Chapter 3 :- Layout of Guest Rooms

(A.) Sizes of Rooms, Sizes of Furniture, Furniture Arrangement:-

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, for a double room, 29 sq. metres; and a twin room, 30 sq. metres.

The floor-to-ceiling height is usually 2.5 - 3 metres. The most critical planning dimension is room width---3.6 metres 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. 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.

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 bath tub with grab bars, shower, retractable clothesline, shower curtains, WC, and vanity unit. High- grade hotels use a 1700 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.

Sizes of 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.

Materials Used for Making Furniture:-

The materials used for the construction of furniture affects the durability, appearance, and cost of the finished article. These are

Wood:-

Historically, the most common material for making furniture is wood, but other materials such as metal and stone were also used. In many hotels, the most valuable pieces of furniture are antiques, dating back 100-300 years or more. Wooden furniture that dates back to a period before the year 1840 is considered an antique.

Types of wood that are used in furniture making are:-

Solid Wood

Plywood

Veneers

Wicker and cane

Iron and Steel:-

Iron and its alloy steel are now being increasingly used in hotel furniture.

Aluminium:-

The advantage of aluminium furniture is that it is low in cost, lightweight, and does not rust. Aluminium is not used much in making furniture for hotels, however. Where used, it is often coated with plastic.

Plastic:-

Plastic, like aluminium, is cheap and lightweight. It is a low-maintence material and is now often used for outdoor furniture. These can easily be stacked and stored.

Common Furniture items in Guestrooms:-

The usual furniture in guestroom include beds, luggage racks, nightstands, coffee tables, chairs, a writing table, a wardrobe, and (in some rooms) a dresser/drawers.

Specifications for hotel furniture

Chairs, upholstered chairs and sofas:-

Seats should be long and wide enough to be comfortable.
The minimum width of an armchair should be 48cm
The depth of the seat should be approx. double the height of the armchair. For instance, 33-38cm high seats should have 60-70 cm depth.
The depth of the seat may be equivalent to the height of the upright chair. For instance, 42-45 cm high seats may have a depth of 42-50 cm.
The arms on chairs should not extend more than 25mm beyond the front edge of the chair seat.
Chairs meant for convention rooms and conferences must be easily stackable.
Upholstery material should be easily detachable for ease of cleaning.

Tables:-

Tables should be made to suit the primary use----working, dining, or occasional.
Table tops should have an easily maintained finish, preferable heat and stain resistant.
The height of the writing table from the chair seat should be at least 30 cm to allow for free knee movement. The total height of the table may be approximately 76-84 cm.
A coffee table should be 35-50 cm high.

Wardrobe:-

These should be made in accordance with the type of guests and their length of stay.
If free standing, furniture glides must be fixed to the legs to protect the carpet.
In a single wardrobe, the minimum width of the hanging space for clothes should be 60 cm; in a double wardrobe, it should be 90 cm.
The depth may be 56-60 cm.
The height to accommodate full-length dresses should be 175cm. The full height of the wardrobe should not exceed 200cm, else its top will be difficult to reach.
The hanging rail should not be too close to the top and should be firmly fixed.

Luggage Rack:-

The ideal ones are those made of solid wood.
The dimensions should be about 120 cm in width and 53 cm in depth for a 46 cm high rack.

Nightstand (bed side table):-

These should ideally have a drawer that is 10cm in height.
The dimensions of a nightstand should be about 56cm in width, 46cm in depth, and 60cm in height.

Furniture Arrangement:-

The foremost rule in furniture arrangement is that the furniture should be bought keeping in mind the size and shape of the guestroom in which it will be used. The floor plan of the rooms should indicate where doors and windows are let into the walls. In guestrooms that do not have any architectural features, a focal point of interest can be created and the furniture grouped around it. Consider convenience as well as aesthetics. Whenever possible, the furniture planning in a room should accommodate more than one use. Making allowances for traffic patterns is also crucial to furniture arrangement. This can be easily achieved by studying the floor plan. Determine the traffic paths that cross it, that is, the ways in which people are apt to enter and leave the room.

While placing furniture, arrange the larger pieces first and then distribute the smaller ones in stages. Do not place any piece of furniture in such a way as to touch the wall; else it may leave lines of dirt or stains on the wall. On the other hand, it is unwise to let a piece of furniture too far out into the room, unless it is being used as a space divider.

Bedroom furniture is usually easier to arrange since the size of the bed usually dictates where it must be placed and everything must defer to it. Certain fundamental points to consider in furniture arrangement are given below.

Keep accessories in proportion to the furniture. For instance, a lampshade too big for a bedside table may not only look out of place, but may also topple off the table.
Keep furniture in proportion to the space. For instance, placing a three-seater sofa between two closely placed doors is not advisable aesthetically or functionally.
Use a blend of symmetrical and asymmetrical arrangements.
Place furniture with due regard for keeping ‘traffic spaces’ free. Consider placing larger pieces against a wall rather than in the middle of the open space in a room. One can also place furniture around a focal point of interest, perhaps a good painting or a fireplace.

