Introduction
Facility planning and management is basically concerned with design, development of a layout and planning for equipment, as well as it deals with services that should be provided for a given facility. It dictates the arrangement, location, as well as equipment distribution (Baker 2000). However, this process is dictated by the kind of services that the facility to be designed intends to offer, as well as the constraints it usually faces (Garcia & Smith 2008). The primary focus of this report is on the design of the Mont-Blanc Palace, which a high end resort that should be located around Leysin area in Switzerland. The report provides a feasibility study of the proposed hotel highlighting the key features that had been considered in its design. It forms the basis for justification as why the facility should be developed and what its viability is. Other than laying out the overall design and the layout of the facility, this report provides a financial plan with respect to the project.
Leysin is a famous spot among persons who are travelling, engaging in sight-seeing, and doing sports. Its tourist locations are the center-spot of its economic initiative. It is expected to register increased tourist activity as a result of government promotion initiative. This prospected client growth has elicited the need for reconstruction of Mount-Blanc Palace. Mount-Blanc is built as a three-star hotel and double up as a wellness center. The hotel will be known as “La lavande” known as Lavender in English. This report will help in understanding structure and design of the facility, as well as its operations across seasons. Finally, the report will also provide a brief financial analysis of the hotel. Aim: become the best hotel in Leysin, exceed our guests’ expectation by providing high quality of our expectation service and facilities.
Feasibility study
Location evaluation
The hotel is located in Leysin, Aigle district. It is a tiny village which measures approximately 18.57km2, with 37 % of the area forested. It is situated at the elevator of 1,260 m (Leysin 2011). The village is famous for its Ski slopes and Tobogganing Park which attract tourists. It is also known as Village of International School constituted of an international and cosmopolitan environment (Leysin 2011). It offers two sport centers, for teams and individuals. It also provides outdoor and indoor activities as well various facilities to aid the aforementioned including swimming pool, fitness room, climbing wall, squash, as well as tennis court among others. The population of Leysin is approximately 3,700 people according 2009 demographics (Leysin 2011). Most persons living in Leysin speak French and Basic English as well, although some people are able to communicate in German, as well as Italian. At Leysin, travelling is much more convenient by train, bus, or a car.
Market analysis
In general, the facility is intended to act as a getaway resort for people who want to spend some time away from home. Its location makes it a perfect destination for eco-tourists. It targets people who are prepared to spend their vacation within fantastic and serene natural surroundings in addition to a great opportunity to enjoy considerable standard of rest away from home. It offers a good rest point, be it in terms of active outdoor activities, or merely engaging in meditation, as well as communication with Mother Nature. Basically, it is an ideal destination families, couples, young adults, senior citizens, as well as persons interested in touring the area for the many activities present within Leysin area. The target market is therefore cross-cutting and extensive in addition to being all inclusive. All tourists will find a good reason to visit the facility and a share of the services it offers. This is a crucial element that has largely informed the design process with respect to Mont Blanc Palace facility.
The key competitors considered include Chalet Royalp Hotel & Spa, which is a five star facility that offers a total of 63 rooms, 30 apartments, a spacious and luxurious restaurant and bar, as well as conference facilities. The other competitor is the Mercure Classic Hotel, a four star hotel which has a total of 115 rooms, 13 meeting rooms, an auditorium, as well as restaurant, lobby bar and a parking lot. The other key competitor is the Les Airelles Bed & Breakfast, which has only 15 rooms and mainly targets leisure guests, group, family (children), and also person interested in sport activities. Competitor scenario is summarized in the table below:
Proposed facilities
The facilities configuration is constituted of the following fundamental units: the hotel guest rooms, indoor facilities, outdoor facilities and administrative locations.
The rooms are distributed in the following manner:
- Single rooms – 9
- Double rooms – 32;
- Suites – 5.
- Big suites – 5.
This amounts to a total of 51 serviceable rooms in possession of the facility.
