MODEL GUESTROOM DESIGNING

MODEL GUESTROOM DESIGNING

Room layout and standard contents of a guest room in a 5 star hotel

Standard contents of a guest room in a 5 star hotel:-

1.       BED

·         Mattress 6” thick

·         Mattress protector (1)

·         Bed sheets (2)

·         Blanket (1)

·         Night sheet (1)

·         Pillows (2)

·         Pillow cases (2)

·         Pillow slip (2)

·         Bed cover (1)

2.       BED-SIDE TABLE

·         Telephone

·         Inter departmental telephone book / directory

·         Telephone pad with pencil

·         Bed side table lamps

·         Ashtray with matchbox

·         One Bible and Geeta

·         Vacuum flask on tray

·         Sterilized glasses (2)

3.       SEATING ARRANGEMENT

·         Sofas or easy chairs (2)

·         Column lamp (1)

4.       COFFEE TABLE

·         Daily newspaper

·         Ashtray with matchbox

·         Periodicals and hotel magazine

5.       SOFT FURNISHINGS

·         Heavy curtains / Draperies

·         Sheer curtains

·         Venetian blinds

·         Cushion covers

6.       DRESSING CUM WRITING TABLE

·         Mirror with wall mounted lamps on either side

·         Writing folder containing – Letterheads, Envelopes, Aerogramme, Picture postcards, House rules and regulation card, Mail forwarding address slip, Expecting a call card, Pen and pencil, Restaurant menu card, Rail and airtime tables.

7.       ALSO ON THE TABLE

·         Room service menu card

·         Suggestion folder

·         Ashtray with matchbox

·         Candle stand

·         Hotel’s sales promotion brochures

8.       IN THE DRAWER

·         Breakfast door knob card

·         Dutch wife (sewing kit)

·         Fax / Telex form

9.       ON THE FLOOR

·         Waste paper basket near writing table

10.   ENTRANCE DOOR KNOB

·         ‘Do not disturb’ card

·         ‘Please clean my room’ card

·         Fire exit map

11.   FLOOR COVERING

·         Wall-to wall carpet

12.   IN THE CLOSET OR WARDROBE

·         Coat hangers

·         Skirt hangers

·         Laundry bags

·         Valet bags

·         Dry cleaning slips

·         Laundry slips

·         ‘Please collect my laundry’ card

13.   OTHER ITEMS

·         Luggage racks

·         TV set

·         Refrigerator

14.   BATHROOM

·         Bath tub

·         Bath mat

·         Bath soap

·         Shampoo sachet

15.   BATH TOWEL RACK

·         Bath towels (2)

·         Curtain rod

·         Shower curtain

16.   WASH BASIN COUNTER

·         Mirror mounted on wall

·         Hand towels (2)

·         Face towels (2)

·         Tooth / Gargle glasses (2)

·         Shower cap

·         Face tissue box

·         Hand soap

·         Freshen up packet

·         Ashtray

·         Extra toilet roll

·         Soapsuds

17.   UNDER THE COUNTER

·         Waste paper basket

18.   WATER CLOSET

·         Sanitary disinfectant band

·         Sanitary basket

·         Sanitary bag

·         Toilet roll

·         Toilet paper

·         Odonil stick

·         Shoeshine strip

·         Wall telephone

19.   BATHROOM DOOR

·         Full length mirror

·         Peg hooks – at the back of the door

·         Bottle opener – at the side of the door

LAYOUT OF A GUEST ROOM

Guestroom Layout

Individual furnishings should meet a number of basic design criteria;

·         Beds: Determine the exact room mix for the hotel; provide adequate spacing, include bedside tables and adequate lighting; consider TV viewing angle.

·         Work area: Provide a desk or worktable; consider chair height and comfort and provide adequate lighting, a telephone, and a data connection.

·         Lounge area: Provide a soft seating group; consider comfort, lighting, table(s), TV viewing angle, and adequate space for foldout sofa; assess need for mini- bar.

·         Clothes storage/dressing area: Determine requirements for drawer space, the size of the closet, and luggage storage needs; provide full-length mirror.

·         Bathroom: Select bathroom fixtures and accessories; consider lighting, counter space, ventilation, and finishes.

·         Decor: Evaluate FF&E—carpet, wall covering, sheer and blackout drapes, bedspreads, and so forth.

·         Other: Screen view into guestroom from the corridor; provide a separate dressing area; assess the need for balcony, adjoining rooms, etc.

