Housekeeping Department

Housekeeping
departments

Introduction to Housekeeping Departments

Definition of Housekeeping

The housekeeping department, in any hotel business,
contributes to major amount of profit though it is considered
as an ancillary service. The simple reason being, a customer
demands a clean, tidy, and pleasing ambience.

Housekeeping may be defined as ‘provision of a clean,
comfortable, safe and aesthetically appealing environment’.
By another definition,‘housekeeping is an operational
department in a hotel, which is responsible for cleanliness,
maintenance, aesthetic upkeep of rooms, public areas, back
areas and the surroundings’.

Role of Housekeeping

Housekeeping department in hotel
ensures the cleanliness, maintenance, and
aesthetic appeal of all rooms and public
areas. The housekeeping department not
only turnarounds (prepares and clean
guestrooms) on a timely manner it also
cleans and maintains everything in the
hotel so that the property is as fresh and
attractive similar to the day when it
opened the doors for the business.

The effort that the housekeeping
makes in giving a guest a desirable
room has a direct bearing on the guest’s
experience in a hotel. There are more
employees working in the housekeeping
department when compared to any other
hotel departments.

Role of Housekeeping

Housekeeping also coordinates closely with
the maintenance or engineering department, as
the housekeeping staff identifies different
types of maintenance issues while cleaning the
rooms and reports to the maintenance team for
rectification or replacement. Example snags or
issue with the TV, AC, Heating unit, Plumbing,
Lighting, Electrical faults, Furniture, Toilet,
Vanity, Tub, Towels racks, Ventilation issues
etc.

Housekeeping Department Organizational
Chart - Large Hotel / 5 Star / Full Service

The housekeeping department in a large hotel or 5 Star Hotel is
headed by the executive housekeeper. He/she reports to the general
manager, or to the resident manager, or the rooms division manager in
a large hotel. In the case of a chain of hotels, the executive
housekeeper also reports to the director of housekeeping, who heads
the housekeeping departments in all the hotels of that chain.

Housekeeping Department Organizational
Chart - Large Hotel / 5 Star / Full Service

The deputy housekeeper assists the executive housekeeper and,
depending on the size of the property, there can also be assistant
housekeepers who look after the various areas of responsibility in the
hotel, that is, floors, public areas, the linen room, and desk control.

The Housekeeping
Organizational Chart in a
large hotel also contains
multiple supervisors for each
section of the housekeeping
like the Laundy, Desk
Control, Floor Supervisor,
Public Area Supervisor, Night
Supervisor etc. each of these
supervisors reports to the
Assitant Housekeeper or the
Executive housekeeper.

Housekeeping Department Organizational Chart
- Medium Hotel / 3-4 Star Hotel / Mid-Range
Service Hotel

The housekeeping department in a Medium Size hotel or 3-4 Star
Hotel is headed by the executive housekeeper. He/she reports to the
general manager. In the case of a chain of hotels, the executive
housekeeper also reports to the director of housekeeping, who heads
the housekeeping departments in all the hotels of that chain.

Medium Hotel / 3-4 Star Hotel / Mid-Range
Service Hotel

The deputy housekeeper assists
the executive housekeeper and
looks after the various areas of
responsibility in the hotel, that is,
floors, public areas, the linen
room, desk control and staffing
etc.

The Housekeeping Organizational
Chart in a Medium hotel also
contains multiple supervisors for
each section of the housekeeping
like the Laundy, Desk Control,
Floor Supervisor, Public Area
Supervisor etc. each of these
supervisors reports to the
Assitant Housekeeper or the
Executive housekeeper.

Small Hotel / 1-2 Star Hotel / Budget or Limited
Service Hotel

The housekeeping department in a Small hotel or 1-2 Star
Hotel is headed by the Executive Housekeeper or a
Housekeeping Manager. He/she reports to the general manager.
In the case of a chain of hotels, the executive housekeeper
also reports to the director of housekeeping, who heads the
housekeeping departments in all the hotels of that chain.

In small hotels, the executive The Housekeeping Organizational
housekeeper controls the various Chart in a Budget hotel has only
areas of responsibility in the two supervisors only one for the
hotel, that is, floors, public areas, desk control and linen and the
the linen room, desk control, other supervisor is to manage all
inventory and staffing etc. aspects of the rooms and public
area. Both of these supervisors
report to the Housekeeping
Manager or EHK.

Further down the Housekeeping
organizational structure, we have the
Room boys, Housekeeping Attendants,
Laundry Attendants, Gardeners, Tailors,
Trainees, Apprentice etc. Find below the
organization chart of the housekeeping
department in a small-sized hotel.