Other than the guest room facilities, the facility also host a range of non-room facilities including the Jacuzzi, lounge bar, Sauna, massage rooms, swimming pool, conference room, buffet restaurant, Italian restaurant, fitness gym club, as well as the wellness center. Other facilities presented are meant to aid service to the clients.
The Site Area
The design team focuses on application of the building design and layout plan to the site, minimize its building footprint to fit within its budgetary constraints. The developed scheme is expected to provide appropriate parking levels.
Kind of facility
The facility will operate within proximity of an urban center and, as such will incorporate a lounge bar, conference facilities, as well as fitness and wellness center, needless to mention the fitness gym.
Guest Facilities
As earlier mentioned, the guest facility is constituted of 36 guest rooms. However, there are various other facilities to enable wellbeing of the guest to the facility. These include:
- A lobby reception area.
- An Italian restaurant with ample seating capacity, ideally with direct street access, as well as a buffet restaurant.
- A self-contained lounge bar area adjacent to one of the facilities lobby.
- A conference room which also doubles as the events/functions room area.
- Fitness facilities including a wellness center, fitness gym facility, as well as the massage rooms.
- Car parking facility.
- Service office.
Service accommodation with Support Area
- Delivery/Receiving yard, refuse bins, as well as empties store located at the basement with a back entrance to avoid interference with the clients. This area is basically out of sight of the client guest bedrooms, in addition to not being visible from the front entrance.
- Basement storage areas including equipment, dry goods storage, refrigeration facilities.
- Administration and general management offices located at the ground floor.
- Bar storage and beer cellar.
- Housekeeping department located at the first floor.
- Human Resources Office, which is independent from other offices, as well as the staff uniform storage.
- Dedicated entry point for staff, as well as a changing facility for staff.
- Maintenance section including equipment/spare parts storage, as well as a workshop facility for maintenance operations.
- Kitchen located next to respective restaurants, each having a room service pantry.
- Each guest accommodation room floors of the hotel to have respective room’s attendant pantry.
- Laundry is similarly managed at the basement floor to avoid interference with client activities.
Special considerations
- Standby generator [subject to local conditions and requirements] Combined Heat & Power [CHP] unit, if appropriate
- UPS [Uninterrupted Power Supply] for all computer equipment and PABX system
- Emphasis on landscaping external subject to local conditions and requirements
- Water mains to be pressurized [subject to local conditions]
- Overall emphasis on the sound proofing, insulation, double glazing, maintenance free materials, energy saving, security and
- Guest safety.
- CCTV
- Air-Conditioning throughout the building
Financial Plan and analysis
Financial Plan
Numbers of tourist come to Leysin (2010): 40,680
Our hotel’s market share: 70%
Hotel Occupancy: 60% -70%
Hotel full occupancy: 110guests /36 rooms
Total guests/day: 77
Prices/guest/night:
- Include breakfast: 100CHF (25%)
- Include 3 meals: 140CHF (5%)
- Include breakfast + spa packages: 135CHF (70%)
Average guest rate: 126.6 CHF
Variable costs/ guest: 40% price – 51CHF
Expenses for renovation + operating costs
Breakeven points = Total costs / (126.6 – 51) = 75,616 guests
Time to breakeven = 75,616/ (77 x 30 days) = 32.73 months
We will make profit in the middle of Year 3.
We will open for 30 days/month because we want to break even.
Financial plan for 5years
Budget Plan
General construction 20%: we only need to break some wall to enlarge our rooms. Don’t need to build from the beginning.
FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) 47%: we need most of the budget in here because the new facilities need to be added both in rooms and public areas.
Development Costs 16%: the entire layout (interiors, lighting, etc) and the insurances and permits fee
Reopening + Marketing 2%
Labour costs 15%
Stages of development
Operational Criteria
Entrance, Forecourt/Unloading
- The hotel access, road, or city street in city locations should provide an easy access and drop off/pick up by taxis, cars and buses and other forms of Public Transport.
