Hotel Air Conditioning

Yes, absolutely! Many UK hotel owners fall into the trap of thinking that they don’t need climate control, because we don’t live in a hot country. However, UK hotels are often underprepared for hot weather, leaving their guests stifled in stuffy rooms over the summer months. This is particularly the case in high-rise hotel buildings, where windows don’t open very much or in older buildings, which tend to be more poorly insulated, resulting in too much heat retention. It’s also important to remember that hotel air conditioning is not just for hot weather. Modern-day aircon systems also complete the cooling process in reverse, allowing them to supply a constant stream of hot air during colder weather. This makes them far more effective at heating your building during the winter than traditional central heating systems. They also tend to consume less energy, reducing both your heating bills and your carbon footprint. Finally, hotel air-conditioning systems also serve to purify the air and dehumidify, making for a more pleasant environment all around. Your guests will be able to breathe cleaner, allergen-free air and you’ll no longer have to worry about pesky problems like mould and mildew – both of which commonly plague hotels in the UK. Air-conditioned hotels get far better ratings than hotels without air conditioning, which is why we highly recommend investing in high-quality air-conditioning units for your hotel rooms, as well as signing up for our hotel air-conditioning installation and repairs.

The way in which your hotel aircon systems operate will ultimately depend on the type of units you install. At MAC, we supply both large and small units and it’s important to choose the right size for each room. You’ll also want to think about temperature control. For instance, guests are likely to want individual temperature control in their private rooms, but you will want to keep control over common areas like dining rooms, kitchens and conference halls. Certain systems allow multi-room temperature control with different conditions in each room, whilst other types of system provide uniform temperature throughout. Use our handy online pricing calculator or speak to our expert team to find the right kind of hotel air-conditioning system for you.

Hotels often use both air conditioning and ventilation systems to enhance air quality and allow for greater temperature control, although they are similar they are not quite the same thing. Air conditioning systems purify and circulate existing air within an enclosed area whilst providing heating and cooling effects, but they do not draw upon air from outside. Ventilation systems on the other hand directly pull air from outside and into the building with the intention of creating a steady stream of fresh air throughout the building.

Not usually, no. Provided that you are not making any significant changes to your building structure, you should be able to proceed with your installation without any specific permits. Having said that, there are a few exceptions in the UK. For instance, if you operate in a listed building or a property that’s located in a conservation area, you will need to contact your local planning authority. Likewise, it can be wise to contact the authorities for larger-scale installations prior to proceeding in any building, simply to avoid any unexpected issues further down the line. MAC can assist you with this as part of our installation process. In addition to considering planning, you may need to consider building regulations if offering hotel services in a shared or rented building managed by other parties. This is to ensure that the building owner remains fully compliant with all relevant fire-safety and energy-efficiency standards. Of course, with the modern systems supplied by MAC, compliance is never a problem.

Hotel air-conditioning systems have earned themselves a bad rep. However, if properly maintained and regularly cleaned, they are perfectly safe for your guests to use. That’s why we recommend taking advantage of the MAC maintenance plan, which includes regular checks and inspections. When run regularly and properly maintained, hotel aircon can actually reduce the likelihood of illness, as it serves to purify the air, reducing the number of potentially harmful particles circulating around. The only disease to be potentially wary of is Legionnaires’, but if your systems are run regularly, this shouldn’t be a problem. Legionnaires’ only affects AC and water systems that have been out of use for quite some time. Another thing to think about when it comes to hotel air conditioning is placement. Avoid placing your AC units too close to – or opposite – hotel beds or other areas where guests will be sitting directly underneath, as a constant stream of cold air could dry their throats or make them feel uncomfortable. The experts at MAC can advise on the best placement to ensure the benefits of your hotel aircon are never compromised.