Organizational- Chart Business Hotel

The housekeeping department in a Business Hotel is headed by the
executive housekeeper. He/she reports to the general manager. In the case
of a chain of hotels, the executive housekeeper also reports to the director
of housekeeping, who heads the housekeeping departments in all the
hotels of that chain.

The Assistant housekeeper helps the executive housekeeper in the day
to day activities and looks after the various areas of responsibility in the
hotel, that is, floors, public areas, the linen room, desk control, inventory
and staffing etc.

Organizational- Chart Business Hotel

The Housekeeping Organizational Chart in a
Business Hotel also contains multiple supervisors for
each section of the housekeeping like the Laundy,
Desk Control, Floor Supervisor, Public Area Supervisor
etc. each of these supervisors reports to the Assitant
Housekeeper or the Executive housekeeper.

Main Responsibilities
of Housekeeping

1.To ensure well furnished and maintained guestrooms and public
areas.

2.To ensure excellence in housekeeping sanitation, safety, comfort
and aesthetics for hotel guests.

3.To oversee the coordination of and administer all housekeeping
programs and projects.

4.To act as a source of contact in interdepartmental
communications, vendors, professional agencies etc.

5.To act provide a budget, budget control, and forecasting related
to housekeeping.

6.To achieve the maximum efficiency in ensuring the care and
comfort of guests & in the smooth functioning of the department.

7.To establish a welcoming atmosphere.
8.To ensure courteousness, reliable service from all staff to the

guest.
9.To ensure a high standard of cleanliness and general upkeep in

all areas for which the department is responsible.
10.To provide linen in rooms, restaurants, banquet halls,

conference halls, health clubs etc, as well as to maintain an
inventory for the same.

1. The layout of the Housekeeping
Department

The layout is dependent on the size of the hotel as well as physical
space available. Factors taken into consideration while planning the
layout are
- Total number of guest rooms
- Number of food & beverage outlets as well as function rooms
- Amount of manpower required
- The volume of business anticipated
- Number of jobs contracted out
- The flow of traffic ( people and equipment)

Housekeeping Office – This is the main administrative centre for the
department. It must be an independent cabin to provide the Housekeeper with
silence to plan his work. It also provides the housekeeper with the privacy to
counsel her staff or hold departmental meetings. It should preferably be a glass-
panelled office with blinds so as to give housekeeper a view of what is happening
outside his/her office. The cabin should have one entrance/ exit door. The office
should be preceded by a cabin for the secretary who would control movement into
the housekeeper’s office. The room should have ample built-in shelves, cupboards
with locks to store all files.

Control Desk Room – This is the main communication centre of housekeeping
manned 24hrs a day. It is from here that all information is sent out and received
concerning the department. It is the nerve centre for coordinating with FO,
Banquets, etc. The control desk should have a telephone & a notice board to pin up
staff schedules, day to day instructions. The control desk is a point where all staff
report for duty and check out at the duty end. It would normally adjoin the
Housekeeper’s office.

Linen Room – This is the room where
current linen is stored for issue &
receipt. The room should be large, airy
and free from heat & humidity. It should
have adequate shelves, easily
accessible, to stack all linen. It should be
secure & offer no possibilities for
pilferage. The linen room should have a
counter across which the exchange of
linen takes place. The room preferable
should be adjoining the laundry so that
the supply of linen to & from the laundry
is quick & smooth.

Uniform Room – This room stocks
the uniform in current use. In a
smaller hotel uniform room may be
combined with the linen room. A
separate uniform room may depend
on the volume of uniform in
circulation. The only difference
would be that the uniform room
would have adequate hanging
facilities as many uniforms are best
maintained when hung.

Tailors Room / Sewing Room – This room is kept for in house tailors who
attend to the stitching & mending of the linen & uniform. If the house policy is
to contract out all tailoring and mending work, the tailor room could be
avoided. It should be large enough to accommodate sewing machines, an
ironing table, work table and place for items to be repaired or stitched.

Lost & Found Section – This should be a small space away from the
thoroughfare, secure, cool & dry with a cupboard to store all guest articles
that are lost & may be claimed later.

Flower room – This is an air-
conditioned room to keep fresh
flowers for such flower arrangements
as the hotel may require. The room
should have work tables, a sink &
water supply.

Equipment store – This will room to store bulky equipment like floor
scrubbing machines, vacuum cleaners, roll away beds and mattresses.
The room should be clean & dry. It should also be securely locked to
avoid pilferage.