- The canopy or porte-cochere should be high enough for coach access [min 5m net clearance] preferable:
- Ideally, the most visible approach façade will feature the hotel logo
- Directional signage to the hotel in the local area should exist wherever possible.
Front desk
- The hotel buildings main entrance lobby shall present an open vista and image of the appropriate quality and style to reinforce the Brand’s Personality.
- Guests and visitors shall have an immediate view of the bar, feature lobby seating, the reception desk/s; Concierge desk should be clearly identifiable.
- Reception facilities should accommodate a minimum of three receptionist stations and provide sufficient space for individual and group check in/out.
- A dedicated Concierge Desk shall be located separate from the Reception desks
- Reception area seating units should be designed to maximize usage for individuals or groups.
- The rear wall to the reception should be designed as a feature Mont-blanc Palace brand hallmark.
Mont-blanc Palace Concierge Service
- A Mont Blanc Palace hotel will provide a dedicated Concierge Service that should be located in or off the lobby area and have high visibility.
- A dedicated Concierge store will be situated in an adjacent area with space for group luggage.
Bar
- The main bar is to be located so as to allow direct access into the lobby area. The Bar will act as a cocktail bar and also as an additional casual lounging area of the hotel.
- Seating capacity will be linked to the number of guest bedrooms and comprise a mix of bar stools and seating unit clusters
- Design to allow for front pouring/loading bar allowing for efficient Cocktails service.
- Flat screen TV’s shall be incorporated into the design so as to be out of sight when not in use.
Restaurant
The Restaurant will be a semi-formal and stylish full service facility to provide breakfast and all day dining located adjacent to the main bar and accessed from the lobby. The design shall take into account that food will be served to this area, so service stations and food delivery areas must be incorporated with minimum interference to the guest’s experience. Total seating capacity is delinked to a number of guest bedrooms to cater for people who do not intend to spend the night or enjoy some room rest.
Front Office and Administration
A self-contained ‘back-office’ is located at the reception desk. All the management areas are located, designed and furnished to meet the Health & Safety legislation, as well as permit development of a positive work atmosphere.
Public Toilets
The public toilets are availed for the F&B areas, as well as the events or meeting facilities. The size, the number, as well as locations of the public toilets have been linked to the person’s maximum persons expected at any given point where private toilets are not available.
Meeting and Event Room Areas
The function/event room also doubles up as the conference room and has a seating number that is dependent on size limitations. It also has a pre-function lobby area. A simple access way to the hotel is provided. The meeting room is to be fitted with optimal possible sound-proofing included in the design, especially partition walls in subdivided rooms. Additionally, the conference room has an integrated Audio-Visual facility (Huang 2003). Furniture, as well as an equipment storage room, is situated adjacent to the meeting room area. A hotel, as well as a canteen, is located adjacent to the conference room area. The meeting room is 100-150 theatre style. Additionally, the conference room is designed to feature daylight when appropriate.
Fitness and Wellness Area
A minimum Fitness and Leisure center has been included in the design of the center, and it is located adjacent to the fitness gym and the massage rooms.
Passenger and Service Lifts
The facility has x2 passenger lifts to provide conveniences for the passengers who have problems going up the stairs, as well as the persons with disabilities who may need these services. Similar lifts help staff in delivery of the room service. The Service lift x1 is for the staff member’s access, and it is not within the guest’s sight.
Kitchen
The Bar/Restaurant facility is provided with access to kitchens in order to enable direct service. For kitchen serving areas of different floor, the staff elevator assists in service.
Staff kitchen and Dining Area
This is provided for the staff members and located in the ground floor, it is easily accessible to all staff without entering the main kitchens dedicated to guests.
Staff Changing Facilities
Located on the first floor, this area is hidden from guest’s view and consists of lockers, benches, staff toilets, showers, washbasins, and electric hair and hand dryers and has separate facilities with regard to male and female staff.
Receiving/Good Inwards Area
Located at the based, this area has sufficient space for unloading a delivery vehicle, an empty bottle store, a refuse storage area, receptacles suiting local refuse disposal methods, as well as water supply. Additionally, there is a security/receivers office adjacent to delivery yard and staff entrance.
