ARQUS Check carries out independent pre-purchase inspections of hotels and tourist accommodation in Halkidiki, Central Macedonia and, for larger projects, anywhere in Greece. We visually and non-destructively inspect the grounds, building envelope, structure and every mechanical, electrical and plumbing installation, using drone and thermal imaging. Buyers, investors and incoming operators receive a detailed PDF report in English (or Greek, German, Bulgarian or Serbian) with a score for each system, prioritised issues and repair-cost estimates, co-signed by a civil engineer who is a member of the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE).
Who this inspection is for
- Buyers and investors acquiring small and mid-sized hotels, apart-hotels, rooms-to-let or holiday-villa complexes.
- Operators taking over a lease or a management contract who need to know the condition of what they are taking on.
- Owners and operators who want an independent view of their installations before a renovation or before the season opens.
We are not estate agents, we do not act for the seller and we take no commissions. The report describes the property as it is.
Why a hotel needs a different kind of inspection
In a hotel, much of the cost of putting things right sits in places guests never see: boiler rooms, chillers, water booster sets, pool plant rooms, switchboards and standby generators. Well-presented rooms and a smart lobby tell you very little about them.
Seasonal properties add their own risks. They sit closed through the winter, with systems switched off and water standing in pipework. Near the sea, salt air speeds up corrosion of metalwork, outdoor air-conditioning units and reinforcement in exposed concrete. And many Greek hotels have grown in stages, with extensions and alterations that are not always documented.
A hotel condition inspection answers a practical question: what will need repairing or replacing, in what order, and roughly at what cost.
What we inspect
The scope follows a condition-focused technical due diligence and is scaled to the size of the property.
Grounds and access
- Perimeter fencing, gates and vehicle access control.
- Driveways, walkways, parking areas and marking.
- Stormwater, site drainage, slopes, nearby streams and flood risk.
- Retaining walls and slopes (sliding, erosion).
- Pergolas, canopies, outdoor dining, pathway lighting, playgrounds and sports areas.
Building envelope
- Façades and render (cracks, spalling, external insulation systems).
- Roofs and flat roofs: waterproofing, outlets, parapets, gutters and downpipes, with a visible and thermal drone scan.
- Windows and curtain walls: sealing, hardware, shading.
- Guest-room balconies: cantilevers, falls, drainage, balustrades (height, gaps, fixing).
- Damp and water ingress through façades and basements.
Structure
- Foundations and basements: signs of settlement, cracking or damp.
- Columns, beams and slabs: cracks, spalling, exposed or corroded rebar.
- Cantilevers, stairs and ramps.
- Seismic and expansion joints.
- Later additions and alterations showing signs of unengineered work.
Electrical installations
- Medium-voltage substation and transformer, where present.
- Main low-voltage switchboard, floor and room sub-boards, protective devices and labelling.
- Cabling, cable trays and risers.
- Standby generator and UPS: start-up, changeover, autonomy.
- Common-area lighting, emergency lighting and illuminated exit signs.
- Earthing, equipotential bonding and lightning protection.
- Photovoltaics and EV charging, where present.
HVAC and heating
- Central chillers and heat pumps.
- Boiler room: boilers, burners and flues.
- Hydronic pipework, circulators and pipe insulation.
- Air-handling units and ductwork.
- Guest-room terminal units (fan coils, VRF, split units).
- Ventilation and extraction in WCs, basements and car parks.
- Cooling towers, where present.
- Fuel installations (natural gas, LPG, oil): tanks and leak detection.
Water supply, hot water and drainage
- Water supply, meters, storage tanks and booster pumps.
- Water treatment (softeners, filters, chlorination).
- Hot-water production: storage calorifiers and solar thermal.
- Hot-water distribution and recirculation, temperatures and Legionella controls.
- Sewer network, manholes and the kitchen grease trap.
- Wastewater treatment plant, septic tank or sewer connection, and sewage or stormwater pumping stations.
Fire protection
- Fire detection system and panel, detectors and sounders.
- Sprinklers, hose reels and hydrants.
- Fire pump room and fire water tank.
- Portable extinguishers: locations and service dates.
- Kitchen hood fire suppression.
- Fire compartmentation and fire doors (self-closing, sealed penetrations).
Lifts, BMS and low-voltage systems
- Passenger lifts, service and platform lifts, lift machine rooms.
- Building management system (BMS) and controls.
- Data network, Wi-Fi, telephone system and TV distribution.
- CCTV, access control and key-card locks, public address and voice evacuation.
Pools, spa and plant rooms
- Pool basins and linings (cracks, leaks, tiles or liner).
