Mandatory Hotel Displays

A labor inspection check. A guest reporting the absence of the price displayed on the facade. A safety commission noting a missing evacuation plan on a floor.

In all three cases, the problem isn't technical. It's a sign that's missing or outdated.

The mandatory hotel displays cover three distinct areas: obligations towards guests, obligations towards staff, and obligations related to specific areas (pool, restaurant, exterior). Each category is governed by different regulatory texts.

This guide lists all required displays, by zone, along with the most frequent points of attention during inspections.

1. Mandatory Displays for Guests

At the reception and in common areas

This is the most frequently inspected area. Your guests must be able to consult, without having to ask:

• The price of the next night in a double room, with and without breakfast
• The presence or absence of an internet connection in the rooms
• The arrival and departure times, and the price applied for late departures
• The amount of the tourist tax
• The accepted payment methods
• A map of the establishment with clear directions
• The safety instructions and the fire department number (18)

Important note: the displayed price must match the actual price charged. A discrepancy between the displayed price and the invoiced price is an offense identified during DGCCRF inspections.

On each floor

• A simplified directional map
• Evacuation signage towards emergency exits
• The Emergency exit signage up to standard
• A no smoking sign

In guest rooms

• The safety instructions in French and at least 2 other languages
• The fire department number (18)
• The cost of a phone call from the room, if a phone is present
• A simplified floor plan
• The no smoking sign

Note: If your hotel has removed in-room telephones, the obligation to display call prices disappears. This is one of the practical advantages of digitizing telephony.

Outside the establishment

• The price for the next night in a double room, visible from the street
• Whether there is an internet connection in the rooms
• The official hotel rating, i.e., the Atout France star rating

2. Mandatory Postings for Employees

As with any business, the hotel employer must display the following in staff-only areas:

• The collective work schedules
• The trade union communications, on a dedicated notice board
• Thesmoking prohibition
• Contact information for the labor inspectorate
• Contact information for the Occupational physician
• Contact details for emergency services

These postings are mandated by the Labor Code and are verified by labor inspectors, independently of hotel inspections.

3. Area-Specific Postings

Postings for the Pool and Spa

• The internal regulations for the area
• The results of the latest health inspection, a quarterly requirement for pools
• The sign indicating that access is restricted to hotel guests

Important note: health inspection results must be displayed within 24 hours of receipt. This is one of the most frequently delayed postings during inspections.

Postings for Food Service

If the hotel offers food service:

• The menu, displayed outside the restaurant or at the entrance
• Thedisplay of prices for drinks and dishes
• The license sign for the sale of alcoholic beverages, if applicable

4. The most common errors during inspections

Outdated prices. The front display shows an old price list. This is the most common violation, and one of the simplest to correct.

Evacuation plan missing or unreadable. Plans degrade over time and are not replaced. To be checked with each corridor renovation.

Rating not displayed or outdated. If the hotel has changed category, the old exterior signage has not always been updated.

Safety instructions in French only. The requirement is for French and 2 foreign languages. English alone is not sufficient in an establishment catering to a diverse international clientele.

Pool sanitation results not displayed. Often sent by email and never printed.

Staying compliant effortlessly

Most failures to display mandatory information do not stem from a lack of knowledge of regulations. They come from a non-existent update process: no one is responsible for checking, replacing, or updating.

An annual audit of displays, by zone and with a checklist, eliminates most risks before an inspection reveals them.

For in-room guest information (safety instructions, available services, prices), the digital room directory offers an alternative to paper displays that deteriorate and are rarely updated. Information can be modified in real-time from the back-office, without printing or physical replacement.

Discover how GetWelcom digitizes in-room guest information →