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1 - HOTEL HOUSEKEEPING
INTRODUCTION
Housekeeping is an important and integral part of the guest experience and satisfaction. Other
things such as security are important, but what guests really want is to feel at home, to feel
comfortable. Although the staff providing this service do not necessarily interact directly with
the public, the quality of their work is critical in shaping guests pleasant memories of their stay.

The impact of the housekeeping function on the success of a hotels operations cannot be
underestimated, since large revenue for hotel industry is generated mainly from the sale of
rooms. Good housekeeping is the foundation of good infection prevention. The general
cleanliness and hygiene of a facility are vital to the health and safety of guests, staff, and visitors.
Pleasant work environment contributes to staff members' satisfaction, making them
to be more productive. A more pleasant environment improves guest satisfaction and can
increase guests use of services and frequent visits.

The housekeeping is the department of a hotel charged with cleaning and maintaining rooms and
public spaces. From the time a guest checks-in in a hotel till he checks out, it is the housekeeping
department which takes care of the guest by making his / her stay pleasant and comfortable.

In general, the housekeeping crew is responsible for the daily cleaning of public rooms (lobbies,
corridors, meeting rooms), private bedrooms and public washrooms. In addition, it handles the
laundering of linens and in some instances, guest laundry. Housekeeping also performs a minor
security function by providing a first alert to potential guest problems while staff undertake
daily guest bedroom cleaning.

IMPORTANCE OF HOUSEKEEPING

1. Comfort: Achieve the maximum efficiency possible in the care and comfort of the guests
and in providing support services for the smooth running of the hotel. Every hotel spends
a lot of effort in ensuring the quality of beds, mattresses, channel music, TV,
airconditioner if applicable, attached bar etc. The comforts must be regularly maintained
and should be properly functioning. It is the duty of the housekeeping department to
ensure comfort and a welcoming atmosphere to the guests as well as strive to extend
courteous, reliable and satisfactory service from staffs of all departments.

2. Cleanliness and Hygiene: Ensure a high standard of cleanliness and general upkeep in
all areas. Clean and well maintained areas and equipments create a favorable impression
on the guest. Hygiene is maintained especially in the wash rooms, toilets, pool changing
room, health club, etc.

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3. Privacy: The prime concern of any guest, irrespective of whether rich or poor, common
man or celebrity, is privacy. Room windows are provided with curtains. Windows could
normally overlook good scenic view, away from the prying eyes of others in the hotel or
outside public. Housekeeping staffs ensure the privacy of the guests and they should be
trained with proper procedures to enter the room.

4. Safety and Security: Security is one of the prime concerns of a hotel guest. The
housekeeping department staffs should ensure the safety and security of the guests with
the help of security services. They should also make sure that fire fighting equipments
and emergency alarms are functional at all times. They should also ensure peace, quiet
and noise free atmosphere in the area.

5. Dcor: Creating a pleasant and classy ambience is also one of the major concerns for a
guest. This is not easy and requires a good eye for detail. This work is an art and the
housekeeping staff is mainly responsible for creating a pleasant atmosphere.

FUNCTIONS OF HOUSEKEEPING

Housekeeping department holds the responsibility of cleaning, maintenance and admirable
upkeep of the hotel. The main functions of housekeeping are overall cleanliness, bed making,
ensuring maintenance of the building and its infrastructure, laundry, linen management, key
control, pest control, safety and security of the guests as well as the infrastructure and interior
decoration. All this ensure the ambience and promotes a congenial environment. The basic
function of the housekeeping is explained briefly:

1. Cleaning Rooms And Public Areas: Housekeeping department cleans the rooms and
toilets and wash basins in the room. Apart from cleaning the guest rooms, housekeeping
department is also responsible for cleaning floor, terraces, elevators, elevator lobbies,
corridors of guest floors, floor linen closets, mop and janitors closets, service lobbies and
service stairways, function rooms, shopping arcade, cabanas, bars, dining rooms, offices,
uniform rooms, tailor rooms, upholstery, shops, store rooms and swimming pools. To be
concise, the housekeeping department is responsible for the total cleanliness of a hotel.

