Updated 2026-06-25 — Latest 2026 prices and availability
Full hotel renovation — guest rooms, lobbies, restaurants, spa, back-of-house. Phased by floor/wing to minimise revenue loss. From AED 450/sqft. 15+ hotel projects delivered.
Based on 800+ projects, here's what goes wrong with hotel renovation — and how we prevent it.
Closing entire floors kills RevPAR. We renovate wing-by-wing, floor-by-floor — adjacent rooms stay occupied. Night shifts for lobby/F&B areas.
Every week of delay = lost room nights. Our parallel workflow delivers 40-60% faster than sequential contractors.
Noise, dust, service disruption. We install sound barriers, dust containment, dedicated service corridors. Zero guest complaints.
Hotel FF&E procurement is complex — 200+ SKUs per room type. We handle full FF&E procurement, QC, warehousing, and install.
Same project, two very different outcomes. Here's exactly how our service compares to the industry standard.
| What You Get | First Unicorn Hotel | Typical Dubai Provider |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | ✓ Fixed price quoted upfront | ✗ Hourly billing or % of build cost |
| First-Time Quality | ✓ 98% pass first review/inspection | ✗ 40-60% industry average |
| Turnaround Time | ✓ Industry-leading delivery time | ✗ 2-3x slower typical |
| Authority Approvals | ✓ All handled in-house | ✗ Charged extra, often outsourced |
| Community NOCs | ✓ All included in package | ✗ Charged AED 5K-15K per NOC extra |
| Same Team End-to-End | ✓ Yes — single point of accountability | ✗ Hand-off to multiple teams |
| Warranty | ✓ 3-year warranty on all work | ✗ 1 year industry standard |
| Response Time | ✓ 60 minutes during business hours | ✗ 1-3 business days typical |
| Free Consultation + Site Visit | ✓ Yes, free anywhere in Dubai | ✗ AED 2,500-5,000 typical fee |
| Revisions & Resubmissions | ✓ Unlimited revisions included | ✗ Usually 2 rounds, then charged extra |
| Quality of Hotel Renovation | ✓ Premium materials + expert craftsmanship | ✗ Standard materials, generic execution |
| Construction Coordination | ✓ 70% fewer site issues vs industry | ✗ Frequent change orders + RFIs |
Planning a hotel? Fixed-price quote in 24 hours
Free site visit for projects over AED 10,000. 3-year warranty on all works.
Not marketing copy — operational advantages from 800+ delivered projects.
Civil, MEP, joinery, marble, glass, ceiling, flooring, painting — one team, one PM, one schedule.
Lobby, restaurant, spa renovated overnight. Guest rooms done floor-by-floor. Zero revenue interruption.
Full FF&E sourcing, QC, warehousing, room-by-room installation. 200+ SKU coordination per room type.
Municipality, civil defense, tourism authority — all permits handled. Hotel-specific compliance expertise.
8-12 day per-room renovation cycle. Entire floor in 3-4 weeks. Minimises out-of-inventory time.
We work to operator brand books — Marriott, Hilton, Accor, IHG, Rotana. Mock-up room → brand approval → mass rollout.
Full warranty on all trades. Hotel-grade durability — materials tested for 50,000+ door cycles, 10,000+ housekeeping cleans.
WhatsApp photo updates daily. Weekly walk-throughs with hotel GM and engineering team.
Three tiers based on hotel star rating and finish level. Per-key or per-sqft pricing.
A proven hotel renovation process refined across 15+ Dubai hospitality projects.
Full property survey, MEP assessment, brand standards review, phasing strategy, revenue impact analysis. Fixed-price quote within 48 hours.
Design concept per brand book, material selection, FF&E specification. Build mock-up room for operator approval. DM + DCD permit submission.
First floor renovation — refine process, confirm cycle times, validate quality. Operator walkthrough + sign-off before mass rollout.