Furniture arrangement in Guestroom areas:-

Some points relating to the placement of furniture are given below, area by area:

·         ENTRANCE OR VERANDAH – This area should have a furniture arrangement that expresses warmth, cheer, and pleasantness. The furniture here may include a chair or two and a low table. Attention should be paid to the kind of material used, as not all materials will be suitable for verandas and entrances. These are ideal places to use cane, wicker, or painted wrought – iron furniture. These types of furniture have a lightweight feel in visual terms.

·         LIVING ROOM – The living room in larger guestrooms usually contains upholstered furniture to seat the maximum number of people who may occupy the room and one or more to accommodate guests. Each large chair should be within easy reach of a table on which an ashtray or refreshments may be placed, and should, if possible, face the door so that those entering the room can be seen and welcomed. Tall pieces of furniture should be placed parallel to a wall. Small chairs may be placed diagonally. Other furniture to be placed in this area are a television cabinet and sometimes a chest of drawers.

·         DINING AREA – In the rooms without a separate dining area, a large coffee table and a few chairs suffice for any meal served in the guestroom. Hotels can experiment with the furniture of bright cheerful colours for this grouping, in harmony with the colour scheme of the room.

·         BEDROOM – The usual set of furniture in a guest bedroom is a bed, two bedside tables, a dressing table, a chest of drawers, a coffee table, chairs, a luggage rack, and a writing table. Most economy guestrooms are primarily bedrooms with regard to their function. All furniture except the coffee table with its chairs and perhaps the bed are best placed against the wall.

·         KITCHEN – Some hotel guestrooms have a small kitchen, where usually modular cabinets are utilized as furniture. It is mainly storage furniture that is found in the kitchen, in the form of cabinets and basket drawers.

(B.) Principles of Design:-

Some combinations of design elements (line, shape, colour, texture, and space) work better than others. Here are some guidelines to help you understand why some combinations work and others do not work as well. These guidelines—rhythm, proportion, emphasis, balance, and unity—are the principles of design.

Rhythm:-

You have felt the rhythm of the music. Rhythm is also a part of things you see. It allows the eye to move from one part of a design to another part.

Rhythm can be created by:
• Repeating a colour, shape, texture, line, or space when designing.
• Varying the size of objects, shapes, or lines in sequence (small to large).
• Using a progression of colours from tints to shades (light blue to dark blue).
• Shifting from one hue to a neighbouring hue (yellow to yellow-orange to orange to red-orange to red).

Proportion:-

Proportion refers to the relationship between one part of a design and another part or to the whole design. It is a comparison of sizes, shapes, and quantities. For example, the relationship between the vertical and horizontal measurements of a wall hanging may be pleasing because the unequal lengths produce an interesting contrast.

Emphasis:-

Every design needs an accent—a point of interest. Emphasis is the quality that draws your attention to a certain part of a design first. There are several ways to create emphasis:

• Use a contrasting colour.
• Use a different or unusual line.
• Make a shape very large or very small. • Use a different shape.
• Use plain background space.

Balance:-

Balance gives a feeling of stability. There are three types of balance.

Symmetrical, or formal balance, is the simplest kind. An item that is symmetrically balanced is the same on both sides. Our bodies are an example of formal balance. If you draw an imaginary line from your head to your toes dividing your body in half, you will be pretty much the same on both sides.

Designs that have a radial balance have a centre point. A tire, pizza, and a daisy flower are all examples of design with radial balance. When you look through a kaleidoscope, everything you see has a radial balance.

Asymmetrical balance creates a feeling of equal weight on both sides, even though the sides do not look the same. Asymmetrical designs also are called informal designs because they suggest movement and spontaneity. Asymmetrical balance is the hardest type of balance to achieve and often takes experimenting or moving elements around until the balance is achieved.

Unity:-

When things look right together, you have created unity or harmony. Lines and shapes that repeat each other show unity (curved lines with curved shapes). Colors that have a common hue are harmonious. Textures that have a similar feel add to unity. But too much uniformity sometimes can be boring. At the same time, too much variety destroys unity.

(C.) Refurbishing and Redecoration :-

Probably there is no individual or department in a hotel more concerned with interiors and their designs and furnishings than a professional housekeeper and housekeeping department. Yet very few housekeepers are today actually involved in creating the initial plan and visual impact of the room. That in itself is a full time occupation requiring talent and special training. The housekeeper however, is very likely to be involved in the selection of items for replacement when components of interiors become worn or too soiled to save.

Refurbishment:-

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:-

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Equipment Inventory: These may need to be purchased or hired if not available on the premises.
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.
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.
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.

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.

Refurbishing always involves redecoration. Refurnishing is just changing the upholstery of furniture whereas refurbishing involves everything in the room, i.e. curtains, carpets, furniture etc. and bathrooms completely gutted and renewed.

Refurnishing also can be partial or complete. If it is partial it may not involve carpets or may not involve all furniture, e.g. – only beds may be replaced or only certain items of furniture replaced. Refurbishing always includes new curtains, bedspreads, upholstery etc. A full planning is to be made before refurbishing or refurbishing an area. It is done in the slackest season.

