Start from the contractor's room sequence
The move plan follows the renovation schedule, not the other way round. Before anything moves, get the order in which the contractor needs rooms and floors handed over, and the date each floor comes back finished.
From that we plan two flows: old FF&E coming out of each room ahead of the trades, and new FF&E going in once each floor is done.
- Room and floor handover dates from the contractor
- Which rooms stay in service during each phase
- Where new FF&E deliveries arrive, and when
Label every piece to a room number
Every piece gets the number of the room it belongs in. The crew then places furniture straight into the right room instead of sorting it in the corridor, which is where hotel moves lose time.
Decide where the old FF&E goes
Old furniture leaves to one of three places: storage, the disposal or recycling route you choose, or a donation pickup. Deciding this per item type before the first room is cleared keeps old pieces from piling up on a floor that the trades need empty.
Storage between phases
For openings and phased renovations, deliveries often arrive before the rooms are ready. New furniture can wait in climate-controlled storage and come out floor by floor as rooms are handed over.
Working while the hotel stays open
Most renovations happen with guests in the building. Agree the route with your team before the first day.
- Service-elevator and loading-dock schedule agreed in advance
- Quiet hours for the floors that stay in service
- Corridors and floors protected along the route
- Crews briefed on guest areas
Check the accessible guest rooms after placement
New furniture in a guest room with mobility features has to leave the required clear space. Under the 2010 ADA Standards, at least one sleeping area in those rooms must have a clear floor space of at least 30 by 48 inches on both sides of a bed, positioned for a parallel approach. A larger headboard or nightstand can take that space away, so check those rooms against the room plan after placement.
What is usually in scope
- Guest-room furniture: beds, headboards, dressers, desks, chairs, nightstands
- Lobby, restaurant and meeting-room furniture
- Fixtures, artwork and mirrors, crated where needed
- Back-of-house furniture and equipment
Quick answers
What does FF&E mean in a hotel?
Furniture, fixtures and equipment: the movable furnishings of a hotel, from beds and dressers to lobby furniture and artwork.
Can the FF&E move happen while the hotel is open?
Yes. Routes, service elevators, dock times and quiet hours are agreed with the hotel team in advance so guests are not disturbed.
Where does new furniture go if rooms are not ready?
Into climate-controlled storage, then out floor by floor as rooms are handed over.
What clear space does an accessible guest room need around the bed?
Under the 2010 ADA Standards, at least one sleeping area in a guest room with mobility features needs a clear floor space of at least 30 by 48 inches on both sides of a bed, positioned for a parallel approach.