Why Model Rooms Matter: Where Vision Meets Reality
A model room is more than a prototype. It’s the ultimate test kitchen for hospitality design—where stakeholders experience the guestroom in full scale and real materiality. From lighting to flow to finish durability, it’s a chance to evaluate what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to be adjusted before rolling out across dozens—or hundreds—of rooms.
At Gettys, this process begins with a Model Room Workshop, where we align aesthetic direction, brand goals, and performance expectations. We use visualization tools to streamline alignment across client, brand, procurement, and design teams—before the build begins.
The Gettys Model Room Process
Our model room process is defined by rigor, foresight, and collaboration.
We don’t just stage a space—we interrogate every detail. Lighting controls, linens, and terry. Where a guest might charge their phone. How a bottle of water rests on the nightstand. Every card, hook, and surface is reviewed, tested, and optimized to enhance the guest experience.
Rooms are fully dressed and placed in a true “at rest” condition—exactly how they would be presented at opening—so stakeholders can experience the space as a guest would.
But what truly sets us apart is how we leverage the model room review to create long-term value. We use the time to explore alternatives and pricing options, test and compare vendors, and align design decisions with procurement strategies. This early collaboration between our design and procurement teams ensures a more seamless rollout across all room types.
The Documentation Advantage
Our team develops detailed design documentation—including finish palettes, shop drawings, and elevations—based on the model room. This ensures accuracy and consistency across all guest rooms as the project scales.
The Procurement Perspective
The model room isn’t just about look and feel—it’s where FF&E sourcing decisions are tested and finalized. We collaborate closely with vendors to evaluate lead times, durability, pricing, and install feasibility. That way, procurement strategies are informed by real-world performance—not assumptions.
Together, these steps create a model room process that is not only creative but also deeply practical—helping bridge the gap between design intent and project execution.
The Benefits of a Rigorous Process
- Stakeholder Alignment
Model rooms serve as a shared reference point, enabling faster decision-making and greater confidence across all teams.
- Issue Detection
What looks great in a rendering may not perform in real life. The model room allows teams to catch costly design missteps—before they scale.
- Operational Feedback
Inviting operations, housekeeping, and engineering into the review yields insights that improve cleaning ease, storage logic, and long-term maintenance.
- Brand Storytelling in Practice
The model room ensures the brand promise is felt—not just seen. It helps validate that the emotional and sensory experience aligns with the intended guest journey.
Balancing Cost with Value
In today’s market, the price tag of a model room—often $300K to $500K—can feel daunting. Yet when measured against the potential cost of reworking dozens of guest rooms after construction, the value becomes clear. A model room is not an added expense; it’s a form of insurance, protecting the project from costly misalignment.
The process can also be tailored. Partial prototypes, such as bathroom modules or key furniture groupings, allow teams to test critical touchpoints at lower cost. High-fidelity visualization tools, including VR walk-throughs, can streamline early approvals and reduce redesigns. And in some cases, one model room can serve multiple products—such as a hotel and vacation club—with slight adjustments.
Time and again, our clients tell us the same thing: “We caught it just in time.” Whether it’s a finish that doesn’t perform, lighting that feels off, or a spatial detail that doesn’t flow, the model room provides the opportunity to make corrections before it’s too late.
Conclusion: Real Value, Real Results
In this market, there’s little room for error—and even less room for expensive rework. That’s why model rooms remain one of the smartest investments in hospitality development today.
They align teams. Catch mistakes. Clarify the guest experience. And help ensure that what gets built truly delivers on the brand’s promise.
At Gettys, we go the extra mile to ensure the model room adds maximum value—from strategy to storytelling, from sourcing to execution. Because when the stakes are high, the room you build first is the one that matters most.
