New hotel furniture could be a wise investment in early 2015, with figures already showing positive growth in bottom-line earnings for hotels in general throughout the UK.
According to data from HotStats, several regions have achieved double-digit growth in their average rate per available room - and this has been done not only by an increase in the amount paid per occupied room, but also by improvements in overall occupancy percentages.
HotStats reports that the East Midlands has performed the best, with a 4.6 percentage point increase in occupancy in January 2015, to see 55.3% of rooms occupied; a 5.8% increase in average room rate to £63.97; and combining these, a 15.4% increase in rooms revenue per available room at £35.36.
In England's largest cities the picture is more mixed - Liverpool performed well, achieving increases in occupancy that more than made up for lower room pricing, while in London although top-line performance improved, this came at the expense of reduced bottom-line earnings due to more competitive pricing.
HotStats adds that other costs came under scrutiny too, with hoteliers across the board reducing their payroll by 2.2 percentage points, taking it to 38.0% and boosting departmental operating profit as a consequence.
But hotel furniture is one area that should not be scrimped on; it is a customer-facing part of the operation, helps to add to the all-important ambiance of your premises, and serves as visual evidence of why your room rates are charged at any particular level due to the quality of your furnishings.
With 2015 beginning well for many hoteliers throughout the British regions, and building on several preceding months of positive growth, there may be a little more spare cash to spend - especially for those who were able to capitalise on the pre-Christmas rush.
Putting some of this extra capital towards new hotel furniture can help you to bring tired rooms up to date, or create an even better first impression in your reception, dining room and other communal areas.
In so doing, you may find you are able to continue the upward trend in occupancy rates, without having to resort to overly competitive pricing in the meantime.