CHICAGO— When considering all aspects of a guestroom for design purposes, both the hotel owners and hospitality designers are presented with a few challenges, which can make their jobs all that much more difficult. One of the most common of these is the presence of packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) units, which can be large and unattractive to the eye.
Considered a necessity, PTAC units control heating and air conditioning in guestrooms. They can most commonly be found in hotel properties in the mid or lower end of the marketplace and their large size make them difficult to disguise.
“These units, if incorrectly approached, can be the first thing a guest focuses on upon arriving to the guestroom,” said Meg Prendergast of Chicago-based The Gettys Group.
Designer challenges include window treatments, furniture layout and general condition of the PTAC unit, if they are not new, she said.
Agreeing, Jay Shah, president and COO of Hersha Hospitality Trust, said Hersha takes extra steps and careful consideration to window treatments in its hotels in order to take the focus away from the PTAC unit.
“From a design standpoint it is very challenging,” Shah said. On the exterior of the properties we put louvers to blend them into the building. On the inside we try to minimize their exposure, keep them low to the ground, add more window finishes to keep the attention away from the unit,” he said.
But while there are a few tricks of the design trade to help camouflage the PTAC units, those methods can prove costly. Since hiding these units can increase the cost of room design, these options are sometimes passed over, noted experts.
To better prepare for the job, designers should set a portion of the budget aside at the start of the project to address the issue, said Prendergast.
“In renovation work, in particular, designers should potentially allow budget dollars to accommodate for replacement trim parts or refinish of trim to bring the unit up to visual acceptability,” she said.
However, taking a slightly different approach is Rebecca Jones, principal of Interior Architecture, who said she would like to “put the challenge to PTAC manufacturers to do something that makes the unit more pleasing to the eye, more high-tech.”
In the meantime, Jones, like other designers plays with room layout and drapery selections to help mask the units.
“There are ways to work around it, depending on where it is located. It is best if the unit is to the left or right, instead of in the center of the window or wall,” said Jones.
If located below a window, a shade treatment above the unit with accent side treatments can be used to help incorporate the unit into the design. Or if the unit is located on a dry wall, millwork can be used to help mask it as a built feature, noted Jones. Depending on the direction of the airflow, a shelf could be placed above the unit to hide its appearance and give it functionality.
“A shelf could allow the unit to look as if it is an architectural feature,” said Jones.
Another way to try to minimize its impact is to choose a wall finish that blends in with the trim color of the PTAC unit, said Prendergast.
“Window treatments should be kept simple. If the property can handle the maintenance of a roman shade or blind, then that is a clean and simple way of addressing a window. If a more traditional traverse rod is going to be used, do not make the designer mistake of doing floor length drapery with a cutout to allow for the PTAC unit; it’s the equivalent of a drapery mullet. A café length drapery solution will be cleaner,” Prendergast said.
Long drapes could pose a problem if the PTAC unit is below the window, as it would likely mess the drape hand.
While a PTAC unit needs to have clear airflow and ease of guest accessibility, certain furnishings can be near it. Furnishings with legs, such as occasional chairs, tables and desks, can be nearby, and will provide a visual distraction. Depending upon how much floor space there is, the resurgence in popularity of the chaise lounge may provide the needed diversion, said Prendergast.
“A desk and chair perpendicular to the wall with the PTAC could help draw attention away from the unit,” agreed Jones. Or depending on the direction of airflow and needed accessibility, building a simple desk over the unit could also help, she said.
Regardless, the efficiency gained from PTAC units make them a must have and the extra design costs are worth the savings, Shah said.
And while “most of us would like to pray that we don’t have to deal with them (PTAC units)” said one designer, hospitality design experts have come up with ways to deal with this.
Going forward, it is anticipated that manufacturers will debut more design-friendly models for installation in guestrooms.
