Hostel rehabilitation
In the heart of the Invicta city, we knocked on the door of Hostel Grande Rio, a worm space that welcomes its guests with love and dedication. In order to improve the quality of service and meet guests' needs, a major renovation was necessary: guests' comfort came first. Achieving the complete harmony and functionality of the hostel was the premise of this project and improving the conditions of the spaces was the mission accomplished.
Hostel rehabilitation
Close to Porto's city center, we find Hostel Grande Rio, a place in need of an infrastructure upgrade. Up until now, Online Travel Agency (OTA) reviews, such as TripAdvisor, Booking and Google, had shown that guests were unhappy with the facilities.
Criticism focused on the conditions of the space, namely the leaks and damp in the bathrooms, the dated and unfunctional furniture and the lack of soundproofing which caused discomfort during stays.
The hostel is divided into two blocks, one of which had already been renovated, which meant that we had to create elements of connection and parity between the two in order to maintain uniformity in the different rooms. As such, in order to improve the hostel's conditions, comfort, convenience and personalization were some of the concepts we focused on in this renovation.
To improve the acoustics of the space, as this was a very uncomfortable issue for guests, we decided to apply a false ceiling in all the rooms, creating an air box with mineral wool acoustic insulation, which allowed us to reduce the noise between the floors. Also, regarding the structure of the building, due to the wear and tear of the installations and problems caused by infiltration, it was necessary to rectify the window frames and apply extractors to solve the condensation problems in the rooms.
The rooms were completely renovated and adapted to create a more welcoming space for all guests, as well as greater comfort between rooms and, since all the rooms were different sizes, it was also necessary to adapt the size of the furniture to each room.
In this way, we found rooms more suitable for short stays and rooms with more amenities, such as the suites, which have been equipped with a living room and sitting area to ensure greater comfort for stays of more than one night.
Better lighting conditions were also created, both in general and in direct lighting. In the case of direct lighting, it was decided to apply light sources at strategic points in the rooms, such as next to the beds and desks, in order to generate more convenience and comfort.
The bathrooms were also different in size, having previously been unharmonious, old-fashioned spaces with lots of leaks. In order to modernize and create harmony in these spaces, it was decided to apply the same coating to both the floor and the walls. This creates the illusion of a larger, wider space.
Finally, to maintain the harmony and connection between the two blocks of the hostel, new flooring was laid in all the rooms, bathrooms and corridors, completing the renovation of Hostel Grande Rio.
With these adaptations, we were able to create more balanced and comfortable environments for all the guests, helping to reverse their dissatisfaction with the conditions in which the space was located.