Suite Layout

•          In most commercial hotels the suites are placed on the upper floors and others set it vertically in the same location on each floor.

•          There are two common models for suites:

1. The “front-to-back” or “shotgun” module
2. The “side- by-side” module

DESIGNING A ROOM

Here are the steps for designing the room. By the way, the first three correspond to the “define purpose and principles” and “outcome visioning” components of the natural planning model. The fourth corresponds to the “brainstorming” step. These simple steps could be followed while planning to design a hotel guest room.

1. Define the Room’s Function

Determining the purpose of something is central to everything you do, whether it’s design a room or manage a project (or figure out your life). You can have multiple functions in a single room. If you do this, you just need to designate the primary function versus secondary functions, and create alcoves for the secondary functions.

2. Define How You Want the Room to Make You Feel

Rooms are not merely utilitarian. They should make you want to be in them and even be somewhat inspiring.

3. Define the Style

This relates to the prior step, obviously; it is really a way of fleshing that out more. The approach centres around figuring out the style to be followed and then identifying other elements to design the room around.

4. List the Furniture You Will Need

The specific pieces you need, will flow from the function of the room (step one); the style of the pieces will flow from how you want the room to make the guest feel and the design style (steps two and three). If you need to do some painting or change carpet to get the room to reflect a specific style, note that here as well.

5. Think Unconventionally About Some Rooms

That’s not rocket science. The thing is this: the design of the guestroom makes certain behaviours more likely than others. Having turned the empty four walled space into room for family interaction and entertainment as well as a bedroom or a living room for a business traveller makes it more likely for the guest to utilize the space in an efficient manner with comfortable & convenient furniture and attractive furnishing.

GUEST ROOM DECORATION IDEAS

Your first step should be to choose a theme for your guest room. Select a theme that is personal to you and start from there. If you like old movies, make it as the theme of your room. Start with hanging popular old movie posters! If someday you plan to go Hawaii, Hawaiian décor can also be your theme!

Decide on a color to paint the ceiling and walls of your guest room. The color you choose should complement the theme and décor you have selected for the room. Blue will a good choice for Hawaiian theme. Similarly, white or rosy pink is a good choice for a Victorian room.

A good, comfortable sleeping place is an important part of a comfortable guest room. So, opt for large and comfortable bed, which fits into your budget. It wouldn’t be a good idea to put old and saggy mattress in your guest room. If your budget can’t afford old new mattresses, air mattresses can be your choice.

After clean bedding, it’s time to think about adding colorful bed linens and comfort items, like pillows and blankets. Offer your guests fluffy towels, cozy bathrobe, and slippers to make it just perfect. It will be thoughtful to have an extra set of bed and bath linen for your guest room!

Pay attention to the lighting in your guest bedroom. Ensure that there is adequate light for reading, knitting, sewing, watching TV etc. Arrange bulbs or lights in such a way that there is even distribution of lights in the room. Place a table lamp or night lamp on a bedside table . A small nightlight in the room will be a great idea! It will help your guest to find his/ her way around unfamiliar surroundings, at night.

It’s essential to provide your guest with luggage rack or bench, where he/she can open a suitcase and unpack.

Don’t stuff your guestroom closets. They should offer enough space to your guests. Don’t forget to supply closet with plenty of hangers. Keeping an ironing board and iron in the closet will make your guests feel very comfortable!

Stuff the room with some basic things like alarm clock, radio, and television! Provide paper, pencil, pen, tissues, and a hair dryer to your guests. Adding a phone in the room will be much appreciated.

FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT IN DIFFERENT ROOMS

FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT IN DIFFERENT ROOMS

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.

Principles and Elements of design

In achieving an aesthetic arrangement of furniture, the following principles and elements of design need to be heeded:

·         Balance

·         Scale and proportion

·         Line

·         Colour

·         Texture

·         Rhythm

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.