Strip the room of the linen, including curtains and send them to the linen room.
Remove all supplies.
Usually, hotels sell all the items, often they do room by room and a buyer must buy the whole room.
The furniture and the carpets are removed and the buyer usually has to collect it the same day as storage is a problem. Otherwise, another room is emptied and use for storage.
Next, all the bathroom fittings are removed and the bathroom completed gutted and renewed, then redecoration takes place.
Next, the electrical work is completed replacing plugs and sockets etc.
The carpet is laid or re-laid.
The new furniture is installed including the upholstery and all wirings completed. E.g. – bedside console, the TV, bedside lamps etc.
New lamps and accessories are installed.
The HK comes to clean starting with the bathroom, balcony, windows, and furniture cleaning.
After this, the curtains are hung.
Beds are made.
All supplies are replaced.
Vacuum cleaning the room completes the work.
The room when ready is returned to the reception for re-letting. Generally, this is done when the whole floor is ready.

Redecoration:-

The rooms are put off for the required amount of time. This work is planned for the slack season of the year. This is done either floor by floor or part of a floor at a time depending on the shape and number of rooms on the floor. It is always planned in such a way to cause as little inconvenience possible to the guest. Redecoration is also carried out in the public areas. The restaurant area is closed and the lobby work is done only at night; cleaning away everything by morning. Several nights may be required to complete the work. Basically, the work includes repainting, repolishing of furniture if required, and rearrangement and after this, a full maintenance work and general cleaning are carried out. Many hotels using tidy and skilled craftsmen manage the work without removing the carpet but dust sheets are placed over it for protection.

TO PREPARE A ROOM FOR REDECORATION:

Remove linen from the room and bathroom and send to the laundry including bedspreads and blankets.
Remove all supplies and store in the maids’ service room. Some hotels also store them in a drawer in the room but often the workmen fiddle with it.
Remove the curtains and draperies and send them for cleaning. Save the hooks in an envelope marked with the room number and is placed in the maids’ service room.
If sufficient space is available in the service room, place the lamps there too covered with dust sheets.
Generally, unless the floor is taken off, the furniture is not removed from the room but stacked in the middle with dust sheets placed over them.

Now the redecoration takes place. Next maintenance does the complete checking and prepares the Snag List. This can be prepared by the Executive H.K. or the maintenance supervisor. After the maintenance work has been done, the H.K. prepares the room again to be let out.

TO PREPARE ROOM AFTER REDECORATION:

Remove all dust sheets and send them to the laundry.
The bathroom walls, all fixtures and fittings as well as the floor are scrubbed.
Vacuum the room.
Scrub the balcony and terrace. Clean the furniture present there.
Clean the windows thoroughly including the frame.
Polish or clean all the furniture in the room.
Replace curtains.
Replace bed and bath linen.
Arrange all furniture correctly.
Replace supplies.
Replace lamps, cleaning the shades if necessary.
Switch on the mini-fridge after cleaning it.
Shampoo the carpet and dry it.

The room is then fit for LETTING OUT AGAIN.

Snagging list:-

This is a list of all possible maintenance repairs in a room. It is usually prepared at times of redecoration and refurbishment; as well as annually apart from these events. This is prepared by the preventive maintenance engineer, and in case of small hotels where there is no such team; it is prepared by the Executive or Assistant Housekeeper. The job entails testing absolutely everything in the room in detail. As a practice, maintenance department does a cleaning and testing of air-conditioning; wiring system, replace all washers, check pipe lines, etc. this overhaul work helps to keep the property in good order and shape; and up to the standard. Here also as in checking a room, one goes in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction, so that nothing is missed.

Each piece of furniture and fittings has to be examined in detail.

Examine towel rails, grips and washbasin / vanitory unit by leaning on them. With time the fixtures may get loose.
Open the taps and test the water flow in washbasin and bath / shower both hot and cold. Check for water leakages from taps and pipes.
Examine tiles for gaps and looseness.
Examine toilet in details water pressure, seat & seat cover fixture.
Beds should be stripped, examined, turned and vacuumed. Under side of the bed should be examined for the state of the backing. It should not be torn or loose.
All furniture should be examined including the behind and sides. Take out all the drawers and examine the underside.
All soft furnishings should be sent for dry-cleaning or wash.

A checklist can be prepared for this and used every time.

Key Terms:-

Refurbishing- This is just the freshening up of a property. This includes cosmetic changes such as changing the draperies, upholstery, and so on.
Redecoration- This involves the renewal of paintwork, touching up of furniture and finishes, renewal of soft furnishings, and spring cleaning. This is also done annually in order to maintain the standard of rooms.
Restoration- This is the restoring of a property to its exact original design with authentic materials.
Remodeling- This is the altering of the physical structure of the property.
Greek Oblong / The Golden ratio (2:3):- The Greek oblong measures two units on the short side and three on the long side. Its proportions are considered more beautiful than a completely symmetrical shape like a square..

Search This Blog

Housekeeping Notes Sem 6