Case
Renovated everything - with full of guests at the hotel
September 2025
Photo: Magnus Laupa
101 rooms renovated in less than a quarter - while the hotel was teeming with guests. How do you row such a project ashore? "It's all about planning," says Aram Mojarrad at Hotel Karlaplan in Stockholm.
Half the hotel was remodeled at a time
She sits comfortably back in Hotel Karlaplan’s stylish and quiet lobby in Östermalm. It’s hard to imagine the activity in that winter of 2023, when craftsmen and interior designers were working feverishly on the renovation.
“We chose to renovate and furnish with a new one, half the hotel at a time while the other half could be open to guests,” says Aram, who is deputy CEO of Vi Invest, the parent company behind Hotel Karlaplan and several other hotels in Stockholm.
The project ran from mid-December 2023 to the end of February 2024 with Resize Design as one of many suppliers. The actual idea was that the renovation would take place in 2020.
“But then the pandemic came and the plans had to be postponed,” says Aram.
Here she shares the project and the lessons learned.
Step 1: Make a project brief
– We start all our rebuilding or renovation projects with a proper description of needs: What do we want to achieve? What efforts need to be made? Which elements are prioritized and why?
– Who are our guests and what is their priority when choosing that particular hotel? Often, a comprehensive renovation is based on the feedback we receive from hotel guests.
However, needs change over time. An example is desks. Nowadays, you might rather sit in the armchair or bed and work, and then a side table is better suited than a traditional desk.”
“Another thing that is changing rapidly is the technical solutions that are available in the rooms. In a short time, an incredible amount can happen in areas such as wireless networks and TV technology, telephony and the like, where guests’ needs and requirements change.
“You also need to think about which customer segments you have and identify their needs. At this particular hotel, for example, we have many guests from the Armed Forces on weekdays and private travelers on weekends.
How do you budget a hotel renovation?
– Budgets start from 0 and up, we usually think. Other hotel chains may work in a different way or through set intervals with a budget set aside for the purpose.
– We set the ambition required for it to be really good, but of course financially advantageous, that is when we can negotiate the best products and efforts at a justifiable price and a good ROI over time.
Step 2: Choose the right partners
The management at Vi Invest is careful about which suppliers they choose for a collaboration.
“We look broadly, but we carefully choose the partners we want to move forward with. Everyone has their speciality and contributes with what they are best at, and we always take a long-term view of all collaborations.
– We do not always use an interior design agency or concept company, but there are many projects where we put the ideas ourselves and vision how we want to decorate/renovate
Already in 2017, they came into contact with Resize Design for the extensive reconstruction of Hotel Gamla Stan.
– Viktor, who is the founder of Resize Design, had a great drive and commitment to want to be part of the project. He came up with many nice suggestions and reworking of the concept until we landed together on a final concept and a final quote.
It was probably something of a challenge for Resize in that project, they had to stick to a certain style and tight budget, but they were always incredibly meticulous and responsive to how we as a client ultimately wanted it and never gave up.
Aram says that once they find a supplier or partner who understands and is responsive to their needs, they are happy to develop the relationship over time.
Step 3: Brief each supplier
Each supplier needs to get their own brief at an early stage. Resize Design was awarded the assignment for all interior design throughout the hotel, but also the coordination with the builders and others involved in the project
“We already had a clear picture of how the rooms would be decorated and what feeling would be conveyed. A clean, timeless but modern concept with stable and functional furniture in sustainable materials, easy to clean and maintain over time,” says Aram.
– The colour scheme and materials had to have a warm and greige appearance and to some extent an Iberian style.
Aram also emphasizes sustainability.
– You usually expect a lifespan of surface layers to about 10 years, but of course you should have continuous maintenance. Bathrooms live longer. Furniture should also be designed to last for 7-10 years, but in practice the lifespan has been lowered and the replacement takes place faster as you need to meet the guests’ needs, which also change significantly more often nowadays.
Step 4: Create an action list and schedule
If you are going to renovate in a short time with minimal impact on guests and revenue, it is important to choose the right measures.
For Hotel Karlaplan, the following was in focus:
- Surface layer – repaint walls, sand and repaint all wooden floors, repaint all doors, rebuild the lobby and reception, and new furnishings. The hotel would take on a new shape but still retain its turn-of-the-century charm.
- The rooms: Replace all furniture and redecorate. Everything was emptied, surfaces were renovated and redecorated.
- Other areas: Corridors, elevators and stairwells are being renovated, a gym could be added and housed on the lower floor.
Step 5: Implementation
Although Vi Invest has extensive experience from hotel projects such as the new construction project AC by Marriott Stockholm Ulriksdal, the project at Karlaplan was something of a challenge.
“It’s not easy to empty, renovate and furnish a hotel that is still up and running in the meantime. You have to keep to a schedule at all times. It’s like building a whole new hotel but with guests staying there at the same time,” says Aram.
“But we never compromised on guest satisfaction. It was never to be risked, the guests who stayed would not even notice our work in the other half of the property.
What was the result of the renovation?
– The guests are very satisfied. We can read this in the guest reviews, with higher ratings and more returning guests as a result. Of course, we have also had an increase in revenue.
Facts: Aram's best tips for hotel renovation
- Let subcontractors be involved in coordinating and coordinating. Always be involved in all stages as a client, but all parties must communicate and coordinate daily and take active responsibility.
- Make a project decision based on several approaches. What do revenue and sales think about the booking situation, thoughts and ideas from suppliers, market prices, purchases, delivery times, etc.
- Be well prepared. You can usually negotiate the price and the furniture/concept that you have in mind, when you as a client have insight into the projects early on and at all levels.
- Set aside a room as a mockup room. Then you get to see the colors, finishes, furniture and décor and test before the final order goes off.
- Be involved in the day-to-day, every day. It’s a must at independent hotels to keep to the timeline and to ensure that the hotel doesn’t lose revenue due to preventable delays.
- Use suppliers you can trust. Take references and build a long-lasting relationship. There is no advantage to short-term relationships. They need to understand us and we need to let them do a good job. Everyone benefits, at all levels.
- Prioritize. If you are on a tight budget and need to choose what to invest in, one of the most essential things in a hotel is of course that there are comfortable beds, good and fresh bathrooms, good breakfast and clean and fresh rooms.
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