2. Bed Making: A guest requires a comfortable bed to take rest, relax and enjoy. A bed that
is well- made will provide the required comfort. Bed making is a skill that requires to be
developed by the housekeeper, as it not only provides comfort to the guest, but also adds
to the pleasant ambience of a guests room. Guests should not be able to tell if anyone has
slept in the room, so a clean environment and perfect bed making is major consideration
of this department.

3. Linen Management: One of the important jobs of the Housekeeping Department is
clothes and linen management. This involves all functions from purchase of linen to
laundering, storage, supplies and to condemnation. In a hotel different types of clothes
and linen are used such as the bed sheets, pillow covers, napkins, towels, hand towels,
table covers, curtains, cushion covers etc. All of these require regular maintenance.

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4. Laundry Services: It is the job of the Housekeeping Department to ensure clean and
hygienic washing of all the linen items, and then distributing them to different areas of
the hotel. The relationship between the housekeeping and laundry is significant for the
smooth functioning of housekeeping services. One of the supporting roles of the laundry
is to provide valet services to house guests.

5. Pest Control: Pest Control is another major job of the Housekeeping Department. No
matter how clean one keeps the surroundings, one cannot avoid the uninvited guests
the pests. It is not only embarrassing but also speaks badly of a hotel where one sees rats,
cockroaches, and lizards running around. Therefore, pest control is one of the primary
responsibilities of the housekeeping department.

6. Key Control: Key control is one of the major jobs of the housekeeping department. The
room keys have to be handled efficiently and safely before and after letting the room.

7. Safety and Security: The Housekeeping Department is responsible for maintaining a
peaceful atmosphere in the hotel. If the guests and staff always fear for their safety and
the safety of their belongings, the atmosphere will be very tense. Hence the housekeeping
department staff should be aware of ways to protect himself and others, especially the
guests around him and the property of the hotel from accidents and theft. Several
accidents could occur at the place of work. These include fire accidents, falls, wounds,
injuries, negligence in handling electrical equipment e t c . It is important for all
housekeeping personnel to know about first aid as they could be the first ones on the spot
to give immediate attention to a guest and also an employee in trouble.

8. Interior Decoration: Interior decoration is the art of creating a pleasant atmosphere in
the living room with the addition of a complex of furnishings, art, and crafts,
appropriately combined to achieve a planned result or design. These arts and crafts have
to be well maintained by the housekeeping department. Decorating flowers is a creative
and stimulating art which often carries a message or theme. Flowers and indoor plants
add color and beauty to a room.

9. Room Maintenance: Good housekeeping department is just as responsible for the hotel's
maintenance as an engineering department. In an ideal environment, t h e housekeeping
staff and managers should act as the eyes and ears of the engineering department. If
damaged or broken items are not reported, they can't be fixed. Proper maintenance will
make the perception of cleanliness easier to maintain and reduce guest complaints.








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2 - LAYOUT & ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF HOUSEKEEPING DEPTT.

There is no ideal or universal model for the layout of a housekeeping department. The basic
layout may differ from hotel to hotel and is dependent on the size of & physical space limitation.
There are o many functional rooms in hotel. Some of these are Linen Room, Tailor Shop, Linen
& Uniform Store, Laundry Room, Corridor, Employee Exchange counter, HK/Laundry Counter,
HK Control desk, HK Store, Flower Room, Furniture & Upholstery Room, Secretary Room etc.


AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY OF HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT
1. Housekeepers Office: It is the main administration centre of housekeeping. It must
independent cabin for silence and privacy. It is glass paneled so as to give the
Housekeeper view of what happening outside. The office is preceded by cabin for the
secretary who would control movement into the Housekeeper office.

2. CONTROL DESK ROOM: It is the point where all staff report for duty and check out
at the end of duty. It adjoins the Housekeeping office. It should have a large notice board
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to display essential. The room has a desk, chair, more than one telephone, computer
terminal for information storage and control. It is the main centre for co-ordination with
the front office. It is the main communication centre where relevant housekeeping
information sent and received.

