Is an older hotel required to meet current code guidelines?

We are staying on the second floor in an upscale hotel in Irvine CA. My 2 year old grandson is able to fit his head through the guardrail on the balcony. I understand that there is supposed to be 4 inches between the railings but if the hotel was built prior to when those standards were set....are they grandfathered in?(the rails are 4 1/2inches-5 inches apart and currently do not meet code.

When building codes are changed, pre-existing buildings are, usually, grandfathered in.

There are exceptions - when building codes first started requiring smoke detectors in hotels, for example, existing hotels were given a time period to install them, but weren't exempted.

Something like guardrails, though, I'm sure is grandfathered.

Richard

Buildings are not required to continually upgrade their construction, life/safety features or handicapped accessibility items as the building codes change.

As California has gotten more stringent in their requirements regarding the seismic requirements of the code did you or your neighbors open up the walls of your house and modify the construction?

The new IBC calls for sprinkler systems in a greater portion of structures, are existing buildings retrofitting these systems?

The answer to both questions is NO.

Historical buildings are a prime example- to continually require upgrades would create an overwhelming financial burden and destroy the fabric of great buildings.

Asbestos is another issue- In fact, many buildings continue to have asbestos in them that does not pose a hazard and has been left in place.

Yes, they are required to. It was hugely expensive to remove asbestos from all the older buildings, but it still had to be done.

Yes, older hotels need to match the new guidelines.