- Pool plant room: pumps, filters, watertightness, ventilation.
- Water circulation and treatment (balance tank, automatic pH and chlorine control) and the chemical store.
- Pool deck and safety: slip resistance, depth markings, anti-entrapment outlets, lifesaving equipment.
- Pool electrics (underwater lighting, bonding, residual-current protection) and pool heating.
- Children's pools, water slides and spa areas (hot tubs, sauna, hammam, changing rooms).
Kitchens, food & beverage and laundry
- Commercial kitchen equipment, hoods and extract ducts.
- Cold rooms and refrigeration (temperatures, door seals).
- Dishwashing, floors, floor drains and surfaces from a hygiene standpoint.
- Bars and dining areas, ice machines.
- Laundry and linen room (washers, dryers, lint ducts).
Guest rooms and public areas
- General condition of rooms: walls, floors, ceilings, wear.
- Guest bathrooms: sanitary ware, grout, shower watertightness.
- Damp, mould and odours in rooms and bathrooms, checked with a moisture meter and thermal camera.
- Room equipment: beds, wardrobes, minibars, safes, TVs.
- Reception, lobby, corridors, function rooms, public WCs, staff areas and stores.
Safety, egress and accessibility
- Escape routes and exits (unobstructed, widths, panic hardware) and escape stairs.
- Evacuation plans in rooms and on each floor.
- Accessible ramps, entrances, rooms and WCs.
- Slip, trip and fall hazards and safety glazing.
- First-aid provision and defibrillator.
Documents we ask to see
We record whether they exist and are current: building permit and any legalisation of unauthorised works, tourism operating licence and MHTE registration, star or key classification, fire safety study and certificate, lift certificates and periodic inspections, pool operating permit and water analyses, Energy Performance Certificate, as-built MEP drawings, maintenance logs (boilers, generator, fire systems), the Legionella risk-management plan, and the food-business health notification and HACCP records. We flag gaps and anything on site that does not match the paperwork.
How the inspection works
- Brief. Tell us about the property (location, number of rooms, facilities, whether it is operating) and your transaction timeline.
- Proposal and programme. We agree the scope, site days and report delivery date in writing. We ask the seller or operator for access to all areas and, where possible, to have the main systems running.
- Site inspection. A room-by-room visual inspection, a visible and thermal drone scan of roofs and façades, a FLIR thermal camera, a moisture meter and an endoscopic camera. We test whatever can be tested without dismantling.
- Report. A detailed PDF, co-signed by a TEE-member civil engineer. For most properties it arrives within 48–72 hours; for larger resorts the date is set in the proposal.
What the report contains
- Executive summary for the investment committee or buyer: the key findings in a few pages.
- A score for every system, so envelope, MEP, pools, kitchens and rooms can be compared at a glance.
- Prioritised issues: safety-critical and urgent items, work that can be planned, and routine maintenance.
- Indicative repair-cost estimates for each significant finding, for price negotiation and capex budgeting.
- Photo evidence, including thermal images and drone shots where they add information.
- Your language: English, Greek, German, Bulgarian or Serbian.
What the inspection does not cover
The inspection is visual and non-invasive. We do not open walls or ceilings or dismantle equipment. We also do not:
- calculate the capacity or adequacy of systems, or forecast their remaining service life;
- activate alarm systems or equipment that is shut down or disconnected (these are recorded as not tested);
- provide structural calculations, laboratory testing (water, Legionella, asbestos, mould), legal opinions or valuations;
- review the business's financial or operating performance.
Where a specialist is needed, we tell you which one. See the full list of what we don't do.
Inspected by an architect who designs hotels
Our founder and lead inspector, Georgios Papangelou, is a partner at the Thessaloniki architecture practice icon architecture and has around 35 years of international experience in Greece, the USA and Germany, designing and renovating homes, luxury hotels and commercial spaces.
He knows how a hotel works behind the scenes and what it really takes to renovate one that is trading. He is an InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector and an EASA-certified drone operator.
For offices, shops and warehouses, see our commercial property inspection. For what our drone and thermal camera can and cannot show, see drone and thermal imaging.
Where we work
We are based in Thessaloniki and cover all of Halkidiki (Kassandra, Sithonia and the rest of the peninsula) and Central Macedonia. For hotels and investment properties we travel throughout Greece, including Athens and the islands.
Next step
Send us the location, number of rooms and your transaction timeline, and we will propose a scope and programme.
- Phone & WhatsApp: +30 698 750 4050
- Email: a4uusa@yahoo.com
- Office: Navarchou Kountourioti 19, 2nd floor, 54625 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Hours: Monday–Saturday, 09:00–19:00 (Greek time)