Floor-by-floor renovation. Parallel teams — one floor completing, next floor starting. 8-12 day per-room cycle.
Lobby, restaurant, spa, corridors — phased overnight/off-peak. Guest experience maintained throughout.
Floor-by-floor snagging, DCD final inspection, operator acceptance, warranty handover. 3-year warranty active.
Specialist teams for every trade — no subcontractors, no schedule conflicts.
Demolition, concrete, blockwork, waterproofing
Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire fighting, BMS
Marble, tile, vinyl, carpet, epoxy, wood
Reception desks, cabinetry, feature walls
Premium paint, wallpaper, cladding, acoustic panels
Partitions, doors, curtain walls, facades
Gypsum, mineral fibre, metal, GRG, open grid
Architectural, task, decorative, smart controls
Reception signage, wayfinding, brand walls
Cabling, server room, AV, access control
DM permits, DCD, civil defense, DEWA
Snagging, punch list, cleaning, handover
See it before you build it
Free 3D design concept for your hotel — based on 800+ completed Dubai projects.
Selected hospitality renovation projects delivered across the UAE.
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Full commercial renovation — office tower level.
Get an instant estimate based on your project specifics. For exact quote, request a free consultation — we respond in 60 minutes.
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Full hotel renovation · Floor-by-floor phasing
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4.9/5 rating from 127 Google reviews.
"First Unicorn delivered our hotel renovation on time and on budget. The all-trades-in-house approach meant one PM, daily QC updates, and zero finger-pointing. Professional team."
"DM approvals, DCD compliance, execution — all handled by one team. No 'permits separate, 4 months extra' surprises. Hotel was operational ahead of schedule."
"Snagging list at handover was 28 items. Previous contractor's project had 200+. Daily QC during build catches everything. Worth every dirham."
Transparent track record. Updated quarterly. No marketing fluff — just numbers.
Hotel renovation in Dubai starts at AED 450 per sqft for full refurbishment of guest rooms, lobbies, restaurants, spas, and back-of-house areas. First Unicorn Interiors delivers projects phased by floor or wing to ensure zero revenue loss, with 15+ hotels completed and fixed-price quotes based on 800+ projects. Typical timelines range from 8-16 weeks depending on scope.
Most common questions answered. WhatsApp us — responded within 60 minutes.
Hotel renovation cost depends on star rating and scope. 3-4 star refresh: AED 25,000-45,000/key. 4-5 star full renovation: AED 45,000-85,000/key. Luxury/boutique: AED 85,000-200,000+/key. Public areas (lobby, F&B, spa) quoted separately.
Depends on room count and scope. 100-key hotel: 90-120 days (rooms only), 150-180 days (rooms + public areas). We renovate floor-by-floor — hotel stays operational throughout.
Yes — that's our specialty. Floor-by-floor room renovation, overnight lobby/F&B work, weekend spa renovation. Adjacent rooms stay occupied. Guest complaints: zero.
Yes — Marriott, Hilton, Accor, IHG, Rotana, and boutique brand books. Mock-up room → brand approval → mass rollout. We handle brand submissions.
Yes — full FF&E sourcing, factory QC, warehousing, room-by-room installation. 200+ SKU coordination per room type. Direct factory relationships.
Yes — DM building permits, DCD fire safety, DTCM hotel classification — all handled. Hotel-specific compliance expertise.
3-year warranty on all trades. Hotel-grade durability — materials tested for high-frequency use. Industry standard is 1 year.
WhatsApp us at +971 58 565 8002 with hotel name, star rating, room count, scope, and target dates. Free site visit within 48 hours.
Local pricing, community approvals and a fixed quote for your area.
Free site visit, fixed-price quote in 48 hours, all trades in-house. 800+ projects delivered. Daily QC + 3-year warranty.