3. Public Area:
a. Front of the House Areas: The area which is accessible by guest e.g. Lobby,
Shopping Arcade, Restaurant, Banquet Rooms, Health club, Swimming Pool, Recreation
Area, Parking Areas, and Compound area etc.
b. Back of the house Areas: The Area which are not accessible by guest e.g. Basement,
service area, staff locker, offices etc.
4. Linen and Uniform Room: The Housekeeping department is responsible for the
functioning, repair and renewal of the linen and for maintaining proper inventory and
stock records of all linen items. It includes room linen, restaurant linen, uniforms and soft
furnishings.
5. Laundry:
a. On Premises Laundry: If the laundry is on the premises, the guest laundry from the
rooms is directly collected and delivered by the laundry valet. However all hotel linen is
first collected in the linen room and then given to the laundry for washing.
b. Off Premises Laundry: The laundering of both guest and hotel linen is done on
contract by an external laundry. All the linen is collected in the linen room from where it
is dispersed to the laundry for washing.
6. Uniform Room: This room stocks the uniforms in current use. It is possible that smaller
hotels may choose to combine the uniform room with the linen room. A separate uniform
room really depends on the volume of uniforms in circulation. The only difference would
be that the uniform room would have adequate hanging facilities as many uniforms are
best maintained when hung.
7. Tailors Room: This room is kept for house tailors who attend to the stitching and
mending work of linen and uniforms. If the house policy is to contract out all tailoring
and mending work, the tailors room could be avoided.
8. Heavy equipment store: This will be a room to store bulky items, such as shampoo
machines, vacuum cleaner and dry. It should also securely lock to avoid stealing or
pilferage by other departments.
9. Green house: As horticulture comes under housekeeping normally, a green house to
foster specialized plants is necessary in the garden areas. The green house should have
wooden racks to store pots, etc.
10. Shoe shine: Resident guests are given this service by room attendants on a
complimentary basis. Some hotels may have a shoe shine machine installed in corridor.
11. Florist: This could either be given out on contract or an employee of the housekeeping
department could do the flower arrangements required for VIP rooms, suites, executive
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offices, public areas and for the florist shop. Any banquet requirements such as the
backdrop for a wedding, etc., is done on contract.
12. Special Requests : Extra room compliments and supplies, first aid kit (no oral
medication without the advice of the house doctor) irons , hot water bags , ice-bags,
thermometer, hair-dryers, etc ., are given at no extra cost for guest use. A request for
extra beds, however, should be routed through the front office since the guest would be
charged extra for it.
13. Baby sitting: If a guest makes a request for this facility, chambermaids may undertake to
do babysitting after their regular shift or professional baby sitters are arranged for by the
housekeeping department .The guest is charged by the hour.
14. Lost and found: Any guest article found in rooms or public areas is kept in the
possession of the housekeeping department till a guest makes a claim for it. Perishable -
24 hrs, valuables - 6months to1 year, of not much value -3 to 6 months.
15. Contract Services: Pest Control , Carpet Shampoo, Laundry, Florist, Landscaping ,
Cleaning the outer faade of the building, etc., are some to the cleaning service that are
done on control by the housekeeping department .
16. Refurbishment and Redecoration: Refurbishment implies complete renovation where
all the soft furnishings are changed and the furniture too may be changed or redone. It is
usually undertaken once in 3-5 years floor wise.
Redecoration, on the other hand, is done on a need basis as and when required
piece/area wise, e.g. , redoing the upholstery of a sofa or changing a set of curtains as it is
stained of worn-out.
17. Any Special Decoration: Parties hosted by the hotel, e.g., Christmas Dance, New Year
Ball, Navratri, etc., or food festivals, which require special dcor is looked after the
housekeeping department in co-ordination with the Food and Beverage Department.
18. Purchase: The executive housekeeper is responsible for the purchase of cleaning
equipment, cleaning agents, linen, soft furnishings, uniforms, room complimentary and
supplies. All large chain hotels may have a central purchase department through which
room supplies are obtained on a monthly/quarterly basis. This ensures consistency of
room supplies in all hotels of the chain.
19. Budgeting: The executive housekeeper presents the annual budget in January for the
forthcoming Budgeting Financial year. The factors to be considered while drawing up the
budget are, Previous year budget + 10%inflation +refurbishment plans+ any other capital
purchase + expected occupancy.
20. Duty Rotas / Rosters: The executive housekeeper decides shift timings and day off of all
housekeeping employees. In addition, leave sanctioning, over time and statement of
attendance is sent by the executive housekeeper to the personnel Department at the end of
each month for calculating the payroll of the housekeeping staff.
21. Interview, Selection, Induction, Training and Performance Appraisal: The executive
housekeeper is responsible for the final selection and training of all housekeeping staff.
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Performance Appraisals are drawn up annually for permanent employees, quarterly for
probationers and monthly for trainees.
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

