A pool for a small hotel or guesthouse: designed for daily use

What changes when the pool is for guests

A family pool has a few swimmers, usually at the same times of day. A guesthouse pool can have people in the water from morning to night, with sunscreen, lotions and sweat all loading the water. On top of that, guests judge the property by how clean the water looks and how safe they feel, and the health regulations for shared-use pools may apply. The general obligations are described under pool rules for holiday accommodation.

In practice this means three priorities: filtration sized for the real load, surfaces that are durable and non-slip, and maintenance carried out every day by a named person. The pump and filter are sized not only by volume but also by how many people will swim; the options are discussed during the site survey.

Overflow or skimmer

A skimmer works best in pools up to about 60 m² and may be enough for a small guesthouse with a few rooms. As the number of bathers grows, though, a perimeter overflow keeps the surface cleaner: water spills over continuously on all sides, carrying oils and dust into the channel.

• The overflow grating, about 25 cm wide, is made of plastic or marble.
• The balance tank absorbs the water displaced when many swimmers are in at once.
• Water level with the deck also gives the look many guests are after.

You will find the basics of the system under pools with an overflow channel. If the water surface reaches or exceeds 50 m², a building permit is needed, and your engineer confirms how the surface area is measured; see pools over 50 m².

Surfaces that last and do not slip

In holiday accommodation the steps and benches see far more traffic than in a private home, and people of all ages walk on them. The SOPREMAPOOL 3D (1.8 mm, textured) and SOPREMAPOOL Feeling (1.5 mm, solid colour) membranes have class C slip resistance under EN 13451-1 and DIN 51097, a lacquer that resists UV radiation and chlorine, and are welded with hot air. More under non-slip pool surfaces.

Just as important are a pool surround that is not slippery when wet and clearly visible depth markings on the edge.

Water quality log

In a pool used by guests, readings should be recorded. A simple, consistent log helps staff spot trends before they become problems and provides a record for an inspection.

How often readings and laboratory tests are required is set by the health regulations and confirmed by the competent authority. For stable chemistry with many bathers, many properties use automatic pH and chlorine control.

Scheduling outside the season

1. Autumn: site survey, design and the engineer's paperwork.
2. Winter and early spring: construction, while the property is closed or empty. On the islands, shipping by ferry is factored in too.
3. Before opening: filling, balancing the chemistry and training staff in the daily tasks.

Why summer is too late is explained under when to build a pool.

Questions

See also