What you need to know about the inspection

The inspection process starts when the inspector arrives at the property. They will look at the exterior appearance to make sure the paintwork is in good order and that the car-parking areas, paths and grounds are well-maintained and safe.

Your establishment should be of substantial and durable construction, structurally safe, in good repair throughout and of suitable design. It should be in good decorative order and kept clean and well maintained throughout the property.

The hotel must also have proper lighting and have means of space heating capable of maintaining room temperatures of at least 18.5 degree celsius.

Bedrooms and public areas must have an effective system for communicating with the management or staff.

Consider provision of parking with due regard to neighbours, traffic regulations and the fact that guests will not wish to carry baggage for long distances.

This should be adequate for the reception of the number of guests. It must be well laid out and contain good quality furnishings, fittings and equipment and afford easy access to the public areas and bedrooms.

Your Tourism NI Certificate and scale of charges for accommodation must be prominently displayed, easily seen by visitors before, or immediately after, they enter. Where food other than breakfast and evening meals are provided, these meals should be identified and the charge shown.

If your rates vary seasonally, or if there is any condition to be satisfied (e.g. age eligibility for children’s rates), or any other charges not included in the rate, then these must be displayed. All charges should be inclusive of VAT, where applicable.

A selection of current leaflets, brochures, maps and other literature relating to your locality should be available.

As well as the name, address and dates of arrival/departure, you are legally required to record each visitor’s nationality.

Providers are encouraged to direct guests to online review sites or Social Media platforms to post a review of their experience. Customer reviews can highlight positive experiences; verified tips and useful observations. Generating positive feedback may influence potential customers when researching or booking accommodation.

Any hotel rules you wish to be observed or any other information which would be of interest to guests/potential guests e.g. WIFI code, should be brought to the guests’ attention at the earliest opportunity. It is also a good idea to check guests’ requirements at this time as some people may suffer from allergies (i.e. pets, nuts etc.). A guest information folder is a useful way to relay information and can be provided on guests’ arrival.

The dining area must be sufficiently large to cater for the number of guests who may reasonably be expected to use it at any one time. It must also have sufficient cutlery, condiments, trays, napkins and good quality crockery for the number of diners who may be expected to use it at any one time.

This area must have solid tables, completely covered with a clean tablecloth, or surfaced with polished hardwood or veneer and comfortable, strong seats including high chairs (or suitably adapted chairs) for children.

The ventilation must eliminate cooking smells from the kitchen. There must be carpeting or other suitable flooring and the area should be clean and in good decorative order.

The dining area of an establishment which provides sleeping accommodation for the number of bedrooms mentioned in column 1 of the table below shall provide a dining area which has a floor area not less than that specified opposite thereto in column 2.

The kitchen and associated service areas should be adjacent to or accessible from the dining area. It should contain facilities, equipment and fittings which are of good quality and condition, constructed of easily cleaned materials and adequate for the storage, refrigeration, preparation, cooking and service of food for the number of visitors and the storage and cleaning of all utensils. The kitchen must be adequately ventilated and be such that doorways and passageways used by staff to serve food to customers in the dining area are separate from the means of access to that area normally used by diners.

Provision should to be made for the speedy disposal of waste into bins or other suitable containers which are regularly emptied.

Rooms must be numbered, lettered or otherwise designated to identify them easily, should be properly constructed and have suitably sound resistant walls or partitions, floors and ceilings. Each bedroom should have separate access from a corridor or another bedroom, and contain two locking devices from within and a single locking device from without on any door opening onto a corridor.

Rooms must have a floor area (excluding any square en-suite bathroom) of not less than 7.50 square metres for single rooms, and not less than 13.00 square metres for double rooms. Rooms without an en-suite bathroom must have access to toilets and bathrooms via corridors which are closed off from public areas by a door or screen. The establishment may provide bedrooms outside, but adjacent to, the main building and all bedrooms shall be en-suite.

The rooms must contain furniture, fittings and equipment, of good quality and condition, for sleeping and toilet purposes, and for the storage of visitors’ clothing. In general, these furnishings should include: beds, complete with interior sprung mattress; a supply of clean linen, blankets/duvet and pillows; loose or built-in units comprising wardrobe or cupboards, dressing table with mirror, and 6 drawer space for clothes; bedside chairs and tables; luggage racks, wastepaper baskets; carpet, or, if the floor surface is of a suitable design, a bedside rug and window curtains/blinds. The room should contain at least two electrical outlets suitable for the attachment of electrical equipment including heaters and cleaning equipment. A supply of clean linen, blankets or duvets, pillows and soap should also be provided.

The en-suite bathroom of a bedroom should contain a bath or shower, a WC and (unless one is already provided in the bedroom) a washbasin of good quality and in good condition and be fitted with a mirror wash light and accessories for holding toilet equipment. All bathrooms should have plumbing in good working order to ensure a continuous supply of hot and cold running water and the disposal of wastewater. They should also have an effective means of natural or mechanical ventilation. Bathrooms and toilets should be equipped with a mirror, towel rails, clothes hooks, bath mat, plus an ample supply of toilet requisites, including towels, soap and toilet paper.

Hot water should be available at all reasonable times; you should have a system of water heating which copes with peak demands.

Toilets must be provided separately for men and women and be adjacent to, or easily accessible from, the entrance hall or any of the public areas. The area must contain suitable WC units (in separate compartments and capable of being locked) and fixed wash hand basins which can provide a continuous supply of hot and cold running water, and dispose of waste water. Toilets must be equipped with mirrors, towel rails, clothes hooks and a clean and ample supply of toilet requisites (including both towels and hand drying facilities, soap, toilet paper, 7 sanitary disposal bins and other necessary accessories). Toilets must be well ventilated (by direct or mechanical means), be kept in a clean and hygienic condition and be under proper supervision.

In the case of an establishment which provides sleeping accommodation for the number of bedrooms mentioned in column 1 of the table to this sub-paragraph the toilets provided for men shall contain the sanitary fittings specified opposite thereto in column 2 and the toilets provided for women shall contain the sanitary fittings opposite thereto in column 3:

Your establishment must provide basic first aid equipment.

Those employed in the management of the establishment shall be trained and experienced in hotel management and operate a routine which provides regular and direct supervision of all persons employed in the hotel. The establishment shall be staffed by persons neat and clean in their appearance and adequate in number and training to maintain appropriate standards of service for visitors at all times.

There shall be staff facilities provided which may be located separately from the kitchen area and, if appropriate, outside but adjacent to the main building. Staff facilities shall include adequate toilets with hand washing facilities, changing areas with locker provision and a combined lounge and dining area.

High expectations among your customers will require staff to provide levels of service and attention appropriate to a modern hotel establishment. The statutory criteria relating to the need for management to be ‘trained and experienced in management of a hotel establishment’ may not be strictly enforced, at the Board’s discretion, as an encouragement to new start-ups. However, staff should make every effort to undertake training courses and gain experience as soon as possible.