Remodeling a Hotel: Why Impact-Resistant Windows Are Essential

When planning a hotel remodel, some of the most valuable renovation upgrades are the ones that quietly protect your business behind the scenes. If your hotel is located in a hurricane-prone region or any area where severe storms are a real threat, installing impact-resistant (hurricane-resistant) windows should be a top priority. These windows are designed to withstand strong winds and flying debris, helping protect guests, prevent major property damage, and reduce long-term costs. Here’s why impact-resistant windows and hurricane proof sliding glass doors are worth the investment during a renovation.

1. Guest safety

Hotels are temporary homes for families, business travelers, and vacationers who rely on you for comfort and protection. During severe weather, traditional windows can shatter easily, creating a serious safety hazard from airborne glass and sharp fragments, especially in guest rooms, hallways, and common areas where people may still be moving around.

Impact-resistant windows are built with glass, often using a PVB laminate layer, which helps the glass stay intact even after being struck. Instead of breaking into dangerous shards, the window is designed to remain in place, reducing the risk of injuries and helping maintain a safer indoor environment when conditions outside become unpredictable.

For hotels, this is more than just a building upgrade, it’s a guest experience and responsibility issue. When travelers stay at your property, they expect you to have the right safety measures in place, even in worst-case scenarios. By choosing impact-resistant windows during a remodel, you’re making a proactive decision that supports guest well-being, reduces safety risks, and helps staff manage emergencies with more confidence.

2. Keeping the building sealed during extreme weather

Protecting guests starts with protecting the structure around them. In a hurricane or severe storm, a hotel is battling the risk that the storm will break through the building envelope. Windows are one of the most vulnerable points because once they fail, wind-driven rain and debris can enter immediately, changing an exterior weather event into an interior emergency.

FEMA has documented that water intrusion through windows and doors is a common problem observed after hurricanes, especially when high winds and heavy rain hit at the same time. When that happens, the property becomes harder to manage safely as indoor spaces can become wet, unstable, and dangerous, and staff may be forced into rapid damage-control instead of focusing on guest safety and operations.

And history shows this isn’t theoretical. During Hurricane Katrina, reports noted that the Hyatt Regency New Orleans had more than 175 windows blown out, showing how quickly window failure can compromise a building during extreme weather. That’s why impact-resistant windows and doors matter during a remodel, as they’re designed to handle flying debris and intense wind pressure, helping reduce the chance of sudden window failure that can leave a hotel exposed in the middle of a major storm.

3. Preventing interior damage and expensive repairs

Even when everyone stays safe, storm damage can still become financially brutal once water gets inside. A single window failure can quickly turn into a long list of costly issues, including:

• soaked carpets and flooring
• ruined mattresses and furniture
• damaged drywall and insulation
• electrical issues
• mold growth from trapped moisture

And the costs add up fast. According to Homewyse, professional water damage repair can range from about $20.58 to $37.63 per square foot, depending on the severity of damage and scope of work. So if just one 300 sq. ft. hotel room (bedroom + entry + part of bathroom area) is affected, that can translate into roughly $6,000–$11,000 in repair costs for that space alone (before factoring in furniture replacement, deep cleaning, or extended downtime).

When multiple guest rooms are affected, the repair costs can easily climb into the tens of thousands or more. FEMA even provides a dedicated cost estimating methodology (CEF) used for large disaster repairs, highlighting how major storm restoration often becomes a serious construction-level expense rather than a quick fix. That’s why impact-resistant windows and hurricane proof sliding glass doors aren’t just a storm upgrade, they’re a way to protect the interior finishes, furniture, and renovations you’ve already paid for.

4. Better security for guests and staff

While impact-resistant windows are best known for hurricane protection, not all risks come from storms. Hotels manage high foot traffic every day (guests, staff, deliveries, vendors, and visitors), so security has to be built into the property itself, not just handled through cameras or staffing.

Traditional glass windows are easy targets for break-ins because they can be shattered quickly. Impact-resistant windows, however, are made with laminated glass designed to stay in place even when struck, making them much harder to penetrate. The National Glass Association notes that laminated glass can help deter intruders by remaining intact even after being broken, which makes forced entry more difficult. That’s especially valuable for guest rooms, ground-floor suites, lobbies, and storage areas where valuables or equipment may be stored.

Even if your hotel already uses surveillance systems and keycard access, stronger windows add an important physical layer of protection, helping create a safer environment for both guests and staff year-round.

A remodel should be a long-term investment in the future of the property. Impact-resistant windows and hurricane proof sliding glass doors support that goal by improving resilience, reducing maintenance issues, and protecting your renovations from water intrusion and wind damage. They can also increase a hotel’s overall value. Storm-ready features are appealing not only to guests, but also to insurers, investors, and future buyers. Most importantly, impact-resistant windows help hotels operate with more confidence because the benefits don’t stop when hurricane season ends. From security and noise reduction to year-round durability, they’re one of the smartest upgrades you can make when remodeling in a high-risk environment.