Running a hotel can be an expensive endeavor. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to cut down on operating costs without needing to lower the quality of your guest’s stay. Follow one or all of the tips below to get started.
Install Solar Panels
Hotels take up a lot of energy, no matter how many rooms it contains. One way to save money on electricity is to use renewable energy, rather than depending on fossil fuels. Solar power is becoming one of the most popular ways to power buildings with renewable energy. Since it is becoming more popular, it is also becoming cheaper to install a solar panel system.
For the most part, solar panels are usually installed by professionals and put up on roofs. Solar panels fit well on both flat and slanted roofs. Putting them on roofs work best because it puts the solar panels in a direct line to absorb the sunlight. The more solar panels you install, the more energy you can collect. The more energy you collect, the less you will need to rely on fossil fuels to energize your hotel. All of this leads to saving a lot of money in the long run.
Do Laundry as Needed
In some hotels, the maids will collect dirty towels and wash the bed sheets every day, no matter if a new guest has arrived to stay in the room or not. While this does help to keep things clean and smelling good, it can also be a big waste of water and money. For this reason, hotels can work on saving water and money by simply asking their visitors if they need to have their towels and sheets washed or not.
What is the best way to find out if visitors need to have their towels and sheets washed? Some hotels simply put up signs that will say something like “Put the towels you need washed on the floor and hang up the ones you will use again,” or they may say that they will not wash the sheets during a single visitor’s stay unless requested to. Unless the visitor spills something on the bed or otherwise makes a mess, it is not likely they will request to have their sheets changed. Of course, hotels should always clean all of the sheets and towels for each new guest.
Buy in Bulk
Buying everything from little soaps to foods used in a continental breakfast in bulk can go a long way to save money. Even if you run a small bed and breakfast, buying some items in bulk can still be worthwhile. This is especially true when you are buying things that will not expire, or that will not expire for a considerable amount of time.
Buying food in bulk can be a bit tricker, especially when dealing with perishables. Large hotels can probably get away with doing this. However, smaller hotels and beds and breakfasts should check out their reservations before buying food in bulk. If you have a lot of reservations set for a certain date, buy in bulk all you want! If you think it will be a slow week, then you may save more money by only buying what you need for the time being.
Don’t Allow Pets
Allowing pets to stay in a hotel room is a lot riskier when it comes to damages than simply allowing people to stay in a room. After all, it’s not very likely that a human will bite on pillows or scratch up the furniture. For this reason, simply not allowing pets in rooms, or charging extra for when people want to bring their pets, can work almost as a form of insurance to keep hotel operating costs down.
If you run a hotel or bed and breakfast and want to save some money, try out one or all of these tips. They can help to save money in the long run. Good luck!