Many of the problems that hotels face in the summertime often begin months earlier. What starts out as a seemingly minor issue, like a clogged drain or a dirty air filter, can quickly turn into a negative guest experience or a costly repair during peak visitor season.
Before entering your busy summer season, cross these seven tasks off your property’s springtime to-do list.
1. Seal Entry Points to Prevent Pests
As the weather warms up, pests, rodents, and other unwanted guests begin searching for food, water, and shelter, and often find all three in hotels. Common entry points are through insufficient door weather stripping, fine cracks and crevices, and openings near utility lines and plumbing. Regularly inspecting your property for even the tiniest gaps or openings can keep these pests out of your property and away from your guests.
2. Replace Air Filters to Avoid Overworked HVAC Systems
Dirty air filters make rooms feel stuffy and increase dust. More than that, dirty air filters drive HVAC systems to work harder than they should, leading to premature burnout and costly repairs. To prevent this, replace all air filters, inspect for moisture, clean air vents, and test thermostats as part of your regular spring maintenance routine. Don't forget to check vacant or out-of-order rooms as these spaces often go months without occupancy and can accumulate more dust and stale air than regularly occupied rooms.
3. Train Staff to Spot Bed Bugs Early
Summer travel means more guests, more luggage, and a higher chance of bed bugs entering your hotel. Before peak season, make sure housekeeping and maintenance staff know exactly what to look for and what steps to take if they find signs of bed bugs. Remember: bed bugs aren't limited to just the bed, so make sure your staff is thoroughly inspecting all areas of the room, including headboards and bed frames, upholstered furniture, the mattress and box springs, and dresser drawers.
4. Reduce Dust Mites and Hidden Allergens
A room can appear spotless yet still trigger allergies in some guests. That's because common allergens like dust mites, mold, and pet dander can linger in the room, hiding in the carpet, curtains, mattresses, and even the HVAC system. Spring is the perfect time to steam-clean carpets, mattresses and upholstered furniture in addition to deep cleaning bedding and pillows to improve overall comfort for guests and reduce the number of hidden allergens.
5. Air Out Rooms That Have Been Closed All Winter
Vacant rooms can develop stale or musty odors after months of limited airflow and activity. That smell is often an early warning sign of a leak, poor ventilation, or excess moisture. Before reopening these rooms to guests, run HVAC systems for several hours to restore proper airflow, open windows whenever possible to bring in fresh air, and check for excess moisture near windows, behind furniture, and under sinks.
6. Inspect Bathrooms for Small Leaks and Mildew
Small plumbing issues can quickly turn into major repairs once occupancy increases. Fixing them now is far easier-and far less expensive-than reducing room counts during peak season. When inspecting bathrooms, check for cracked caulking, poor ventilation or faulty exhaust fans, and early signs of mildew or water damage.
7. Create a Spring Prep Calendar—And Follow It
One of the biggest mistakes hotels can make is waiting until late spring to do everything at once, but a little planning now can save time, money, and stress later. The best approach is to split up tasks and spread them out over the spring months. Create a calendar that outlines what needs to be completed each month so you have a clear visual timeline and enough time to address issues before summer arrives.
Completing these tasks in spring keeps rooms ready, guests comfortable, and your hotel running smoothly all summer long. With Guest Supply as your partner, you'll have all the products, tools, and resources you need to make your spring prep easier and more efficient.
