Individual hotels and management groups always plan for the year with an appropriate FF&E budget in mind. Depending on the year, each property would allocate funds for replacement Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment, or a full renovation.
Each year, every hotel needs to budget for replacement items, whether they need a full room of goods due to an accident, or individual pieces, like refrigerators, that require an upgrade. Hotels typically try to cover one large expense a year when they are not going through a renovation, so having a budget for these expenses is extremely important. These budgets can be presented to the design and procurement companies that let them know how to proceed with the project. For instance, the procurement team does not want to quote a refrigerator that is $800 each when the property only has $400 budgeted for each room.
It is important to sit down at the beginning of any FF&E project and have a meeting with all decision makers. This is the best time to lay out the details and expectations of the project and the budget. This is known as the project Kick-Off meeting.
After this initial meeting, the teams will get to work, putting together quotes for the customer. For new builds and renovations, it is typical to put together a model room once some of the design choices have been selected, as this is a good time for final decisions to be made once the items are in front of the key decision-makers.
For renovations, it’s typical to send one sample of the items that will be ordered. This gives the end user a chance to see the new item in their space. Sometimes, the hotel will receive these samples as a goodwill free of charge item, and other times it will be a part of the budget. In either case, the design/procurement team needs to have the budget in consideration, since they do not want to send an initial sample, knowing that at the end of the day, if the customer were to order enough of the item to complete the hotel, that it would be over budget. For example, you do not want to send a Smart TV to the customer as a sample for the model room if you already know they will not have the money in the budget to purchase Smart TVs for the entire property.
When planning your budget for the year, you also need to work on a timeline of a project.
12-18 months before renovation select your procurement partner(s) to begin the design process.
Project Kick-Off meeting
Model Room
Begin to place orders
9-12 months before the renovation deadline.
Orders to be firmed up and completed
Deposits completed
Confirm timeline of project
6-9 months before renovation completion.
Finalize any custom pieces
Track progress and confirm timeline
3-6 months before renovation completion.
Confirm timeline
1-3 months before renovation completion.
Confirm shipping schedules
All items should be delivered a month prior to hotel opening
Final inspection of goods delivered
Depending on the type of hotel, typical budgeting for renovations can vary. You can complete some entire rooms under $4K. However, some luxury properties can FAR exceed that price.
It is important to plan whether the property is a new opening hotel, renovation, or working on replacements, because each project requires a pre-planned budget. Sit down with your customers and start planning for 2023-2024 and beyond!
From January 22-24th, Exertis Almo attended the Annual Hotel, Motel, and Restaurant Supply Show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Members of our Exertis Almo Hospitality and Marketing teams, along with support from representatives at Magic Chef, headed down this year to show off some of our most popular products and a few newer products which will be available soon! This show allows vendors to connect with independent hotel owner and operators. Exertis Almo has had a booth since 2020 and this year was our biggest booth, featuring Cape Soleil outdoor furniture, Nonstop clocks, Magic Chef appliances, and Samsung Hospitality displays.
Since the show is open to hotels and restaurant owners and operators, our booth had something for anyone in attendance. With its solid build and impressive warranty, our Cape Soleil commercial furniture is at home on a restaurant patio or a hotel pool area. As in years past, people always enjoy taking a break in our booth to test out the furniture, and we always bring some great Cape Soleil SWAG with us. We had tote bags, plastic cups, glassware, and a few other goodies which were very popular! Since we were one of the first booths in the door, the Cape Soleil tote was one of the first things guests received, and if you took a walk around the show, you’d see many attendees carrying them and loading them up with other vendor giveaways.
Magic Chef was on display on the left side of our booth. We had the newly redesigned .7 microwave, which has a newer, modern look, along with two glass-front merchandisers. All were well received, especially the merchandisers for attendees looking for a compact way to display refrigerated products in their marketplaces. We ran a show special of Buy 10 Get 1 Free on the compact appliances which resulted in a few deals right on the show floor! For the guests in the restaurant industry, we had info on the Norpole commercial line, which helped get the word out on those products as they continue to grow and expand in that space.
Front and center in the booth, we featured the NonStop clocks, which gained lots of attention from many attendees. Their modern, sleek design and charging solutions appealed to hotels and owners of small, local bed and breakfasts. It was apparent that sanitation is still a concern, as the NonStop UV station was getting some of the most attention of all the models. We met some large properties who will be receiving some UV station samples so they can review them in-person. To keep things exciting, we also raffled off a NonStop UV Station every hour for the 3 days of the show. Many attendees were very excited to win these and take them home! We even met a woman who won one last year and said that her employees still use it in the hotel break-room.
The first day gave us a steady number of local visitors to the booth, but it appeared that most people were traveling to arrive Tuesday night so they could get the most out of their visit and spend all of Wednesday at the show. Over the course the show, we met everyone from ownership groups, hotel and restaurant owners, and even some of the staff who handle maintenance or ordering for the property at which they work. In previous years, the last day has been slower, but not this year! Thursday, which is a shorter day, seemed to be our busiest day. Everyone in the booth was busy fielding questions and showing off product right up until we were ready to break down the booth! The 3 days flew by and allowed to us to present our products to many new customers. It was a great show, and we will be sure to be back next year!