EXAMPLE:

HOW TO ARRANGE FURNITURE Position your furniture in a way that’s fun, functional, and fetching. You Will Need- A focal point And traffic paths Determine what purpose the space the furniture occupies has and the purpose of each piece of furniture. This will have an effect on how space might be divided up and furniture arranged. Some furniture may not belong in a given space. Measure the room and write down its dimensions. Do the same for your furniture. Make a flat scale drawing of the room using graph paper as if seen from above. (For example: 1 little square represents one quarter of a square foot [3"] and four of those equal one square foot.) You may want to shade the floor close to what is already there (beige if the carpet is beige) if there is a need to coordinate colors just make sure you can see the lines on your graph paper. Draw flat scale drawings of your furniture as if seen from above. Don't get too detailed. At the very least you need the size and shape in relation to the room; Color the piece if you think it's important and then label it. Take your scale drawing of the room's floor plan and rearrange the scale drawn pieces of furniture on it until you see a configuration you like and think works best for the space and furniture's purposes and traffic flow. Tape the pieces down with small pieces of tape (so that you can easily move them if you change your mind) and begin preparing to move your furniture into that configuration. 1. Place the Largest Pieces First The article notes: “The major piece for the primary activity of the room must be considered first — the sofa in the living room, the bed in the bedroom, the desk in the office. This piece in most cases should face the focal point of the room.”  2. Know the Focal Point of the Room Since the furniture should be arranged in light of the focal point of the room, this means that (a) every room should have a focal point and (b) you need to decide what that is. There can also be secondary and tertiary focal points. The furniture should be arranged to focus on the primary focal point, however. 3. Then, Place Pieces Relating to the Main Piece This gives a helpful ordering of priorities: Place the main piece(s) first, then the pieces relating to it. Note that it relates to purchasing furniture as well as placing it. You identify and purchase the main piece of furniture (say, the couch) first because that gives guidance to the rest of what you do. Often times there are many different directions which you can take when it comes to the secondary pieces. You are going to feel scattered — and the room will probably lack unity — if you try to obtain those pieces before knowing the color and style of the main piece. When placing the secondary pieces, remember whenever possible you should “keep pieces of similar scale together” and “try to balance pieces of furniture opposite one another.” For example, “a pair of upholstered chairs is visually more balanced across from a sofa than a pair of small scale occasional chairs.” 4. Add Accent Pieces for Secondary Activities Examples would be a reading corner in a bedroom or a kids play area in the family room. 5. Place your Furniture Where it Looks Best Well, that’s a bit too obvious. Sorry! 6. Guide Traffic Patterns Through Furniture Arrangement You can set up the furniture to create the traffic patterns you want to have. Also, “leave a minimum of two and a half feet for walkways and avoid flowing traffic through a conversational grouping if possible. Guide the traffic around the room’s perimeter to create a less disruptive environment.” Don't overload it. Don’t overload rooms with furniture. Not only do rooms appear larger and cleaner when they’re less cluttered, but studies show they make people feel more relaxed.

CARPET SHAMPOOING

CARPET SHAMPOOING

Cleaning involves the removal of dust and other foreign matter from surfaces. The choice of cleaning methods depends on various factors as listed below:

1.       The nature of soiling.

2.       The nature of surface soiled.

3.       The properties of cleaning agents suitable for the surface.

4.       The best way to clean without dispersing dust to other areas.

5.       The process should be cost effective in terms of the cleaning agent and labour time.

6.       The method should restore the surface to its original sheen and colour.

Carpets are an expensive asset to hotels. They feature in capital budgets. Great care is taken in the selection and laying of carpets in rooms and public areas. The decision to purchase carpets is done by a senior committee including the General Manager and investor. Decisions on carpets have a long-standing impact hence it is important that such decisions are correct ones. Being valuable assets, their care and maintenance have to be regular and follow the correct procedure.

Cleaning can be done by two methods:

1.       Manual method, eg. Carpet brush, boxer, etc.

2.       Electrical method, eg. Vacuum cleaners.

MANUAL METHOD: The common method is with a carpet brush and dust pan. Brush against the piles and make them stand. Use brisk movements between piles to scoop out dust. Re-laying the piles back is time consuming and could be done the next day. Collect the dirt in the dust pan and empty out pan in the garbage bag after every room. Carpet brushing is useful when the noise of vacuum cleaners would disturb sleeping guests especially in the mornings.

ELECTRICAL METHOD: The vacuum cleaner is the principal machine in this category. It has the advantage of sucking dust from between piles. It also lifts piles, smoothens in one movement and removes dust completely. Some modern vacuum cleaners have a “combination floor nozzle” that provides the advantage of cleaning floors as well as carpets at the drop of a switch. Whenever using the nozzle move against the pile first and then along with the pile to remove hidden soil built inside the carpet piles. Use smooth brisk movements with downward pressure for smoothening and positioning the piles. Care must be taken to empty out the vacuum cleaner dust-bag every time a few rooms are done as congestion in the bag would stop the suction.

Carpet shampoo machines use one of two types of shampoos: Liquid and dry foam.

