Chapter 6

Housekeeping
 What Guests Want
Good Service

Price / Reasonable Rates

Clean Appearance

Name / Reputation

Convenient Location
 What Guests Want
1. Clean Appearance

2. Convenient Location

3. Price / Reasonable Rates

4. Good Service

5. Name / Reputation
 Hotel Departments
Front Desk

Maintenance

Sales and Marketing

Housekeeping
 Housekeeping Department
Largest Department in the Hotel
Staff
Payroll
Responsibility Eyes & ears of the hotel
Maintenance Concerns
Guest Behavior
Employee Theft
 Housekeeping

The most vital department in a hotel

Highest impact on guests

Lowest wages paid

Least respect received

 Executive Housekeeper
Responsibilities
Manage people, equipment & supplies
Hire & fire, training, purchase, maintain &
inventory

Preserve the physical plant

Cleanliness, maintenance & upkeep

Controlling costs
Payroll, linen, chemicals & supplies

Keep records
Work schedules, HR paperwork, purchasing,
lost and found & MSDS
 Room Cleaning Standards
14 to 19 rooms per day per room attendant (20
to 30 minutes each)

New conservation cleaning reduces time to 8 to

12 minutes per room or (35 to 50 stayover
rooms per day)

Pay by hour or room (minimum wage: 5.15/hr)

* Based on 7 hours per day

 Conservation Programs
(Cost Control)
Change sheets every 3 days for stayovers
Surface clean only
Express clean
Towel re-use
Cut water use by 10%;
Chemical use by 15%

201 room Holiday Inn saves

$700/mo on utilities and chemicals
$2500/mo on labor ($30K per year)
Labor $ savings is #1 reason to implement
conservation program
 Linen Expense
Largest linen expense is Bath Towels
Theft, stains & tears

Holiday Inn Park Plaza monthly linen expenses

25 dozen bath towels - $1051/mo
37 dozen hand towels - $396/mo
10 dozen bathmats - $315/mo
50 dozen washcloths - $219/mo
$23,772/yr
 Housekeeping Personnel
Housekeepers
Responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of guest rooms.
Housemen
Transport linens and other supplies to housekeepers.
Public Area Attendants
Clean public areas such as hallways, lobby, restrooms, recreational
areas, and banquet reception areas.
Laundry Room Personnel
Separate, wash, dry, fold, and distribute linens.
Supervisors
Inspect guestrooms and public areas. Serve as the contact point
between the housekeeping department and the front desk.
Housekeeping Checklist
 Housekeeping Org Chart
(Medium-sized Hotels)

Executive Housekeeper

Supervisor/
Inspector

Room
Laundry Houseman Public Areas
Attendants
 Housekeeping Org Chart
(Large-sized Hotels)

Rooms Division Manager

Public Areas
Laundry Manager Housekeeping Manager
Manager

Assistant/ Public Areas

Laundry Dry Cleaning
Inspector Attendants

Room Turn-down
Housemen
Attendants Service
 Executive Housekeeper
Bonus
Maintaining Par Levels
Guest Scores
- Cleanliness
- Friendliness of staff 5 foot rule
Controlling Costs
- Labor
- Supplies
Employee Scores