What is a guest room management system (GRMS)?
A plain explanation of the controllers, panels and software that run a hotel room, what each part does, and what to ask a supplier.
A guest room management system, usually shortened to GRMS, is the set of controllers, wall panels, sensors and software that runs a hotel room: its lights, air conditioning, curtains and service requests. It also reports the state of every room to the front desk, housekeeping and engineering.
The parts of a GRMS
The room controller. A unit hidden in the false ceiling or wardrobe that switches and dims the lighting circuits, runs the fan-coil or VRF indoor unit, drives the curtains, and talks to everything else. One per room. See the room controller.
Keypads and panels. What the guest touches: bedside and entry keypads for scenes and curtains, a master switch by the bed, and the courtesy panel outside the door with the doorbell and the Do Not Disturb and Make Up Room lamps. See the panels.
Key card switch and sensors. The key card slot wakes the room when a valid card goes in. Door contacts and occupancy sensors tell an empty room from a sleeping guest, which is what lets the system save energy without bothering anyone. See the sensors.
The thermostat. Lets the guest choose a temperature within limits the hotel sets, and holds back when the room is empty or a balcony door is open.
Software and integration. A dashboard that shows every room’s state on a floor plan, and links to the property management system (PMS) so that check-in prepares the room and check-out puts it into unsold mode. See the dashboard.
What a GRMS changes for a hotel
- Guests walk into a room that is ready, and control everything from a few clearly labelled keys.
- Housekeeping sees Do Not Disturb and Make Up Room requests on a screen instead of walking the corridors.
- Engineering gets fault alerts before a guest calls about a warm room.
- Owners pay less for electricity, because empty and unsold rooms stop being cooled. Estimate your saving.
Wired or wireless?
New hotels usually wire the system in during construction. Operating hotels that cannot open their walls can use Wi-Fi and RF modules that fit existing switch boxes, converting rooms floor by floor while the rest stay sold. See the wireless retrofit kit.
Questions to ask a supplier
- Does it integrate with the PMS we run, and in both directions?
- Can the panels be made in our finishes, colours and brand icons?
- Can we see and stay in a sample room before ordering?
- Who installs and commissions it, and who supports it after handover?
- Can it be retrofitted without rewiring, if we are renovating an open hotel?
We are happy to answer all five for your property. Book a demo.