Shampoos are anionic synthetic detergents and should be diluted in the correct measures for optimal performance. Liquid shampoos produce very little foam but tend to leave a residue that traps dirt, making it necessary to shampoo the carpet frequently. Dry-foam shampoos are actually also liquids, but they leave a dry foam on the surface of the carpet after application – hence the name. The foam loosens and lifts out the dirt, holding it on the surface of the carpet pile until it can be removed by dry suction. Dry foam shampoos contain some solvent in addition to the detergent to assist in the removal of solvent-soluble dirt. Carpets cleaned with a dry-foam shampoo require less drying time as well.

Carpet shampoo machines are used to dispense both types of shampoos. A cylindrical brush works the foam into the pile of the carpet.

Special points for carpet cleaning

1.       Ensure the power points are functioning properly when using a vacuum cleaner.

2.       When cleaning carpets, pay attention to corners and under edges of carpets as dust normally collects there.

3.       Any pins, needles or glass pieces must be removed with a brush and dustpan first before vacuum cleaning as these could puncture the bag.

4.       Any large objects are also to be removed from the floor as they could damage the suction process.

5.       Keep suction nozzle away facing downwards when on, as other articles like fine garments, jewellery, etc. could be sucked in.

General Carpet shampooing procedure

1.       Remove carpet from the room and spread out upside down on an open concrete surface.

2.       With a carpet beater, beat out dust in slow motions to cover each area at least three times.

3.       Roll the carpet and remove loose dust from surface underneath with a soft broom.

4.       Roll out carpet with the correct side up.

5.       With shampoo machine apply shampoo in circular motions slowly. Ready-made shampoos are available in the market. The carpet specialist will prescribe the mixture.

6.       The extra foam of the shampoo is removed by the carpet brush.

7.       The carpet is left in the sun to dry.

Carpet Shampooing by machine Once your machine is prepared, you will turn it on and get started. Instructions may vary from machine to machine, but most have a similar procedure. Push a button or lever to release the shampoo solution, and push a button or lever to activate the brush and sucking mechanism. Once the solution, brush and vacuum have been activated, pull the machine backward across your carpet at a rate of about 1 foot per second. After making a straight swipe down the carpet, roll the machine back to the other end and begin a new pass. Make sure the new area being cleaned slightly overlaps the strip you just finished. Continue until you've finished the carpeted area. Make sure you refill the cleaning solution and empty the dirty water tank as needed. Allow your carpets to dry for about 24 hours before walking on them.

PROFESSIONAL CLEANING OF CARPET

Keeping your carpets clean is an integral part of good housekeeping. Carpets quickly can grow filthy, trapping dander, dirt, germs and food remnants to be trampled underfoot. Dirty carpeting also lacks luster and vibrancy and can lead to a dull, unappealing environment. If you are interested in cleaning your  carpeting, you'll be glad to know that the process is fairly simple and should only take a few hours to complete. Once cleaned, your carpeting should look new, and the effect on your space should be noticeable.

Things You'll Need

·         Carpet shampooing machine

·         Carpet shampooing solution

·         Scrub brush

·         Oxidizing cleanser

·         Vinegar

Instructions

1 Rent a carpet shampooing machine if you do not own one. They are available for rent from a large number of housekeeping and hardware stores. Inquire at local business to learn more about rates and recommended chemicals.

2 Read the documentation that accompanies your machine to learn about set-up and use procedures. Your machine may have a specific brand of carpet cleaning solution that is required. Once you have procured the correct solution, don't immediately add it to the shampooing machine. You'll want to do a dry clean first.

3 Arrange your furniture so that you have access to as much of the carpet as possible. You may need to move your furniture into another room if you are tight on space.

4 Vacuum the room as normal to remove excess dust and debris. This will also help to reveal stains that may be hidden or forgotten about.

5 Pre-treat large or deep stains using an oxidizing cleanser mixed with warm water. This is called spot removal and will help soften the stain before shampooing. If you do not have oxidizing cleanser, you can use vinegar in warm water, which has the added benefit of fighting odour.

6 Add water and cleaning solution to the carpet shampooing machine. Carefully follow the instructions to avoid the risk of damage or electrocution. Plug in the machine once the solution has been added and slowly vacuum across the entire room. Be sure to repeatedly cover stained areas by slowly circling around the stain. You may need to stop and empty your dirtied water after shampooing for an extended period of time. If there are still visible stains after shampooing the entire room, allow the carpet to dry and then shampoo it a second time. Allow time for the room to dry before moving furniture back into place.