Preparing for a hotel refurbishment: a guide for independent hotel owners

150 150 Daniel Fountain
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Perhaps you’ve read reviews on Trip Advisor saying your hotel bedrooms need an upgrade, or maybe your hotel lobby area is looking more 1915 than 2015? You know it’s time for that hotel refurbishment you’ve been thinking about, but you’re not completely sure where to start. Approaching and planning a hotel furniture refurbishment project can be a daunting task. For many interior designers and architects it’s a full time job… yet, if you’re an independent hotel owner or manager, you might be about to embark on a hotel refurbishment project on top of your already demanding job.

Who are Curtis Furniture?
Curtis are a specialist hotel furniture and doors supplier with over 15 years of experience in planning and managing hotel refurbishment projects and fit-outs for hotels across the UK. This experience means we’re well qualified to offer advice on preparing for your next project. Find out more about Curtis

What to consider before a hotel refurbishment

Step one
At the outset, the key questions are:
• What areas of your hotel need to be refurbished? The bedrooms, the restaurant, the bar?
• What is your budget?
• If you can’t stretch to everything straightaway, which areas of your hotel will take priority?
• Is there a particular event or peak holiday season you’d like the refurbishment to be completed by – or a quiet period when the project would cause minimum disruption to your guests and minimise the financial impact of having rooms offline?

Step two
The next step is to think about your preferred design style – and the star rating you need to maintain or are striving for:
• Are you aiming for 3*, 4* or 5*?
• Is it a boutique room design you’re looking for – or perhaps a stylish, functional space for the business traveller?
• What are the best room layouts and pieces of furniture to maximise your let-able space?
• You might also think about whether to employ a hotel interior designer or architect, depending on the size and scope of the project – or if you can manage it on your own.

Once you’ve started to think about these questions, it’s time to find the right supplier or suppliers.

How Curtis Furniture can help you

Curtis works with hotel owners, managers and interior designers to deliver beautiful hotel interiors. We aim to provide as much or as little support as our clients want or need. This includes helping to:
• Plan your room layouts – to create an impact and maximise your space
• ‘Get the best bang for your buck’ by recommending different finish and fabric options
• Choose the right style of furniture to create the look you want
• Plan your project to help ensure it misses your peak occupancy periods
• Consider the factors that will help to achieve a 3, 4 or 5 star rating
• Plus, we can recommend an interior designer or architect should you need one.

Curtis Furniture & Doors manufactures hotel bedroom case goods, internal and external doors, public area furniture, chairs and tables. We also supply other complementary products, including an exclusive range of sofas and sofa beds in partnership with DFS Contract. See our product range.

Contact Curtis
Whether you’re just at the ideas stage or you have a clear picture of your requirements, call 0113 248 0605 or enquire online – and request a free refurbishment consultation at your hotel.

Follow us on Twitter: @CURTISFURNITURE
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com

These useful tips have been provided by Gareth Brett, board director. Curtis are hotel furniture & doors specialists – and a leading UK manufacturer of hotel bedroom case goods.

Daniel Fountain / 11.05.2015

Editor, Hotel Designs

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Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

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Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

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