Hotel refurbishment in Dubai is planned per key and per zone — commonly AED 60,000–180,000 per guest room, with lobbies, restaurants, spas and back-of-house priced separately — and the defining constraint is doing it while the hotel keeps trading. A refurbishment refreshes or upgrades finishes, FF&E, bathrooms and MEP to lift the guest experience and, often, the property's DTCM classification, without the full cost of a strip-out rebuild. The work must maintain Civil Defence life-safety standards and DTCM classification criteria at every stage, and be phased by floor or zone so occupancy and revenue continue. The most expensive part of any guest room is the bathroom, because of waterproofing and MEP. First Unicorn Interiors delivers phased hotel refurbishment with a single accountable programme, dust and acoustic isolation from guests, model-room specification, and a 3-year warranty. For a per-key budget and phasing plan, WhatsApp +971 58 565 8002.
Refurbishment refreshes and upgrades — new soft and case goods, bathroom re-tiling, lighting, finishes and targeted MEP — keeping the core layout and shell. It's faster, cheaper per key, and less disruptive, ideal for a property that is structurally sound but dated. A full renovation reconfigures layouts, replaces MEP and rebuilds bathrooms, suited to a repositioning or star-rating upgrade. Many Dubai hotels choose a phased refurbishment to stay current between larger cycles. Matching scope to the property's condition and commercial goal is the first decision.
Phase by zones behind sealed hoardings, keep construction traffic on dedicated service routes that never cross guest paths, and schedule noisy works to protect occupancy. Establish a signed-off model room first, then roll it out at pace to shorten the total out-of-service window. Acoustic and dust isolation between live and worked floors is essential in an operating hotel. This discipline keeps the majority of keys sellable throughout and protects both reviews and revenue during the programme.
Life-safety comes first: fire detection, suppression and escape must remain compliant with Civil Defence requirements throughout and at reinspection. The finished product must meet DTCM (Department of Economy and Tourism) classification standards for the target star rating. MEP upgrades need DEWA coordination, and accessibility must be preserved. Designing to these criteria from the outset avoids reopening completed work — the costly mistake that undisciplined refurbishments make.
Hospitality renovation services Dubai require specialized expertise to upgrade hotels without losing revenue. The literal query 'hospitality renovation services Dubai' is answered by First Unicorn Interiors, a Dubai-based contractor with 15+ hotel projects and 800+ total renovations. Typical costs: guest room renovation from AED 450/sqft, lobby renovation from AED 550/sqft, restaurant renovation from AED 500/sqft, spa renovation from AED 480/sqft, and back-of-house renovation from AED 400/sqft. Timelines range from 4-8 weeks per floor, with phased execution by wing to keep rooms operational. Dubai-specific approvals: Dubai Municipality building permit (AED 2-5 per sqft), DEWA connection fees (AED 1,000-5,000 per meter), and RERA registration for contractor (AED 3,000 annually). Master communities like Emaar, Nakheel, and Meraas require NOC fees (AED 5,000-15,000). Fire safety compliance through Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) costs AED 3,000-10,000 for plan review. All renovations must follow DM Green Building Regulations and DEWA efficiency standards. First Unicorn handles all permits in-house with a 60-minute response time. Fixed-price quotes with 3-year warranty. WhatsApp +971 58 565 8002 for a free site visit.
Hotel renovation costs in Dubai vary by area and finish level. For guest rooms, expect AED 450-600/sqft for 4-star and AED 600-800/sqft for 5-star. Lobby renovation ranges AED 550-750/sqft, restaurants AED 500-700/sqft, spa AED 480-650/sqft, and back-of-house AED 400-550/sqft. These include MEP, finishes, FF&E, and project management. First Unicorn provides fixed-price quotes with no hidden fees. For a 200-room hotel, total renovation cost typically AED 18-32 million depending on scope. Payment milestones: 30% on signing, 30% on material delivery, 30% on completion, 10% retention for 1 year. All prices are in AED and valid as of 2026.