Car Parking
A convenient access to the car park is provided, which allows a direct internal access to the facility via a designate entrance.
Housekeeping
Hotel Planning
- Guest Room Floor Planning (Confirm Claudia)
- Guest Room and Suit
The hotel provides three styles of the room size, like: single room, double standard room and suit room. They all meet the three star hotel standard of Swiss Association Construction. All the facilities installed in each style room will meet the guests’ need and demand.
- Food and Beverage outlet.
We provide two different styles of restaurants. One is a buffet restaurant – Regala, which serves breakfast and lunch for guests. It is located on 1st floor. The guests will have more choices with diversities of food with cheaper price and high qualities of meal. Regala restaurant also provides Coffee Bean which serves snacks and many choice of drinks 24/7. However, the customers should serve for themselves. Another restaurant of a higher quality and more formal service and special food is an Italian restaurant. It is placed on 2nd floor. We will invite Italian chef to bring guest into real Italian atmosphere. The lounge bar will be located on 2nd Floor as well.
- Public Area (I’m not clear about that)
- Two elevators – one should be next to the reception, to carry the guests’ luggage,
- Front desk is opposite to the entrance, so the guests are welcome immediately by bell man and the receptionist.
- Provide some seating place next to the reception and entrance.
- Recreational facilities
All of recreational facilities will be located on the second and third floor. This will be easier and more comfortable to create the revenue and more convenient for guests to enjoy our services. The swimming pool and the fitness center will be placed on the 2nd floor, then the spa (sauna, Jacuzzi, massage club) will be located on the 3rd floor which is connected by stair way to the 2nd floor. This makes all guests feel more convenient to move from swimming pool and fitness center to spa and massage place.
- Administration
We decided to arrange most of the management offices on the Ground Floor, such as: Accounting office, Marketing and Sale department and Executive office. This floor is quite large and convenient for all the staffs working together. All the offices on the Ground Floor are tended to be build as an open office. This will help staff members feel more flexible, and help improve the productivities of the staffs as well. However, other important offices like Front Office, Service Office and Chef Office are going to be located near to their business. For example: Front Office will be located near to the reception on the 3rd floor, and Service Office and Chef Office will be placed on the 1st floor. This provides the office workers with the possibility to control their business and solve their problems faster.
Construction &Engineering Criteria
Building materials
The wellness Spa space is constructed from natural building material (wood, stones, and canvas, as well as myriad ethnic furnishings. Leathers will give the hotel a charmed and elegant atmosphere. The Guest rooms have a built-in floor-to-ceiling armoire that has a safe, 10’ ceilings, as well as floor-to-cell-windows.
The restaurant’s wall paneling is constructed using ultra-efficient materials, as well as the latest construction technology. The exterior walls are constructed using a variety of materials including timber, concrete and steel. The structure must be able to offer support for the higher floor and also provide protection from bad weather.
The Windows and Doors: window glass and seal (as glazing); 2 types of window glass: single-glazed windows and double-glazed windows. The multiple glazing is chosen because it provides better temperature and noise insulation, tinted glass is used to reflect heat and maintain a cooler temperature in building in summer and warmer in winter (for all window in balcony, and corridor).
There are revolving doors, mostly glass with wood in order to reduce the air entering the building. A hinged door having automatic closer and exit hardware is installed next to resolving door for emergency exit purposes, e. g. fire safety. The doors for guestroom use a key card system. The carpet reduces noise, and keeps floor and rooms warm. The carpets used are red, nylon; it stands up high traffic better and lasts longer. More than a single elevator is required near the Marketplace.
