Gone are the bright mornings and long, balmy evenings of summer! It is now officially autumn, which can only mean one thing: winter is just around the corner. For businesses in the hospitality industry, preparing for the season ahead is key to success - which is why it’s time to start thinking about the winter months. Whether it’s updating your restaurant menu with lots of hearty meals or stocking up on seasonal decorations to give your cafe a festive touch, it’s important to play into customer demand by evolving with the times. If you manage a hotel, however, there’s a lot more to think about when preparing for winter! Whether you run a luxury spa resort or a small, beachside hotel, there are lots of creative and practical ways to prepare your hotel for winter. Here are 10 to consider!
Inspect walls, floors and ceilings for signs of damage
Keeping your hotel warm and dry must be your top priority throughout the colder months. Otherwise, you will start to face damp-related issues, including the development of mould and mildew. Not only will this cause further cosmetic problems, such as wallpaper damage, but it will lead to customer complaints, too. Your guests expect to stay in a warm, comfortable and safe environment, free from any potential health risks caused by damp and mould.
Avoid this by having your walls, floor and ceilings inspected for signs of damage. Small gaps, cracks and holes may not seem like huge issues, but they will enable moisture build-ups during autumn and winter. Having these identified and taken care of before temperatures drop significantly will help to keep your hotel warm and dry throughout the year.
Have your hotel boiler inspected
The last thing any hotelier wants to deal with is a faulty boiler - especially at the height of winter. After all, your guests expect to say in warm bedrooms with access to hot water and heating - and a faulty boiler could put a stop to this. Boiler breakdowns can also be unsafe if they aren’t taken care of quickly, so put the safety of your employees and guests first and have your boiler serviced before winter arrives.
It’s also worth noting that throughout winter, demand for services such as boiler inspections rise dramatically. Instead of waiting until there’s an issue (and then waiting some more for your chosen engineer to fit you in), start preparing now to ensure a warm and comfortable winter.
Increase hygiene and cleanliness procedures
Staying on top of your hotel’s hygiene procedures is vital all year round, but this is especially important during the winter months when the risk of catching colds and coughs is higher. Preventing the spread of Covid-19 in your premises is another factor you must consider this year. With this in mind, you must take extra care to train your staff in following the Government’s guidelines and put extra precautions in place to keep themselves and your guests safe.
This will mean cleaning surfaces more frequently and making sure every room is deep cleaned before and after guests stay. You may want to consider closing common or social areas during this time to prevent the spread of germs or hire extra cleaning staff to make sure these areas are cleaned frequently.
Conduct a risk assessment of your hotel
As the weather turns, there are additional safety precautions you must take to keep your guests safe. This includes keeping your guests safe from rain and ice-related injuries. To avoid potential accidents, conduct a risk assessment of your hotel and identify areas where extra precautions should be taken. For example, if there are stairs or ramps leading to your hotel reception, prepare to grit these throughout the winter months to prevent slips and trips.
Inspect your hotel rooms and take care of maintenance issues
Over summer, it can be difficult to check your hotel guest rooms as often as you’d like to. Use this time to thoroughly inspect every room and identify issues that should be addressed immediately. Remember - your hotel guests are likely to spend even more time inside throughout the colder months, so your hotel rooms should be a comfortable haven that they never want to leave!
To make sure your hotel rooms are ready for the winter season, check the condition of the:
- Paint or wallpaper
- Furniture, including the inside of wardrobes and chests of drawers
- Soft furnishings, including curtains and carpets
- Beds and mattresses, including bed linens
- Electrics and plumbing.
Give your guests an incentive to stay
It’s no secret that lots of hotels struggle throughout winter. Fewer people tend to travel or take holidays at this time of year, so you are less likely to remain fully booked during the colder months than you are at the height of summer. To keep guests coming through the door, why not offer them an incentive to stay? For instance, you could promote discounted room rates or offer a winter spa package to help your guests relax at the busiest time of year.
During this time, take advantage of email newsletters and your hotel’s social media accounts. Staying engaged with your guests will encourage them to book a getaway!
Update your restaurant menu with seasonal specials
It’s time to update your menu with hearty dishes packed full of the tastiest and freshest seasonal ingredients, including squash vegetables, pumpkin, chestnuts and winter berries. From pumpkin curries to warming bowls of butternut squash soup, there are lots of delicious meals that will go down a treat amongst your hotel guests. There are also lots of incredible desserts that will give your hotel menu a seasonal feel, such as pecan pie and poached pears.
Updating your menu with seasonal specials will not only encourage your guests to dine in your restaurant but will also reduce your environmental impact and support local businesses!
Introduce a seasonal colour scheme to your hotel and restaurant
Another creative way to give your hotel a seasonal feel is to introduce a new colour scheme. No, this doesn’t have to mean spending lots of time and money on painting the walls! There are many simple and cost-effective ways to introduce new colours into your hotel’s decor, from arranging vases of flowers to temporarily updating the artwork on the walls. Shades such as deep purple and raspberry red are particularly popular during this time of year, so find ways to incorporate these into your existing design for a standout look.
If your hotel has a restaurant, consider updating your table linens and serviettes in line with your chosen new colour scheme. This will elevate your guests’ dining experience and help to inject a sense of luxury into your dining area. Hiring your restaurant linen from a reputable linen company, like us at Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services, will also help you maximise hygiene procedures and make sure cleanliness levels are high at all times.
Take care of your hotel grounds maintenance
As the summer rush dies down, why not take the opportunity to identify and resolve common grounds maintenance issues? Whether your outdoor lights require replacement bulbs or your hotel car park has developed potholes, it’s important to use the quietest time of year to prepare for the busier periods.
You should also use this time to prepare your hotel grounds for winter. You may expect fewer guests, but this doesn’t mean you can forget about grounds maintenance. After all, a beautiful garden will reflect very well on your hotel.
Invest in the finest quality bed linen
After a long day battling the cold weather, your hotel guests will be more excited than ever to curl up in bed. Making sure your bed linens are the finest quality will ensure they’re not disappointed when they do! Your bed linen should be soft and breathable, keeping every guest a comfortable temperature whether they like to sleep with the windows wide open or the heating on full blast.
You should also consider offering your guests a bathrobe. Bathrobes can add a touch of luxury to any hotel room throughout the year, but they are particularly welcome in winter when you want to wrap up warm after a hot shower!
Remember - hiring your hotel bed linen will not only help to keep cleanliness levels high, but it will also ensure that your guests enjoy the most comfortable stay! When you hire bed linen, you can rest assured that it’s been washed and dried properly every time, keeping it silky soft and in the best possible condition.
Impress your guests this winter with luxury hotel linens from Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services
At Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services, we understand that hoteliers have a lot of responsibility. That’s why we’re here to take care of your linen and laundry requirements. We’re proud to supply hospitality businesses across the UK with the finest linens, with a range of premium bedsheets, pillowcases, towels, chefs’ whites, table linens and much, much more. We also offer a first-rate laundry service to keep your linen pristine no matter what.
To learn more about our linen hire and commercial laundry services, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of our friendly team today. We look forward to supplying your hotel with our superior bed and table linens this winter.
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