House Keeping Stores – This is a
room for storing items such as guest
supplies, cleaning agents etc.

Floor Pantry – This is also known as Maid’s Service Room. Each guest floor
must have floor pantry to keep a supply of linen, guest supplies, equipments,
etc for that floor. It is the nerve centre for the floor. The floor pantry should
keep one full set of linen for that floor over and above what is in circulation in
the room. The pantry should be away from the guest view & situated at the
service landing near the service elevators. It should have shelves & cupboards
to stock all linen & supplies.

- Cupboards to store guest supplies, cleaning agents and equipment
- Shelves and racks to store fresh room linen
- Linen trolleys to store fresh and soiled linen ( also used for transporting
linen to and from linen room)
- A notice board to display information like VIPs in house, guest loan items
etc.
- A sink with hot and cold water facility to wash or disinfect glasses, fill
drinking water in flasks, and for flower arrangements
- Guest loan items like rollaway beds, cribs and bed boards
- Some hotels also keep extra items like a shoe shine machine, vending
machine or a small dishwasher.

2. Housekeeping as a supporting

centre or ancillary department

It is rightly said that housekeeping is a 24 x 7 x 365 operation.
Imagine the stacks of linen needed to make up all the beds in a hotel; the
huge amounts of bath soap, tissue, and other amenities such as shampoos,
colognes, and so on that must be placed in the guestrooms; the miles of
carpeting, floors, walls, and ceilings to be cleaned and maintained; the
countless pieces of furniture that must be dusted and polished, and the
barrels of cleaning compounds along with special tools and equipment
needed in order to clean these.

Other than hotels, professional housekeeping services are very much in
demand in hospitals, on cruise liners, at offices, and more. Since most such
organizations prefer to outsource these functions, contract housekeeping is
becoming a lucrative entrepreneurship venture these days. Housekeeping, thus,
is an ancillary department that contributes in a big way towards the overall
reputation of a property.

As mentioned above the tasks performed by the housekeeping are critical
for the smooth daily operation of any hotel regardless of its category, size,
location, number of rooms etc. Also, the critical point in achieving operational
success is the teamwork which must exist between housekeeping and the front
office, engineering, maintenance personals etc.

3. Thumb rules for determining
staff strength

- Executive housekeeper: 1 for a 300 room property
- Assistant housekeepers: 2 (1 per morning and evening shift)
- Floor supervisors: 1 per 60 rooms for the morning shift; 1 for the
evening shift; 1 for the night shift.
- Public area supervisors: 1 for each shift
- Linen/uniform room supervisors: 1
- Room attendants: 1 per 16 rooms for the morning shift; 1 per 30
rooms for the evening shift (if turn down service is provided)
- Linen and uniform room attendants: 2
- Housemen: depends on the size of public areas and functions
expected, but on average, 1 per 60 rooms
- Desk attendants: 1 per shift
- Tailors/upholsterers: 2 (may differ depending on the size of the
hotel)
- Horticulturist: 1
- Head gardeners: 1 per 20 horticulturists
- Gardeners: 1 per 4500 sq. ft of landscaped area

4. Areas Under the Responsibility Of
Housekeeping

The room status change is a particular order and can be thought of as the
“life cycle” of a guest room. The status of a guest room is determined by its
“readiness” for new occupancy. Therefore, a hotel must know its current state
of occupancy and cleanliness at any given point of time. When determining a
room’s state of occupancy and state of both occupancy and cleanliness
information.

Staffs of the Housekeeping department have very little or no guest
contacts in some scenarios, this is mostly due to the fact that most of the
work carried out by the housekeeping staffs are in the back of the house
area. Hence, housekeeping is considered as a back of the house
department.

Even though housekeeping is a back of the house department they are
still responsible for the maintaining and up-keeping of the house areas and
also back of the house areas alike. Below diagram shows the areas which
come under the responsibility of the housekeeping.

5. Standard Room Status Codes

Used in Housekeeping

1. Occupied: A guest currently registered to the room. Complimentary: The
room is occupied, but the guest is not charged for its use.