Engineering systems
The temperature/the weather in Leysin- use multi-pipes centralizes heating system for 5 floors in hotel. Water-flow system is placed on the 2nd floor, it helps avoid make noise and condensation of water. Fire alarm and smoke detectors have to be set up in every guest rooms. Electronic control system is put on the 1st floor, providing energy supply and backup electricity for the entire hotel anytime. The Internet system is also installed working smoothly (special programs keep information safe). Everything is made in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. The architect and building contractor need to discuss and plan through the ADA to avoid mistakes at the facility completion of
Hotel Space Allocation
the Guest Rooms: Single Room, Double Room, Suit Room and Big Suit Room.
F&B Facilities: Olive Garden Italian Restaurant, Brasserie Buffet Restaurant and Jazzi Lounge Bar.
Administration Office & Back Office: Executive Office, Accounting Office, HR Office, Front Office, Chef Office, Service Office, staff Canteen.
Recreational Area: Spa (Sauna, Jacuzzi, Massage room), Fitness Centre.
Public Area: Lobby, Elevators, stair
Single Room:
Double Room:
Suit Room:
Preliminary Schedule
Security and Guest Safety
The emphasis on security and guest safety will be an important feature of the facility. Electronic key card locking systems for all bedrooms are provided in addition to a secondary lock for all the bedroom doors. Additionally, there provision for a closed circuit television security in chose areas within the facility premises, both in the guest, as well as the back-of-house areas.
Fire outbreak is treated as a major security concern and as such, a design expects a lot to be invested in fire prevention, detection where it occurs, notification of the existence of the fire, suppressing the fire and controlling its effects. Among the security gadgets included in the sign, there are the smoke alarm system which is located in every room, corridor, as well as the public areas. Similarly, heat detectors are assigned to every corridor and public place. Corridors and public spaces are also provided with the fire button, fire extinguisher, as well as a sprinkler system highlighted heat signals are included alongside several emergency exist.
Additional safety inclusions include:
- 1 medicine cabinet/room; 1/public areas
- Fire Evacuation plan +Floor map in room/ pubic areas
- More than a single entrance doors in pubic area
- Perform on site fire safety inspections: 1 time/month
- Make use of single station smoke detectors
Environmental and Sustainability Issues
In the world where corporate social responsibilities is a critical issues, as well as the need for promotion of sustainable development, environmental, as well as sustainability issues are taken into consideration. These include flexibility of the facility design to accommodate divergent cultures without conflict. The design strives not to undermine any culture. The setting of the facility is also targeted at ensuring that natural resources within its proximity are preserved.
Water management is also done via the elaborate water flow systems which have been designed to ensure no wastage, and minimize water waste, water efficient toilets are adopted and cleaning is dome on a regular basis.
Energy conservation is also stressed. Compact fluorescent spotlights, as well as energy-saving light bulbs are used in the facility in addition to the energy efficient refrigerators. Excess heat energy from the kitchen is also directed towards heating the water for use within the facility, rather than fully relying on electricity for hot water heating. Additionally, motion sensors are used in offices and corridors to manage use of lighting energy.
Waste Management is also undertaken. Papers, cardboards, and newspapers are recycled when possible. Additionally, wastes are collected, managed and what can be recycled is recycled. Additionally, office wastes are minimized. Biodiversity is also promoted by encouraging use of eco-friendly products and planting of trees within the environment as a conservation measure.
Conclusion
The facilities are built around the hotel rooms, the indoor facilities, as well as the outdoor facilities. A total of 26, including 9 single rooms, 17 double rooms, 5 suites, 5 big suites are included in the facility design. However, there are many other non-room facilities meant to ensure smooth operation of this facility. The target market consists of the Leysin inhabitants, as well as visitors to the areas. No specific age groups or gender groups are targeted by the facility; rather it offers an all-round service to all age groups.
References
Baker, K 2000, Project Evaluation and Feasibility Analysis (2000), Hospitality Press, Melbourne.
Garcia, AD, Smith, MG 2008, Facility Planning and Design. Pearson International Edition, Prentice Hall, New York.
Huang, H 2003, Facility layout using layout modules, Ph.D. Thesis, The Ohio State University.
Leysin 2011, Leysin presentation. Web.
Appendices: Floor layouts