The success and credibility of the hotels depends solely on their in-house professionally skilled
team. Top quality service, with dedicated, trained, intelligent, sincere, honest and motivated staff
is what is important for a hotel housekeeping department. This team succeeds in building and
maintaining the image and reputation of the hotel and creating and sustaining regular &
privileged guest visits.

For providing excellent and satisfying quality service, lot of effort has to be made towards
organizing and training the housekeeping staffs continuously. Additionally, the trained staff must
be retained ensuring the consistency and staff dedication remains focused through various
methods of training and motivation.

The largest work force of the hotel is in the housekeeping department. It would be appropriate at
this stage to understand the hierarchy, duties and responsibilities of all the housekeeping staffs
for effective communication and coordination.

The organizational structure of the housekeeping department mainly depends on the activities
and the size of the hotel. The charts below show the organizational of structure of the large and
medium sized hotels. In the small hotels one or more jobs are integrated and
handled by the few housekeeping personnels.




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INTERDEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION
No individual department in any hotel can work in isolation. The housekeeping department, is
just one of the department in a hotel working towards the satisfaction of the guests, and each
department is dependent on others for information and services if its work is to be accomplished
effectively. Within the rooms division, housekeeping primarily coordinates with the front-office
and maintenance. Amongst all co-ordination relationships in hotels, the most important one is
that between the front-office, housekeeping and maintenance. Hotels depend on these three
departments to create an image.

Housekeeping Department can coordinate with:
Front-Office
Food & Beverage Department
Stores
Purchase Department
Personnel Department
Sales and Marketing Department
Maintenance Department
Security Department
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COORDINATION WITH FRONT OFFICE.

1. To ensure efficient rooming of guests, both housekeeping and front office must
inform each other of changes in a rooms status. Knowing whether a room is occupied,
vacant, on change, out of order (OOO), under repair, or similar for proper room
management

2. There should be coordination to clean front office public areas.

3. There must be coordination between housekeeping and front office department to
share information on occupancy levels which helps to forecast occupancy for the year
and makes it easier to draw up a budget, establish par stock levels and estimate required
staff strength.

4. There should be coordination know about the daily room report and housekeeping
discrepancy report.

5. It also helps to gear renovations and spring cleaning to low occupancy periods
thereby preventing loss of revenue.

6. The housekeeping and front office department also coordinate with each other for
other important information which require special attention like.

7. VIPs in house: this information is essential so that the staff can take a little extra
care and keener precautions in cleaning and supervising VIP rooms.

8. Groups in the house: the group rooming list must be provided before the groups
arrival to the housekeeping as groups tends to move together in terms of arrival,
departure, sightseeing tours and meals. Their rooms need to be readied together in view
of strict time parameters. Group rooming lists enable the hk department to organize their
work and have the groups room ready on time.

9. Crews in the house: Sometimes the arrival of a crew and the departure of another
crew from the same airline may overlap. In such circumstances, it is important for the
allotted rooms to be cleaned within a short period of time. Thus for this there should be a
effective coordination between front office and housekeeping.

