Hotel Renovation & Retrofit Smart Control
Modernise your existing hotel's guest room control without shutting down operations. Our wireless-first retrofit approach delivers smart room automation with minimal structural work — phased floor-by-floor, starting from $90 per room.
Upgrade Without Shutdown
For occupied hotels, a full rewiring project is rarely feasible — the cost of closing floors, the disruption to guests, and the sheer amount of wall chasing through finished surfaces make it economically prohibitive. Our retrofit approach is designed from the ground up for properties that must remain operational during the upgrade. Wireless switches and sensors eliminate the need for new control wiring, while a phased installation plan works through one floor at a time, typically completing 15–20 rooms per day. Guests in completed rooms enjoy modern scene control and energy-saving automation, while neighbouring rooms continue operating as normal. The result is a fully upgraded guest room management system deployed over weeks rather than months, with zero lost revenue from room closures.
Wireless-First Approach
Our retrofit system uses proven wireless mesh technology to bridge the gap between existing infrastructure and modern control.
Wireless Switches
Battery-powered Zigbee mesh switches mount directly over existing switch back-boxes using the same screw positions. No new wiring is required — the switch communicates wirelessly with the floor gateway, and the existing mains wiring continues to power the lighting circuits. Switches support 2, 4, or 6 buttons with programmable scenes, and battery life exceeds 3 years under normal usage.
Battery-Powered Sensors
Ceiling-mount PIR occupancy sensors and magnetic door contacts are fully wireless, communicating over the same Zigbee mesh. Sensors report occupancy, door status, and battery level to the gateway. The mesh topology means each device acts as a repeater, so even rooms at the far end of a corridor maintain a reliable connection by routing through neighbouring rooms.
Wireless Gateway
One Zigbee-to-Ethernet gateway is installed per floor, typically in the electrical riser or IT closet. The gateway manages the mesh network, collects sensor data, and forwards commands between the head-end server and room devices. It connects to the hotel's existing LAN via a single Ethernet cable — no dedicated wiring infrastructure is required.
Retrofit Process
A structured four-phase approach ensures predictable timelines and minimal guest disruption.
Site Survey
Our engineering team conducts a detailed survey of your property — documenting existing wiring topology, switch back-box types and depths, electrical panel layouts, and network infrastructure. This typically takes 2–3 days for a 100-room property. A signal propagation test is performed on every floor to verify Zigbee mesh coverage and identify any dead spots that require a supplementary repeater.
Proposal & Design
Based on the survey data, we generate a room-by-room bill of materials, a phased installation schedule, and a fixed-price proposal. The design package includes wireless network coverage maps, gateway placement plans, and integration interface specifications for any existing BMS or PMS systems. Clients receive CAD drawings and a detailed installation manual for electrical contractor reference.
Phased Installation
Installation proceeds floor by floor, with each floor completed before moving to the next. A typical team of 2–3 technicians completes 15–20 rooms per day. Rooms remain bookable throughout — technicians work during daytime hours, and housekeeping restores rooms to guest-ready condition by early afternoon. Corridor work (gateway installation, network cabling) is scheduled during low-traffic periods.
Commissioning & Handover
As each floor is completed, devices are commissioned via the central management software — scene pre-sets are loaded, sensor thresholds are calibrated, and the floor undergoes a 48-hour burn-in test. Front-desk and engineering staff receive hands-on training. A complete as-built documentation package is delivered, and remote support remains available for the first 90 days post-handover at no additional cost.
Compatible With
Our retrofit system is designed to work with the infrastructure you already have in place.
| Category | Compatible Systems & Standards |
|---|---|
| Existing Wiring Types | Traditional 2-wire switch loops, 3-wire with neutral at switch, multi-gang back-boxes (86×86 mm and 86×146 mm), UK and European junction box standards |
| Existing Switch Brands | Schneider, Legrand, Panasonic, Clipsal, Simon, Bticino, and most regional brands — our wireless switches are designed as direct form-factor replacements |
| Existing BMS Systems | BACnet/IP, Modbus TCP, Niagara Tridium, Siemens Desigo CC, Johnson Controls Metasys, and systems supporting generic BACnet device discovery |
| Existing PMS Systems | Opera PMS, Mews, Protel, roomMaster, Clock PMS, and systems with a standard API or serial interface for guest check-in/check-out events |
| Lighting Load Types | LED (leading and trailing edge dimmable), CFL, halogen, incandescent, ELV and MLV transformers — relay modules rated up to 10 A per channel |
Cost Comparison
A typical 100-room retrofit: wireless approach versus full electrical rewiring.
| Cost Category | Full Rewire | Wireless Retrofit |
|---|---|---|
| Wiring & Containment | $35,000 – $50,000 | $0 – $2,000 (gateway cabling only) |
| Labour (Electrical) | $25,000 – $40,000 | $5,000 – $8,000 |
| Room Downtime Revenue Loss | $15,000 – $60,000 (weeks of closure) | $0 (rooms remain operational) |
| Wall Repair & Redecoration | $10,000 – $25,000 | $0 – $1,000 (minor touch-up only) |
| GRMS Hardware & Software | $12,000 – $18,000 | $9,000 – $15,000 |
| Estimated Total | $97,000 – $193,000 | $14,000 – $26,000 |
Real Example
A 75-room beachfront resort in Nha Trang, Vietnam, faced a challenge common to many tropical properties: humidity had corroded the original wired switch contacts, and guest complaints about flickering lights and unresponsive controls were rising. With 85% average occupancy year-round, closing the property for a full rewire was not an option. Our team deployed the wireless retrofit solution across all five floors over a 12-day period. Switches were replaced in-place, sensors were surface-mounted on existing ceiling roses, and the floor gateways were installed in the existing IT riser cabinets. The resort reported a 28% reduction in guest room energy use within the first quarter — driven primarily by occupancy-based air-conditioning setback — and guest satisfaction scores for "in-room technology" improved from 3.8 to 4.6 out of 5 within two months. The entire project was delivered at under $13,000 all-in, and not a single room night was lost to construction.
Ready to get a budget estimate for your hotel project?
Tell us about your project — room count, location, and requirements — and receive a preliminary budget breakdown within 24 hours.