historic buildings.
Areas of focus for Studio Fourteen Hotel Refurbishment include: The Cotswolds, Stratford upon Avon, Malvern, Warwick, Cheltenham, Bath and Leamington Spa.