Developing a hotel on or adjacent to campus is becoming more prevalent across colleges and universities. The steady draw of people has proven to be a consistent driver for occupancy.

These locations have unique challenges and opportunities, so be mindful of the positives and perils of developing a campus hotel.

Campus hotel guests can vary dramatically depending on the day. This makes the designer’s job much more difficult. Frequent guests can include:

• Prospective students and their parents: These guests would prefer adjoining rooms or rooms with two beds. They are one-night visitors, who tend to be interested in campus events and are frequently coming and going from the hotel. These guests are typically looking for a quick breakfast or lunch and may be looking for a casual dinner experience.
  
• Visiting university sports teams: Teams playing night games on campus are looking for player rooms, which typically sleep two to four players per room. The teams want group meals and some meeting space for scouting reviews, game planning, etc. Cost is a frequent concern for these teams.
  
• Alumni: Alumni are frequent visitors who come in for alumni activities and athletics. These guests use the hotel bars and food-and-beverage outlets for group events that are usually planned in advance so hotels can prepare for additional staff. Typically, alumni travel in groups and are used to business-quality accommodations for their one- to two-night stays.
  
• Weddings: Some campus chapels are in high demand for alumni weddings. The hotel can accommodate wedding reception dinners, post-wedding receptions, bridal suites and wedding guest rooms. These guests typically prefer adjoining rooms or rooms with two beds, and are one-night visitors interested in socializing with other wedding guests within the hotel.

Who owns the hotel can play a role in how you approach the development. Consider the following in regard to ownership stakeholders:

• The university (as the owner): When a university team is leading the hotel design, its goals are typically different than a hotel developer. The primary focus is the image of the university. Several universities we have worked with want a campus hotel specifically because when they have dealt with “near campus” hotels, that hotel's goals have not meshed with the university's goals.
  
• A branded property: When a hotel brand is driving the design of a property, it is important to consider the campus character and not allow the hotel brand hallmarks to overshadow the campus building style. Owners should study waiver options for appropriate requirements. Remember too that hotel guests won't all be affiliated with the university.
  
• A campus specialist developer: The campus specialist is very aware of the challenges of the diverse guest and managing the conflicts between profit and campus priorities. While they will not provide a campus-controlled guest experience, they are frequently better equipped to deal with hotel guest management than a campus-focused team.
  
• A local (alumni) developer who is not a hotel specialist: Local developers can bring the local flavor and connections to the property. A third-party hotel management company may be needed to help them with what they don’t know about hotels.

Even more than a conventional hotel, a campus hotel needs spaces that are flexible, like meeting rooms that can serve as additional lobby seating or a breakfast area when occupancy is high. The diverse demands on both public space and guest rooms require an experienced design team that knows how to be creative and efficient at the same time.

Don't forget the spaces that can be operated as needed (occasionally, by demand). The flexibility discussed above can only go so far; the hotel's design also needs to allow spaces to be dark without negatively affecting the guest experience. This can be achieved by lighting, oversized doors and placing spaces on different levels.

Consider interaction with campus spaces for overflow meetings, food-and-beverage outlets, fitness centers and other amenities. In order for this to work, the campus hotel must be close enough to the campus itself, but it can be a way to provide occasional-use amenities to guests without shouldering the costs of building and maintenance yourself.

Do not scale your hotel for the peak day (i.e., building the hotel for graduation day). Campus guest demands swing dramatically depending on which functions are occurring at or near campus. Campus hotels should not be sized to handle graduation crowds or football/basketball crowds.

Guest parking is a critical component to consider, because many campuses have limited parking. Remember too that it can be difficult to reserve parking solely for the hotel guest.

Hire a branding specialist. Marketing the property and its connection to campus is key. A branding specialist can help the hotel with the website, uniforms and creating Instagram moments, all without being too kitschy.

Select hospitality specialists for architect and interior designer. Hotel design and university design are different. An experienced design team will understand the relationships of front-of-house and back-of-house spaces to allow the best service experience, which leads to a better guest experience.

Be aware that working on campus may come along with certain requirements, such as working with women/minority business enterprises. When creating a project budget, it is critical that the estimating team understand any additional considerations added to the typical budget. Many universities require that everything be procured through the university procurement system, and many public entities require minority participation in both design and construction.

Having a hotel on a college or university campus can be a tremendous asset to add value to the college and its activities. Understanding and preparing for the potential challenges in developing a campus hotel can lead to a successful project that is enjoyed by all guests as well as the bottom line.

Warren G. Feldman, AIA, ISHC is Chief Executive Officer of Nehmer, a leading architecture, interior design, and project management firm specializing in the hospitality industry.

The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hotel News Now or CoStar Group and its affiliated companies. Bloggers published on this site are given the freedom to express views that may be controversial, but our goal is to provoke thought and constructive discussion within our reader community. Please feel free to contact an editor with any questions or concern.

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