Over the past year, our daily lives have become increasingly focused on the health and safety of ourselves and those around us. With the importance of face coverings and frequent hand washing, it’s essential to clean a clean environment for each and every hotel guest and staff member. When soap and water are not readily available, the CDC encourages the use of hand sanitizer with at least 60 perfect alcohol upon entry of a public space. As a key measure in protecting yourself and others, frequent hand sanitation provides a safer public environment by keeping germs under control.
With Digital Signage Hand Sanitizing Units from RC Stars, the safety of guests and staff is a top priority. The auto-dispensers provide touchless sanitation while displaying customizable information and graphics, bringing convenience and cleanliness to any hotel space. With metal body housing, tempered protection glass, and water-resistant casing, Digital Hand Sanitizing Units from RC Stars provide top-of-the-line construction in a sleek exterior. Available in both freestanding and wall-mounted dispensers, the kiosks are equipped with Remote Management Software, delivering content updates to your web browser when sanitizer levels are running low.
Freestanding vs. Wall-Mounted Units
Ideal for high-traffic locations, the 21.5-inch freestanding model stands seamlessly in any space. The kiosk is maneuverable and can be reconfigured to assist with traffic slow and sanitation, providing lobbies guests with convenient access to hand sanitation.
Perfect for smaller areas, the 21.5-inch wall-mounted unit is an excellent choice for saving space. With a sleek, contemporary design and durable construction, this kiosk is a health-conscious addition to any wall.
The Best Places to Use Your Digital Signage Hand Sanitizing Unit
Lobbies
Digital Signage Hand Sanitizing Units from RC Stars are an excellent addition to any hotel lobby. With customizable text and images, the kiosk provides guests with hotel news and information while encouraging proper hand sanitation. Ideal for high traffic areas, the freestanding unit allows for frequent reconfiguration to assist with traffic flow, guaranteeing a simple and sanitary experience for guests upon entry. Take a further look into the freestanding unit here.
Fitness Centers
With zero-contact hand sanitation, hand sanitizing units are ideal for a health-conscious fitness center. Available in a freestanding unit for open areas or a wall-mounted unit for confined spaces, these kiosks are perfect for providing guests with important information while encouraging frequent hand sanitation. With customizable information and graphics, digital signage units are ideal for displaying your mask policy, instructions for sanitizing equipment, or simply requiring hand sanitation upon entry.
Elevator Hallways
With a variety of frequently touched surfaces, it’s important to ensure proper hand sanitation in elevator hallways. With space-saving construction, the wall-mounted digital signage unit delivers convenient, touchless hand sanitation. Equipped with Remote Management Software, each unit delivers content updates to your web browser when sanitizer levels are low, providing easy management of multiple kiosks.
With the RC Stars Digital Signage Hand Sanitizing Unit, creating a safe and healthy environment for hotel guests is simple and efficient. Whether the unit is installed in a lobby, fitness center, or elevator hallway, guests and staff members will enjoy the convenience of digital signage and hand sanitation in a compact, sleek kiosk.
Today more than ever, it’s essential to adapt. After a tumultuous few months of change, this has come across in a variety of ways. Restaurants offer outdoor seating with socially distanced tables, grocery stores provide special hours for at-risk individuals, and shops have limited customer capacity.
The world has found ways to keep moving forward, but when it comes down to it all, no matter where we eat, shop, work, or stay, it’s crucial the space be clean. There is a level of trust we want to feel when we venture out in public. We want to trust that business owners are taking proper precautions, that the waiting rooms we sit in are appropriately cleansed, and that the stores we visit are frequently disinfected for health and safety precautions.
For anyone working in a re-opening or open public industry, this challenge is real. But how can your business, school, hotel, church, public transportation system, or care facility effectively sterilize its space? Using multiple Clorox wipes over an ample space or building is inefficient. Hiring a company to sanitize your business can be expensive, especially when the service is recurring. Fortunately, there are viable methods to clean large, high-traffic areas.
Products like Hanover’s Disinfectant Handheld Fogger Kit make disinfecting easy, efficient, and cost-effective. All you have to do is fill up the fogger, turn it on, and spray away on high-touch, contact surfaces. Room disinfection systems are designed to achieve the best results for your customers and increase satisfaction. This fogging machine is designed to be hassle free.
The Aseptic Plus+ kills a whole slew of nasty intruders such as legionella, mold, mildew and other allergens, odors, viruses, and bacteria. Clear out germs and make room for your customers, students, or guests.
The kit not only includes a fogger and manual, but also a 5-gallon drum of disinfectant solution. Often, the hardest part of buying a fogger is determining the ideal solution. Hanover’s kit lets you cut right to the chase by providing all the equipment you need.
