A hotel pool is a long-term investment. Before including one in the design, developers should check hotel pool requirements, expected guest use, and the full cost of building and operating it. The decision deserves the same attention as the room count, parking, and other major budget uses.
Separate Requirements From Assumptions
Confirm the hotel brand’s current pool requirements for your project. A pool shown in a prototype or included in a previous hotel does not, by itself, settle the decision.
If a pool is required, focus on its size, location, and cost. If it is optional, compare its expected guest value with other uses of the space and budget.
Test Whether Guests Value It
A pool’s value depends on the guests who will actually use it. Work with the operator to review guest feedback and, where available, pool use at comparable hotels. For an outdoor pool, consider how much of the year it will be useful.
Compare that value with other feasible uses of the space and budget, such as parking, outdoor seating, or additional guestrooms where the site and building layout allow.
Count the Full Cost
Hotel pool costs do not end at installation. The shell, deck, equipment, utility connections, and any added structural or waterproofing work all belong in the upfront budget. Indoor pools also need ventilation and humidity control.
Ask the operator to estimate annual costs for energy, water, chemicals, cleaning, staffing, and insurance. Budget separately for equipment replacement.
Developer check: Is the pool required? Who will use it? What will it cost to build and run?
BASE4: Plan the Pool Before It Shapes the Project
A pool should be a project decision, not a default assumption.
Why developers work with BASE4:
- In-house disciplines test site, structural, MEP, and interior impacts together.
- Hotel brand experience helps separate requirements from precedent.
- Cost-aware planning compares the pool against competing project priorities.
- Revit and 3D coordination test the impact before design locks.
- Early planning can preserve a future pool option without building it today.
Make the decision before the project starts designing around it.
Thank you,
Blair Hildahl
Blair@hotelsuniversity.com
608.304.5228