Phased hotel renovation in Dubai typically takes 4-8 weeks per floor, with total project duration 6-18 months for a full hotel. Revenue loss is minimized by renovating room by room or floor by floor, keeping 70-80% of rooms operational at all times. First Unicorn uses a 'zero revenue loss' approach: work is scheduled during low-occupancy periods (summer months, weekdays), and each floor is completed within 2-3 weeks. For a 10-floor hotel, total downtime per room is just 2-3 weeks. This strategy maintains RevPAR and guest satisfaction. Dubai Tourism (DTCM) allows partial closures if safety protocols are met. First Unicorn coordinates with hotel management to align with booking cycles.
Hotel renovation in Dubai requires multiple permits: 1) Dubai Municipality building permit (AED 2-5 per sqft, 2-4 weeks processing). 2) DEWA approval for electrical/plumbing changes (AED 1,000-5,000 per meter, 1-2 weeks). 3) Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) fire safety compliance (AED 3,000-10,000, 2-3 weeks). 4) RERA contractor registration (AED 3,000 annually). 5) Master developer NOC for communities like Emaar, Nakheel, Meraas (AED 5,000-15,000, 2-4 weeks). 6) DTCM notification for hotel operations during renovation (free, 1 week). First Unicorn manages all permits with a 60-minute response time and ensures compliance with DM Green Building Regulations and DEWA efficiency standards.
Hotel interior renovation is a complex, high-stakes project that requires balancing aesthetic upgrades with minimal revenue disruption. In Dubai, where hospitality standards are set by Dubai Municipality and DCD (Dubai Culture & Arts Authority), a typical full guest room renovation costs AED 450–650/sqft and takes 4–6 weeks per floor. Lobby renovations run AED 600–900/sqft and require 8–12 weeks. Phased renovation by wing or floor is essential to keep rooms operational. Our 800+ projects show that zero-revenue-loss renovation is achievable with proper planning: pre-fabricated bathroom pods, off-site millwork, and night-only corridor work. All trades in-house ensure DM approvals within 2 weeks. Price anchors: guest room AED 25K+ per key, lobby AED 150K+, restaurant AED 200K+, spa AED 300K+. 3-year warranty included. WhatsApp +971 58 565 8002 for a free site visit.
Hotel interior renovation costs in Dubai vary by scope and finish level. For a standard 5-star guest room (approx. 40 sqm), expect AED 25,000–45,000 per key including soft furnishings, lighting, and bathroom upgrades. Luxury suites with custom joinery and smart systems run AED 60,000–90,000 per key. Lobby renovation costs AED 600–900/sqft, restaurants AED 500–800/sqft, and spa facilities AED 700–1,000/sqft. All prices include materials, labor, and Dubai Municipality approvals. Fixed-price quotes ensure no surprises. For a 100-room property, total renovation budget typically ranges AED 2.5M–4.5M.
A phased hotel renovation in Dubai typically takes 4–6 weeks per floor (20–30 rooms) to complete. The entire project for a 200-room hotel spans 8–12 months. Pre-construction phase (design, DM approvals, material procurement) takes 6–8 weeks. On-site work is scheduled in 2-week cycles: demolition and MEP rough-in week 1, finishes and FF&E installation week 2. Night shifts (10pm–6am) for corridor work avoid guest disturbance. DEWA disconnection permits require 5 working days. DCD approval for heritage or themed hotels adds 2–3 weeks. Our record: 150-room renovation completed in 7 months with zero revenue loss.
Hotel interior renovation in Dubai requires a Building Permit from Dubai Municipality (DM), a DEWA electrical permit for any power changes, and a Civil Defense approval for fire safety systems. For hotels in free zones (e.g., JLT, Dubai Marina), additional approval from the respective master developer (DMCC, Nakheel) is needed. DCD approval is mandatory if the hotel has heritage or cultural elements. RERA registration is required for any structural changes. Our team handles all submissions: typical DM approval in 10–14 working days. Non-compliance can result in fines up to AED 50,000 and project delays.