Are the chemicals being used dangerous?
Toxicity is a common concern when it comes to sanitizing fluid. The solution supplied with the fogger is EPA registered, NSF food-safe certified, and is classified as a hospital-grade disinfectant. It’s ecologically safe, requires no rinsing, and does not irritate when inhaled. If the chemicals from the fogging machine kit are inhaled or ingested, they are non-toxic.
Also, unlike some disinfectant fogging machines, the solution won’t damage electronics, technology, or fabrics such as drapes and carpeting. “Fog up” your lobby or waiting room without added stress; you won’t harm any devices or decor!
How long does this sanitizing fogger process take?
This disinfectant fogger projects anywhere between 8 to 10 feet, allowing you to cover a room of a couple square thousand feet in only 5 to 10 minutes. The solution takes a mere 10 minutes to dry after application. Spray in the morning just before opening hours and be ready before customers even arrive.
The Hanover disinfectant fogger machine leaves a layer of protection over an area for 7 to 12 days. One drum of the solution can handle at least 25,000 square feet, so you can rest easy knowing the included sanitizing fluid will go a long way.
Some areas need more attention, though…
Of course, some areas are bound to have more hotspots with resistant bacteria than others. Door handles, elevator buttons, remote controls, and credit card terminals are high-touch areas and may require more frequent sanitation. For this purpose, the Hanover kit includes a spray bottle, so you don’t have to use the fogger too often.
Going the Extra Mile
It’s not just important to sanitize your business for your customers’ safety; it will also give them peace of mind and foster confidence between your industry and community. The Handheld Disinfectant Fogger is an obvious way of demonstrating your efforts to your clientele. Display how you are actively taking measures to ensure their safety.
The disinfectant fogger kit includes certificates you can post at your entrances. These will let visitors know you are committed to providing a secure environment. Change can be uncomfortable, and in such uncertain times, the first thing you need from your customers is trust.
Show them you are worthy of it.
Can you think of any businesses or spaces that would benefit from using the fogging kit I haven’t mentioned? Drop your input in the comments below.
This year, Almo Hospitality is debuting its first ever outdoor collection; the Cape Soleil Contract Collection of outdoor hospitality furniture, made by Agio. The collection is designed to help hoteliers create better outdoor customer experiences for guests, while giving operators great designs that are affordable yet durable. Oh yeah, it also sets the stage for more food & beverage sales too.
Why? Outdoor living is now essential to many travelers, both on balconies and in outdoor areas around the hotel. In fact, getting closer to nature is a major consumer demand driver for hotels. Take the idea of biophilic deign in hotels. That’s the idea of bringing the outside, inside hotels.
In residential, outdoor living has become increasingly important to the consumer. According to Global Market Insights, The Outdoor Furniture Market will cross US$23 billion by 2024 as “rapid socializing trends, including dining at gardens, rooftop restaurants, grilling & barbeque events in the garden, or in the backyard area are the factors propelling the product demand.”
So, it’s no surprise hoteliers are seeing increased demand for more outdoor experiences from customers. In fact, the hotel business is seeing increased demand for nature related elements inside too! According to a report from Terrapin Bright Green, guests will spend on average 36% more time in hotel lobbies that have biophilic elements such as living walls and water elements. Also, guests will pay up to 18% more for rooms with a great view.
Now imagine taking that philosophy outdoors by creating an outdoor living experience through partnering with Almo Hospitality to help you create memorable outdoor experiences that drive sales food and beverage while simultaneously setting the stage for increased loyalty.
Hospitality.net notes that properties utilizing rooftops for F&B experiences saw a whopping $13 increase in revenue-per-seat to $68.20. In comparison, other properties saw an average of only $55.22. And that’s just one area within the hotel ripe for possible transformation.
Almo Hospitality has partnered with Agio to expand into the hotel business after finding success in the residential outdoor residential furniture market for more than 25 years.
“Hotels, restaurants and resorts rely on outdoor furniture to provide the best experience for guests by creating a calming, relaxing and inviting space that they can enjoy and remember,” said Apryl Lamberti, director of business development, who also noted this creates an additional revenue opportunity for Almo affiliated resellers.
Created specifically for hoteliers and their guests, the Cape Soleil Contract Collection is designed to be indoor or outdoor and can be mixed and matched as desired. It features what Almo says is comfortable furniture that requires minimal maintenance and is constructed from lightweight materials that provide strength, weather and rust-resistance for long-term durability. In addition, Cape Soleil furniture uses UV-resistant contract fabrics from Sunbrella and Phifer to protect against fading and stand up to rigorous use in commercial environments.
The Cape Soleil Furniture Collection is available in a wide range of styles, finishes and materials that can be stand alone or be paired together. The Cape Soleil line includes tables, dining chairs, lounge seating, sofas and side tables and a variety of complimentary outdoor living essentials like fire pits, umbrellas, patio heaters, outdoor fans, misters, combined with outdoor TVs, mounts and sound bars from Peerless-AV.
