Hotel Construction Technology Checklist

What you will receive

An HTML file to download and keep on your computer, with more than 200 technology items organised into the 24 categories below, from construction and renovation planning to project management and supplier coordination. For each item you set the requirement level, status and owner, add notes and track progress by category, with everything saved automatically in the browser you open the file in, without needing an internet connection. To keep a copy or continue on another computer, use "Download my data".

The quantities in this checklist are planning estimates for a reference hotel of around 30 rooms, not a final bill of materials. The final numbers of network points, cameras, racks and switches depend on your project's plans and on a specific RF and security design, and some tax requirements vary by Brazilian state and municipality. Use this guide so that whole categories of decisions are not forgotten early in the project, not as a final budget.

What the checklist covers

Construction and renovation planning

Architectural plans and supporting engineering designs as the basis for the IT design
A technology requirements schedule by space, and technical rooms sized while still on the plans
A predictive Wi-Fi heat map on the floor plans, before construction starts
An as-built survey and a construction phasing plan for renovations while the hotel stays open
Electrical load calculation (kVA/kW) for technology systems, to size panels, UPS and generator with the electrical design
Mobile signal coverage assessed in the built areas, with a repeater/DAS where the structure blocks carrier signal

Connectivity and network infrastructure

Primary business internet over fibre, with a secondary connection and automatic failover between providers
Certified Cat6A structured cabling, with a fibre backbone between the main IT room and the network closets
A dedicated IT room with cooling and protected power for critical equipment
A network segmented into VLANs: guest Wi-Fi, corporate, POS, CCTV and access control isolated from each other
Network access control (NAC) to limit what third-party and unmanaged devices can reach
Wi-Fi 6/6E access points sized by a professional RF design and survey, not by estimate
Wi-Fi capacity and performance requirements sized for user density and events, not just the Wi-Fi generation
A PoE power budget for the switches, adding up the draw of access points, cameras, phones and locks
An IP addressing plan and VLAN, DHCP and DNS scheme documented before installation
Network and payment connectivity for EV chargers, when the hotel offers them

Operations and payment systems

Selection of the PMS, and of the POS when the hotel runs a restaurant or bar, evaluated on features, integrations, security and cost before signing
PMS implemented with room types, rates, integrations and FNRH Digital (Brazil's national guest registration) configured
A responsive hotel website, with a direct booking engine connected to the PMS and an SSL certificate
Payment terminals with Pix, and PCI DSS scope defined and validated with the payment provider before implementation
Tax invoicing integration (NFC-e, NF-e or NFS-e) validated for the state and municipality of the operation
IP telephony at the front desk and back office, with a contingency procedure for outages
CRM and RMS integrated with the PMS, when the hotel uses guest relationship management and dynamic pricing
Spa and wellness system integration, when the hotel offers these services
A data migration plan for renovations, PMS changes or taking over an operating hotel

Guest room and guest technology

Commercial smart TVs with centralised management and wired network connections
Electronic guest room locks integrated with the PMS, with automatic credential issuing
Staff access control for technical areas, the IT room and the service entrance
Access event logging and audit, retained according to operational and security requirements
Dedicated Wi-Fi and audio-visual equipment for meeting rooms and events, where the hotel has that space
Occupancy-based room energy management, cutting or reducing HVAC by key card or occupancy sensor
A QR code digital menu and an in-room voice assistant, when the hotel offers these features
Lift integration with access control and the PMS, for VIP floors and access
ECAD licensing (Brazil's music rights body) for background music and TV content in guest rooms and public areas

Physical security and building systems

IP cameras and NVR sized by a security design, not a generic estimate
CCTV storage sized for the retention period the operation requires
Intrusion alarm and panic buttons assessed against the front desk's risk profile
Fire alarm integrated with the BMS, access control, lifts, CCTV, TVs and PMS
HVAC control integration and energy monitoring to reduce operating costs
Water leak detection in technical and higher-risk areas
A CMMS for work orders and preventive maintenance in building engineering

Corporate IT, cloud and cybersecurity

A formal joiner, mover and leaver access process, essential with high turnover and seasonal staff
MFA required for all staff, with a corporate password manager
Endpoint protection (EDR), disk encryption and patch management on every device
RTO and RPO defined for critical systems before sizing backup and contingency
Tested backups of the PMS, network configurations and critical data, with a disaster recovery plan
Backups protected against tampering or deletion, including by ransomware
A personal data inventory and a cybersecurity incident response plan documented from the start of the project
Asset inventory, network diagram and supplier register up to date at handover
Cyber insurance assessed as part of the incident response strategy

Project management and supplier coordination

Project charter, project plan, budget and RACI matrix defined before the first quote
Supplier selection with a documented technical and commercial evaluation, not on price alone
Supplier contracts and SLAs with responsibilities, response times and termination terms defined
A responsibility matrix across suppliers for every system, integration and point of failure
A map of integrations and dependencies between the PMS, POS, payments, CRM, channel manager, booking engine, locks and Wi-Fi
Formal commissioning of the network, CCTV, access control and PMS/POS integrations before go-live
Internet, UPS and generator failover tests carried out and documented before opening
User acceptance testing (UAT) with the front desk, housekeeping, F&B and finance before go-live
Post-opening support and warranty management formalised at project closure

Why this matters

The technology of a new hotel involves dozens of decisions that must be made before construction moves on: network points, spare conduits, the location of the IT room and network segmentation are neither easy nor cheap to fix once walls and slabs are finished. Defining these requirements late, or department by department without a single view, is one of the most frequent causes of rework in hotel projects: cables redone, walls reopened and systems that reach opening day without ever having been tested together.

This checklist exists to reduce that risk: a single list, by category, to take to your first meeting with architects, engineers and suppliers.

Who coordinates all this

The 200+ items above, across 24 categories, usually each go through a different supplier: internet provider, network integrator, and the PMS, lock, CCTV and Wi-Fi suppliers, among others. If your project is already under way and you need someone to lead these decisions and coordinate the suppliers through to handover, see how we help with new builds and renovations and hotel technology project management.