Opening a new hotel? Let us be the first to say congratulations! With leisure and business travel on the rise, the global hotel market is projected to surpass $526 billion by 2031 making now a prime time to launch. But how do you go from concept to welcoming your first guest?
A strong launch plan is essential. From day one, your hotel’s reputation begins to take shape and establish your place in the market. But getting to opening day takes coordination—and that’s where this step-by-step pre-opening checklist comes in. We’ve broken it down by team to help you stay organized and on track.
Key highlights:
Before jumping into execution, set expectations and define your vision for the property. Establishing your niche and identifying your ideal guest in advance will make sure every decision you make is guided by your end goal. Here are the steps to take before starting your checklists:
Once your positioning and leadership team are locked in, it’s time to set up each department to be a seamless, guest-ready operation. A structured pre-opening checklist helps you stay on track in every area of your hotel, from compliance and staffing to logistics and guest services.
Below, we’ve outlined key tasks by month and department to help your team make steady, coordinated progress toward opening day.
Your front office team sets the tone for every guest interaction from booking to checkout. They’re responsible for shaping the guest experience and influencing how your property is perceived, both on and off site.
As you build your front office pre-opening checklist, think about how to personalize the hotel guest experience without overloading your team. Research shows today’s travelers often prefer self-service tools during their stay, so it’s worth exploring tech-forward solutions like virtual self check-in and guest messaging to streamline communication and meet evolving expectations.
First impressions matter, and housekeeping and maintenance teams play a major role in shaping them. A clean, well-maintained property isn’t just nice to have; it’s essential for guest satisfaction and long-term success.
As you build your pre-opening checklist, focus on how your team will meet (and exceed) guest expectations for cleanliness and upkeep. From daily room refreshes to preventative maintenance, having clear protocols in place ensures consistency and reinforces your brand’s commitment to quality.
Whether you offer grab-and-go snacks or a full-service restaurant, food and beverage (F&B) can significantly boost revenue per occupied room—and play a defining role in the guest experience. When you nail it, you’re more likely to turn first-time visitors into repeat guests.
F&B should be integrated seamlessly across your hotel operations. Consider building food stations into your hotel lobby layout or equipping the concierge desk with room service menus to increase awareness and drive revenue. The goal: make it easy and enticing for guests to engage with your F&B offerings at every touchpoint.
Your IT team does more than manage essential hotel software tools — they directly shape guest-facing experiences. From mobile check-in to guest messaging, the right technology works to improve the hotel guest experience and streamline operations for your staff.
As part of your pre-opening plan, have IT and security teams lead the setup of platforms that personalize the guest journey while keeping data safe. Prioritize solutions that meet compliance standards and support seamless cross-departmental workflows.
Your sales and marketing team plays a crucial role in filling rooms and boosting guest spending. Lean on your leadership team’s market research to shape a pre-opening strategy that speaks directly to your ideal guests.
Build hotel marketing strategies that highlight your property’s strongest selling points—whether it’s standout amenities, location or F&B experiences—and map out when and where to promote them. The goal: generate buzz, drive early bookings and set the stage for long-term success.
Every hotel is unique, but the goal remains the same: deliver a standout guest experience that keeps people coming back. A detailed hotel opening checklist doesn’t just align your team—it equips each department with the tools they need to operate efficiently and exceed guest expectations from day one.
When you’re ready to launch with confidence, Canary Technologies is here to power every stage of the guest journey. Request a demo and see how we help hotels like yours drive revenue, boost efficiency and wow guests at every touchpoint.
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