2. Stayover: The guest is not checking out today and will remain at least
one more night.

3. On-change: The guest has departed, but the room has not yet been
cleaned and readied for resale.

4. Do Not Disturb (DND): The guest has requested not to be disturbed.
5. Sleep-out: A guest was booked to the room, but the bed has not been

used.
6. Skipper: The guest left the hotel without paying the bill.
7. Sleeper: The guest has settled his/her account and left the hotel, but the

front office staff has failed to properly update the room's status.
8. Vacant and ready: The room has been cleaned and inspected and is ready

for an arriving guest.
9. Out Of Order (OOO): The cannot be assigned to a guest and is blocked for

maintenance activity.
10. Lock Out: The room has been locked so that the guest cannot re-enter

until they are cleared by the front desk.
11. DNCO: Did not check out, the guest made arrangements to settle his or

her account but has left without informing the front desk.
12. Due Out: The room is expected to become vacant after the following

day's check-out time.
13. Check Out: The guest has settled his or her account, returned the room

keys and left the hotel.
14. Late Checkout: The guest has requested and is being allowed to check-

out later than the standard check-out time.
15. Early Checkin: The guest has requested and is being allowed to check-in

earlier than the standard check-in time.

6. Housekeeping Room Status Cycle
Diagram

7. Cleaning Equipment Used in
Housekeeping

Efficient cleaning and maintenance are dependent upon high-quality
cleaning equipment, correctly using. Though only 5-10% of the overall cost
incurred on cleaning is accounted for by cleaning equipment and agents,
selecting the ideal equipment plays a major role in the cleaning process. There
will often be several ways of carrying out any particular cleaning task and
different types of equipment that can be employed for it.

8. Housekeeping Uniform

Room maid and Room Boy

Meaning
- Dark green: fertility, immortality, fertility, growth
- White: peace, simplicity, cleanliness
- Grey: dignity, stability, stability

Tips for Selecting perfect Hotel
Uniform

1. The number one point is the functionality of the position. It is
important to ensure the garment is made to fit for the purpose of the
garment, this is a big priority.

2. Number two is the durability of the fabric and the construction of
the garment. Good manufacturing processes without shortcuts taken are
essential for the perfect uniform. Shortcuts could include using poor
quality facing fabric in suit lapels for example.

3. The third point is the correct choice of fabric; a fabric can
withstand the industrial laundry process. Usually, a combination of 60%
polyester and 40% viscose for pants and suiting is the most successful.
She also recommended micro-fiber and 100% polyester for pants and
suiting though this does not breathe so well.

9. problems and solution of hotel

- Problem: Bad reviews happen. It’s unfortunate, but it’s so. They can
occur for nearly infinite reasons and they are the bane of every hotel
manager’s existence.

Solution : When one- or two-star reviews occur it’s generally best to
find out why as soon as possible. Including a star-rating step in a
Contactless Checkout flow that can be accessed through a guest’s mobile
device allows hoteliers to identify dissatisfied guests early and
potentially resolve any issues before they depart the property.

- Problem: Your guests arrive to see they are sharing the room with
clumps of dust, unpleasant grime and dirty surroundings. Not the best
first impression.

Solution: Of course, it is best to solve this problem before it occurs.
Implement thorough cleaning checks and perhaps even have random
inspections yourself to make sure the cleaning team are following the
correct standards.

- Problem: Your guest arrives to what looks like their hotel room, but it
must be a sauna in disguise due to the fiery temperature.

Solution: Try not to go over the standard room temperature (21°C).
This is a simple way to please everyone and allows your guests to
choose whether they want it slightly warmer or cooler.

9. problems and solution of hotel

- Problem: Your guests have paid for a terrible night’s sleep on a lumpy
mattress with poor quality scratchy bed sheets… a.k.a a one way to
ticket to 0/5 star review.

Solution: A comfortable bed is one of the top priorities for most hotel
goers. Whether they’re on a business trip, a relaxing getaway or a short
break, a good night’s sleep is essential. It is also what will keep them
coming back for repeat visits.

- Problem: The Wi-Fi is so slow it’s not worth using, the TV doesn’t
work and there’s no hope for the old battered air con unit that looks like
it came straight from the 1800s. You’ve sold the room based on the
fantastic amenities it has to offer, but your guests arrive to half of them
not working. Frustrated is an understatement.

Solution: Check everything works before your guests arrive to pre-
empt any complaints. If faults are found by your guests when they
arrive, find a solution as fast as possible, you don’t want to deprive
them of Wi-Fi and air con for too long.

10. Games

11. Answer

Reference

Cassandra Roberts, (2016), Role of Housekeeping in Hospitality Industry.
Retrieved 16 June 2022, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/role-
housekeeping-hospitality-industry-cassandra-roberts

Setup My Hotel, (2022), Housekeeping. Retrieved 15 June 2022, from
https://setupmyhotel.com/train-my-hotel-staff/page/3.html