Tourism critical thinking example

Discussion

The importance of the building’s design and maintenance to a positive guest experience
In hospitality industry, having appropriate building design and maintenance would help the organization when it comes to providing positive guest experiences. The impressions of the guests may be established upon seeing the building’s physical appearance. These factors also provide a good experience that the guests will expect upon noticing these two factors. Roedel (n. d.) says that when it comes to hotel maintenance, there are four major areas that will help in increasing the hotel’s value. These values are in relation with the actual building’ s design in terms of providing value. Therefore, potential positive guests’ experiences can be attained.
It was discussed that if the hotel does not have a good maintenance, it is also possible that it does not have the capability to provide a good guest experience. Thus, it will limit itself to be a leader in the industry. On the other hand, the four major factors in relation to the building’s design and maintenance are the exterior envelope, Mechanical systems, interior fit & finish, and the exterior grounds (Roedel, n. d.).
If the exterior envelopes are not well maintained, it is possible that moisture issues might occur. A wall that has moisture is not a good impression on the guests’ experience. Therefore, roof systems must be built properly along with the building’s drainage systems. Also, doors and windows must be mounted tightly to provide positive appearance. Moreover, the hotel’s mechanical system must be well-funded by the hotel to avoid any mechanical failures that will provide negative experience to the guests. These mechanical systems include pool water systems, kitchen equipment, elevators, and even the guests’ laundry system. The fit & finish refer to the guests’ perception. These are the visible things that the influence the guests’ willingness to pay for their stay (Roedel, n. d.). These are the wall paint, doors, floor surfaces, and windows design. Lastly, the exterior grounds are the designs that will keep the hotel’s first class appearance such as the external lighting, landscapes, and many others outside the building.

How occupancy and weather affect energy costs?

Both occupancy and weather have effects on the building’s energy costs. Practically, people’s demand on energy or electricity varies on the day’s weather. For example, a hot season or weather may increase the use of electricity such as electric fan and air-conditioning systems. On the other hand, cold weather may trigger such similar effects as some people may prefer to use heater most of the times during cold days. Additionally, the occupancy has also an impact to the building’s energy consumption and costs (Hong, Chang, & Lin, 2013). A larger number of occupants mean a higher demand in energy and electricity. However, a smaller number of occupants could mean otherwise as there are less individuals who will consume the energy.
Additionally, the number of occupants depends on the season. For example, peak demands shows that the costs of energy increases as to compare with seasons with lower occupancy demands. When it comes to weather, the impact on energy costs is more likely to increase during cold climates. In this case, the weather affects the energy costs due to increased usage of heating systems in the building, but may not provide the same high energy costs if low occupancy happens during such climate. However, high energy costs may also occur regardless of the climate status if the occupancy rate is higher, which means more individuals is consuming the building’s energy.

How the property’s layout affects maintenance needs?

The property’s layout would depend on its functionality. The layout includes designs and operational aspects of the property. Therefore, the level of maintenance will highly depend on the property’s operational design. Thus, the maintenance practices that are needed to keep the functionality can be as complex as the whole property’s design. In relation, developing a world class property layout is not sufficient enough, but it involves sustaining the uniqueness and charm of such development for a long period of time (essandess. in). The property’s layout ranges from the simplest form, which includes smaller partitions of the property. In this case, lesser maintenance is involved in this type of property. Additionally, the effects of maintenance on this property types are less as there are only few parts of the property that are needed to be sustained. On the other hand, a larger property with more complicated layout means a more extensive maintenance. For example, a property that has more provisions such as additional car ports, more bedrooms, wash rooms are complex enough in terms of maintenance. Thus, the maintenance required for such property can be more complex if additional amenities will be provided such as lanai, guest rooms, larger kitchens, and even provision for entertainment room. That is because there are different types of maintenance required for each part of the property.
That is why; it is highly advisable to have an extensive maintenance plan for more complex property layout in order to ensure that the layout function itself can be sustained using correct maintenance approach.

What does hospitality facilities management mean to you?

Hospitality facilities management is the act and process of ensuring that each area of the facility is running smoothly in accordance with its purpose. In hospitality industry, maintaining every aspect of service is a critical action as this will have a direct impact on the guests’ experience. Relatively, the guests’ experience is the reflection of the overall service quality of the facility. It is also the management and maintenance of each facility’s functions.

References

ESS & ESS Infrastructure Pvt., Ltd. (n. d.). Layout Maintenance » ESS & ESS Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.,. Retrieved from http://www. essandess. in/layout-maintenance/
Hong, T., Chang, W., & Lin, H. (2013, May). A Fresh Look at Weather Impact on Peak Electricity Demand and Energy Use of Buildings Using 30 Year Actual Weather Data. Retrieved from http://eetd. lbl. gov/sites/all/files/lbnl-6280e. pdf
Hospitality Facilities Management and Design (Third Edition): David M. Stipanuk: ahlei: Educational Institute. (n. d.). Retrieved from https://www. ahlei. org/Products/Books/Hospitality-Facilities-Management-and-Design/
Roedel, F. B. (n. d.). Hotel Maintenance: Four Key Areas That will Increase Property Value , by Fred B. Roedel, III. Retrieved from http://hotelexecutive. com/business_review/2484/hotel-maintenance-four-key-areas-that-will-increase-property-value