The credible options for choice of hotel design professionals will depend on several factors including the geographic location of the hotel project, market activity and availability, the scale and category of hotel, the capabilities of the project team, the project approach including the obligations for harmonisation with authorities, and budget. Determining the choice of design professionals should essentially come down to appropriate experience, project aims and relationship chemistry. As an option tendering and evaluation of such proposals is a speciality of project management companies. Below are some guideline points on selecting hotel design professionals:
- Hotel Experience: In form and function hotels are very different to other types of real estate and while even the most experienced hotel architect or interior designer will not fully understand the operational aspects of the property repeated experience working alongside hotel managers is fundamental to providing an efficient and effective project. A hotel design professional, especially those in the creative phases of concept and interior design, must be able to provide a portfolio of at least ten related hotel projects that match the property segment, type, scale and geography. Compromise on the professional experience will cause time delays where the operator’s technical team have to explain and educate, or repetitively ask for adjustments and resubmission. Inefficiency of the hotel property in the design process will have a fourfold impact on the investment, due to (i) elevated cost of build, (ii) increased operating costs during the lifetime of the property, (iii) reduced or lost revenue potential of the hotel operations, and (iv) reduced value of the asset.
- Task Experience: Many architectural firms are multi-disciplinary across several or all design scopes but may have a track record or resource bias in one area of the design process. Capability statements may include projects for which the designer has only had a small responsibility but has not detailed their precise role in the project references. When appraising project experience ensure it is distinctly identified and fits with the needs of the project and they have experience in all areas of the brief, for example, if required in this instance, do they have experience in delivering tender documentation?
- Familiarity: So long as the impartiality and allegiance are not compromised direct experience with or endorsement by the hotel brand and the other design and project team members is often a reliable means of choice of the design professional. A designer with a working knowledge of the brand characteristics will work more efficiently and should complete expeditiously. Likewise, with a track record of cooperation, the possibility of animosity, blame or conflict within the team is reduced.
- Reputation: Check the portfolio and referees provided by the design professional, if possible, visit the properties, speak with the technical teams involved in the process and the managers operating it. Ensure the scope of works matches the design offer, where there any delivery issues? Early in hotel operator discussions ask for recommendations of concept, detailed, and interior design architects, if there are overlaps, this can be a reliable indicator.
- Professional Appearance: Is the way in which the designers portray themselves on their website, correspondence, representatives and proposals coherent and consistent with the needs of the project? Are they providing facts or hiding behind flashy graphics or deferred promises? How do the designers talk about their rivals? Are they offering unrealistic cost or time reductions or shortcuts? How are the quality, clarity and completeness of the proposals compared to their competitors?
- Responsiveness: How responsive is the design professional to initial enquiries are they prepared to meet at the project site? The speed and availability may indicate their level of interest, passion, resources and efficiency and could be a marker for future activity.
- Collaboration: How attentive are the designers in listening to the initial brief and the project team, are they building on ideas or fundamentally trying to change them? Is there flexibility and openness to suggestions, or stubborn refusals citing vague directives. Are they using accessible language and taking time to explain and reason? Team chemistry is essential, a ‘big name’ designer who wants to showcase the project as an architectural marvel may well achieve that but at the expense of the commercial viability of the project.
- Location: To find the correct fit for the design team, particularly in emerging markets, some compromise with geographic location is probably necessary. For detailed design which demands comprehensive knowledge of local norms and liaison with local authorities, city/country presence may be critical, though may also be resolved through local partnerships. For concept and interior design, proximity may be less significant. Nevertheless, it is crucial to understand precisely where the resources for the project are based. Is the local office only a sales unit or representative agency? Far afield design offices may create adverse issues such as limited availability for meetings, high travel expense costs, and time zone differentials can leave windows for conference calls very restrictive.
- Resources: No matter the design firm’s global hotel or task experience as with all consultants, the delivery will come down to the professionals appointed to the hotel project. How many qualified personnel are going to be allocated, where are they located, what other external responsibilities will they have during design delivery? Demand the resumes of assigned and potential standby personnel for the project.
- Working Languages: Establish the working language(s) for communication and submissions during the phases of the design process that are acceptable to the developer and operator and necessary for approvals. Are the designer professionals
able to work in the agreed languages?
- Independence: It is essential the design professionals are working on behalf of the investor, not the hotel operator, the contractor, suppliers or local authorities. Naturally, input and guidance and instruction to the design professionals are essential, and sometimes indispensable, but the developer should be watchful of motivations and maintain control in the design process.
- Accreditation: Do the design professionals have the licenses or registration (if any) required by the local authority for the specific design role? What professional certifications does the design firm have in its home country or globally? Beyond reputation, do they bring any special protection to the project? Does the design professional have environment accreditations such as LEED?
- Indemnity Insurance: Ensure the design professional has adequate indemnity insurance. Design and construction practices should have sufficient protection to handle claims brought against them in respect of professional negligence such as wrongful advice. Professional indemnity insurance or errors and omissions insurance protects for claims of negligence up to a specified insured sum where negligence is proven to have been committed on the part of the service provider. Insurance will not typically protect against criminal behaviour or non-negligent work claims. In many jurisdictions’ indemnity insurance is mandatory, in the UK, for example, the Architect Registration Board requires that architect’s carry minimum coverage of £250,000 indemnity, though coverage is often upwards of £1m and covers at least 6-years forward.
- Liability Insurance: If the role requires, confirm the design professional has adequate liability insurance to provide sufficient protection in the case that due to their actions, someone is injured, or property is damaged.
- Proposal: Is the price proposal for the design service(s) realistic and consistent with other similar quotes, what advances are required and are the payment terms reasonable? Is the offer detailed and comprehensive, are the deliverables clear, and do the design schedules fit the critical dates of the hotel project?