Planning to move a hotel is a big business decision. A big move has the potential to affect your customer base in a huge way—either positively or negatively. Below are five tips for both before and after your hotel relocation that will ensure things run smoothly and your business benefits from the move.
Plan Far in Advance and Make Announcements on Your Site
When you are planning to move your hotel, you and your employees aren’t the only ones impacted. Your greatest assets, your guests, will be affected by the move too.
In order for your hotel relocation to go off without a hitch, you need to begin planning it months and months, even over a year, in advance. This gives you enough time to block out dates that your hotel will be out of commission.
Planning that far out also gives your guests plenty of time to choose a different place to stay. Many times, when your guests visit, they become loyal repeat customers. Scheduling your relocation very far in advance gives them a heads up that they won’t be able to stay with you.
In addition to strategic planning, make an eye-catching announcement on your site and social media pages alerting your guests of your plans. You can even send a mass email letting past guests know that you’re relocating. This will not only give guests a heads-up, it will remind them of their stay, pique their interest, and motivate them to stay with you again either before you move or at your new property location.
Prepare for a Multi-Day Move
As you plan to move your hotel, realize that you’ll have to close your doors for more than just a day or two. You should plan for a multi-day move and plan for even more time to get your hotel back in working order. The longer your route and the more obstacles in your way, the longer the transport will take.
Plan stops for your hotel to spend the night. We suggest seeking out parking lots or other areas that will maintain their integrity, even if there’s rain and the ground gets soggy. Contact the lot owners far in advance to make sure this is ok and that you have the all-clear to leave your hotel on their property.
Factor in Costs Outside of Transportation
The costs of moving a hotel don’t stop at the transportation fees. Even if your hotel is being moved just a few blocks, you need to be aware of and plan for the costs of your entire move.
At your new site, you will most likely need to lay a foundation. Consult with an experienced contractor who you trust to do a quality job. Paying more upfront for a durable and quality slab is much better than cutting corners and then experiencing foundation issues later on.
When you move your hotel, you will also need to contact the utility companies in the path of your route to ensure that they will be present to move their wires as your building passes under them. Every utility company has their own method of pricing for this kind of service, and it is your responsibility as the client to pay for these services. The mover is not responsible for arranging this part of the relocation, but they can advise you on the steps to take to make sure everything is ready and cleared on the big day.
Make Sure Your New Address Is on All Platforms and Websites
If you aren’t careful, relocating your hotel might hurt your business. If your information is still listed at your old location, patrons will either not be able to find you or will get frustrated and leave bad reviews, and that’s the last thing you want.
Once the move is complete, ensure your address, phone numbers, and other contact info has been updated to reflect your new location. Everywhere your hotel is found online—your website, your socials, your Google My Business page, and more—make sure your information is changed. This seems like an obvious task on your to-do list, but during the chaos of the move, make sure someone is responsible for all of the information changes.
Host a Grand Re-Opening
After your hotel is ready for guests, throw a grand re-opening celebrating the completion of a successful relocation.
Use this celebration to get your hotel into the media and the community or city spotlight. Alert news sources of your move, because what’s more exciting than seeing a giant hotel rolling down the street? After the move, let the same media outlets know about your re-opening. A follow-up story will be great for them and for your bottom line.
A re-opening is also the perfect time to offer specials. This will entice guests to stay with you and will build your customer base. A post-move grand re-opening is a great excuse to make a big deal out of your hotel.
Make Your Move Work for You
As you can see, moving your hotel has the potential to bring new business opportunities right to your door. Follow these five tips and you’ll see that your move can really benefit your hotel’s business before, during, and even after building relocation.