Fire Safety for Hotels

Complete hotel fire protection solutions

Operating a hotel means managing a complex environment where guests sleep overnight, staff work across multiple departments, and facilities such as kitchens, plant rooms, laundries, and communal spaces operate simultaneously. This combination creates a unique risk profile that demands a specialist approach to hotel fire safety.

At AFP Wales, we help hotels of every size, from boutique properties to national chains, meet their legal obligations, strengthen life safety, and protect their brand reputation. As part of the LS Fire Group, we combine Welsh-based expertise with nationwide resources, delivering a comprehensive and reliable service for the hospitality sector.

Our fire protection services…

The importance of fire safety in hotels

The importance of fire safety in hotels cannot be overstated. Guests may be asleep, unfamiliar with escape routes, or travelling with children, older adults, or individuals with reduced mobility. This means that early detection, clear evacuation procedures, and robust safety systems are essential.

Modern hotels contain a mix of high-risk and high-occupancy areas, including:

Bedrooms and corridors
Reception and lobby areas
Bars, function rooms, and restaurants
Commercial kitchens
Laundry facilities
Storage rooms and plant areas
Lifts, staircases, and multi-storey escape routes

Each area requires detailed planning and ongoing management to reduce fire risk and ensure a rapid, coordinated response in an emergency.

Hotel fire safety regulations

Hotel operators must comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which applies to all non-domestic buildings in Wales. Under this legislation, the “Responsible Person”, usually the hotel owner or senior manager, must ensure that:

A suitable and sufficient hotel fire risk assessment is in place
Fire alarms, detectors, and emergency lighting systems are compliant and maintained
Fire doors and compartmentation are effective
Staff are trained appropriately
Escape routes remain clear and accessible
All fire safety systems undergo regular maintenance and testing
Records and documentation are kept up to date

At AFP Wales, we work closely with hotel management and compliance teams to ensure all these elements align with Welsh regulatory requirements and hospitality best practices.

Our hotel fire safety services

Hotel fire risk assessments

A robust, well-maintained hotel fire risk assessment is the foundation of compliance. It identifies hazards, evaluates the level of risk, and sets out clear steps for improving safety.

During a hotel risk assessment, our qualified assessors review:

Sleeping accommodation and room layouts
Corridor protection and alarm audibility
Emergency evacuation routes and signage
Hotel kitchens, bars, and food preparation areas
Electrical installations
Laundry, boiler rooms, and heat-producing equipment
Storage of linens, cleaning chemicals, and combustible materials
Fire doors and compartmentation
Vulnerable guest considerations
Maintenance records and fire safety documentation

Each assessment is delivered with clear recommendations prioritised by urgency, helping hotels respond proactively and demonstrate compliance at all times.

Hotel fire alarm systems

Reliable hotel fire alarm systems are essential for early detection and controlled evacuation. Unlike single-use commercial buildings, hotels require highly intelligent detection systems to minimise false alarms while maintaining full protection for sleeping guests and busy communal spaces.

We supply, install, and maintain advanced hotel fire alarms designed to meet BS 5839-1 standards. These systems typically include:

Addressable fire alarm panels that identify exact activation points
Smoke detection within bedrooms and corridors
Heat detection within kitchens and plant rooms
Multi-sensor detectors for environments prone to false alarms
Automatic integration with lifts, AOVs, sprinklers, and emergency lighting
Staff alert modes for staged evacuation strategies

A modern, correctly maintained hotel fire alarm ensures rapid detection, supports coordinated evacuation, and helps hotels meet stringent insurance and compliance requirements.

Kitchen fire suppression for hotels

Hotel kitchens operate for long hours, often producing large volumes of meals for guests, conferences, weddings, and events. This makes them one of the highest-risk areas within any hospitality environment.

To protect against fast-spreading grease and oil fires, we install ANSUL kitchen fire suppression systems, the global standard for commercial cooking environments.

An ANSUL system activates automatically when high temperatures or flames are detected on cooking equipment, in extraction hoods, or within ducting. The suppression agent cools the fire, forms a protective barrier to prevent re-ignition, and integrates with automatic gas or electrical shut-off systems.

For hotels, this means:

Faster fire control
Reduced risk of widespread smoke damage
Minimal operational downtime
Safer working environments for kitchen staff
Improved resilience during peak service periods

Kitchen fire suppression is a critical component of fire safety in hotels, helping protect key revenue-generating spaces while meeting compliance expectations.

Fire doors and compartmentation for hotels

Fire doors play a crucial role in protecting sleeping guests by containing fire and smoke within a single room or corridor.

At AFP Wales, we provide:

Fire door inspections
Fire door maintenance
Replacement and certification
Compartmentation surveys
Remedial works to restore compliance

Hotels rely heavily on compartmentation to protect guests on upper floors and to allow emergency services to safely access the building. Our fire door specialists ensure your building remains compliant and your risks are minimised.

Our fire extinguishers:

Fire safety is a responsibility that never rests and we’re here to implement complete fire protection for your business. Get in touch with our industry-leading experts to learn how we prevent fire, protect lives, and ensure compliance for you.