COMFORTABLE HOTEL ROOMS

Have you ever woken up in a hotel room feeling groggy, jet lagged and generally uncomfortable? If you did not take too many bottles, did not have overnight visitor to care for your pathetic desires and not unwell then you need to pay attention to this piece. In-room air quality is an intangible component of a room that Owners and Consultants hardly pay attention to, even as it affects guests who also do not know any better. In the course of my work recently, I walked into a room in a decent hotel at the Island for inspection and walked out feeling snuffed out. After opening the windows, doors and airing the room at my directive, I took another plunge and my discovery is the reason for this article.

I have never fancied rug because of high maintenance requirements and its susceptibility to dampness at the drop of any liquid. The room was of course rugged wall to wall. I did not need to sniff to discover the first culprit. The rug was damp and smelly. It therefore makes it unsuitable for hotels with decent maintenance budget. Marble and ceramics depending on affordability are almost maintenance-free alternative to rugs. They are easier and faster to clean, dry faster and lasts longer than rug. For effects and aesthetics, you may want to drop a small size Persian carpet at the base of the bed or wherever you fancy in the room.

After fishing out the housekeeper that cleaned the room who admitted that he cleaned the room with doors and windows closed. It was easy tracing second fault as the room was not aired during and after cleaning. So in a sense, the last guest never left the room in terms of body chemistry. When you add that to the offensive fumes of chemical used in cleaning windows and ceramic in the bathroom, what you are likely to have is well furnished dungeon not room.

The room door must be left opened when cleaning as a matter of administrative policy and room must be adequately aired before being declared a vacant inspected. Close attention must be paid when procuring cleaning agents, not all the ones available in the market are ideal for living environment. I also noticed that the wardrobe in the room was made of particles and the finishing was super; it however smells putrid since acrylic resin is significantly present in wood particle. In furnishing hotel rooms, guests’ health and comfortability concerns take precedence over interior décor.

In the bid to make the room pleasing, all manners of air freshener were hidden in almost all corners of the room. The problem with air freshener is that some are so harsh and the choice of guest air freshener can not be so easily discerned. Most importantly, air freshener is not meant to be locked up in an air-conditioned room without ventilation. Air freshener must be used sparingly, very sparingly so as not to offend guests with allergies. In its stead, I favour indoor plants that absorb carbon dioxide and release fresh oxygen at practically no cost.

So, the next time you walk into a room and you are met with offensive dampness in the air;  ask for the duty manager, politely state your observations without quoting this writer and your room may be changed. After all, we can only make money from returning guests and guests can only return when they are alive.

Patrick Adegbamigbe

Hospitality Consultant

234 80 57736980