2 minute read
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
HOW COVID-19
IS CHANGING THE SHAPE OF HOTEL SPACE
The impact of Covid-19 on lobby space in hotels is currently a hot topic across the hospitality industry.. While there are those who believe the lobby is now a redundant space, there are others who think it remains an important area that must be adapted. Imad Dajani, CEO of FEBC International, shares his observations.
The lobby has a charm to it, and it can be what makes or breaks a hotel; it’s the first area that guests experience: a place to meet, drink coffee or wait. It is one of those spaces that brings people together. The question is how can we bring people together while maintaining a safe protocol?
Our procurement team has debated this topic with some of our clients and held whiteboard sessions that have yielded some interesting suggestions:
• More reception desks to speed up the check-in process
• In-room check-ins are a must, especially for hotels that attract business travelers
• Sourcing materials that are easier to clean and Covid-19 safe
• Greater emphasis on and higher budget allocation for an effective and larger cleaning team
• Budget hotels and boutique properties could introduce a fully operational online check-in and have less furniture and minimal entrance/lobby space.
With regards to procurement, it is essential for hotel owners to hire a procurement company that begins the entire process with a well-defined strategy. The factories and suppliers that are invited to bid for furniture, fixtures and equipment, operating supplies and equipment, and other items must be well versed and adaptable to the market trends. Procurement companies today should have offices and production experts in key locations where pre-qualified suppliers are stationed. The reason this is so important is to ensure that all goods
are monitored thoroughly before leaving the factory and being sent to site. This set-up enables procurement companies to save their clients a substantial amount of money on travel as well as conduct value engineering, variation and critical Photos: Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown, UAE The lockdown contingency is another factor that must be considered. Teams must be versatile enough to work under any given circumstances. Technology and business continuity plans have become essential for procurement teams in order to work effectively in remote set-ups.
In addition, during a time of total or partial lockdown, the ability of a procurement company to react immediately to pull out goods from the country of origin and place management without delay.
them for a period of time in a country that is not yet affected is a must. During these times in particular, we believe that hotel owners are viewing the procurement process as arguably the most fundamental part of the hotel project cycle.
