Hotel Renovator [PC] | REVIEW

How hard can decorating and running a successful hotel be? Hotel Renovator asks that question, with players expected to put in the work to fix up each room and satisfy their guest’s needs, all whilst making sure the cashflow comes in to keep the business running. It has a few rough edges, but they don’t stop the game from being a fun and addictive experience that has certainly kept me hooked in.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Hotel Renovator sees players inheriting a run-down and derelict hotel that’s in desperate need of some TLC. I mean, it’s in such bad shape that it even has some errant chickens running around the place, so things are NOT good. Fortunately, you’re given the tools required to get it into ship-shape, with players able to smash the walls, ceilings, and anything around them in order to put in a fresh décor and smarten the place up. The best point of comparison would be to House Flipper, though instead of selling off your final product, you hire out to the rooms to the many guests that visit. There’s a Story Mode that introduces you to the gameplay mechanics (and takes some comical turns), but if you want a bit more freedom, there’s a good time to be had in the Sandbox Mode too.

The whole renovation-side of the game is actually really rewarding. Not only is it satisfying to smash things up with a crowbar or sell off old junk to clear out each room, but the game also gives a lot of options when it comes to decorating. And believe me, I mean A LOT, with plenty of freedom given for players to get creative with their stylish room designs. I found myself wholly invested in making sure everything matched my colour schemes when decorating, whilst there was something satisfying about putting in furniture that fits the vibe of the room and making sure they were all immaculately placed (my OCD kicked in massively when playing). There’s a wide range of décor options available from the get-go, but with new options unlocking as you progress, it’s easy to find yourself invested in the renovation for the long-term.

What makes renovation particularly interesting is the fact that some guests will make some special requests when booking into a room. Some of these are simple and fit the type of guest you have, but others are a bit more unique, such as the vampire who wants a room in complete darkness…

“There’s a satisfyingly addictive gameplay loop and sense of progress to the game that makes it easy to lose the hours when playing, with Hotel Renovator certainly taking over my life during the last few days.”

These all add a fun spin to Hotel Renovator’s gameplay and do give the game a bit more personality (though the fact that you could also have a robot work with you at the start and have to throw chickens out of a window perhaps shows that it doesn’t take itself too seriously). Of course, making sure guests ARE happy is important, with more cash coming in and your hotel increasing in rating if you provide a good service. There are plenty of neat little upgrades to unlock too, some of which that make your hotel a bit suave (every hotel has to have a pool, right?) and some that make your life easier (such as room service to clean up after your guests). There’s a satisfyingly addictive gameplay loop and sense of progress to the game that makes it easy to lose the hours when playing, with Hotel Renovator certainly taking over my life during the last few days.

That being said, it does have some issues that players will have to get used to. The UI isn’t the most user-friendly for example, with it taking a bit of time and effort to get used to where everything is – especially when selecting and placing furniture. Of course, this gets easier the longer you play, but it could have been streamlined to make life easier for the player. There were plenty of little glitches too, whether that was with objects floating in mid-air, the UI not allowing me to select specific options, or just the visuals bugging out momentarily. There was nothing game-breaking, but I did have to re-load the game on a couple of occasions when it seemed to stop responding to my actions.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Fortunately, these issues didn’t stop me having a lot of fun playing, nor have they stopped me coming back for more hotel renovation action. The game certainly appealed to the creative side of me, whilst the constant introduction of different challenges always gave me something different to do. It’s just a lot of fun, and whilst it doesn’t introduce anything new that’ll really pull in those who’ve been unsure on this genre of game in the past, those who’ve enjoyed the likes of House Flipper will definitely appreciate this take on the genre.

Developer: Two Horizons
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed)
Website: https://www.focus-entmt.com/en/games/hotel-renovator