10. Flowers: sometimes the management extends its compliments to a guest with a
special gesture of a flower arrangement in the room as recognition of the importance of a
person. This requirement of flower arrangements for certain guests is conveyed to
housekeeping by the front office on a daily basis.

11. Apart from the above communications the front office needs to depend on
housekeeping for the provision of clean uniforms to its staff.

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COORDINATION WITH FOOD AND BEVERAGE DEPARTMENT

1. The coordination of housekeeping with the restaurants and banquet halls is mainly
concerned with the provision of linen and uniforms.

2. On his/her part the restaurant manager should ensure that the time set for the
exchange of linen must be maintained and linen should not be lost or misused.

3. There should be coordination to maintain mini bar in guest rooms.

4. The housekeeping should be well informed about the forthcoming banquet
function in advance so that housekeeping will arrange everything to organize that
function.

5. Housekeeping may also have to arrange for flower decorations for banquets.

6. The coordination between the two departments becomes particularly necessary in
collection of trays from the guest corridors which are collected from the room, placement
of fruit basket in special rooms.

7. In many hotels housekeeping also looks after pest control in restaurants, kitchens,
and stores attached to them. Special cleaning of these areas call for coordination with the
housekeeping department.

8. Both the restaurant and kitchen staff requires clean uniforms on a daily basis, for
which too they need to coordinate with housekeeping.

COORDINATION STORE

1. Coordination with stores ensures the availability of day-to day necessities of
housekeeping.

2. Larger hotels have a store attached to the housekeeping department that stocks
linen, supplies and so on.

3. Smaller hotels may stock them in the general store, except for linen, which is sent
to the housekeeping department on purchase.

4. Communication with stores is by way of a requisition form, which housekeeping
sends to when it requires certain items. The requisition form is called as store requisition
form.

COORDINATION WITH PURCHASE DEPARTMENT

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1. The purchase department procures out of stock items for housekeeping, such as
guest supplies and amenities, stationery, linen, cleaning materials and equipments etc.

2. Housekeeping should convey their requirements to purchase by way of advance
notice in the form of a purchase requisition.

COORDINATION WITH PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT


1. Housekeeping coordinates with the personnel department for following reason.

2. Acquisition: human resource planning, recruitment, selection and induction/
socialization.

3. Maintenance: compensation management e.g. pay/ salary, wages, over time,
medical treatment etc.

4. Motivation: performance appraisal system, reward management system and
training and development.

COORDINATIONWITH SALES AND MARKETING DEPARTMENT

1. There should be effective coordination between sales and marketing department
and housekeeping to supply promotional items in guest rooms and other areas of hotel.

2. The sales and marketing department informs housekeeping of the occupancy
forecast for the entire year, which is broken up month wise. This enables housekeeping to
budget for the necessary expenses.

3. An important contribution of the housekeeping staff to hotel sales is ensuring that
repeat business is obtained by providing the level of cleanliness and service that meets or
exceeds guest expectations.

4. The sales and marketing team also have to depend on housekeeping for their
uniforms.

5. Two things are certain in the hotel business: no matter how many guests a
salesperson brings in the door, if housekeeping does not execute its function with
excellence the guests will not be coming back.

6. Vice versa, no matter how well- kept the rooms, if the sales staff does not bring
potential guests to the hotel, occupancy falls.

COORDINATION WITH MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT

1. The housekeeping department depends on maintenance to keep things in order.
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2. While carrying out their scheduled work, housekeeping employees may find some
deficiencies in the hotel facilities, such as faulty electrical plugs, dripping faucets, leaking
pipes or malfunctioning air-conditioning units etc.

3. A need for urgent repairs is reported to maintenance over telephone and these
requests are usually taken into action immediately.

4. There are various heads under which maintenance work is done they are:
a. Electrical work: air conditioning and heating; fused bulbs , lights and lamps that
are not functioning ; defective plugs and plug points ; short circuits; and faulty
geysers , refrigerators , and minibar fall under this category.
b. Boiler work: this is necessary to maintain a supply of hot water to guestroom.
c. Mechanical work: this entails repair or replacement of any faulty equipment, such
as vacuum cleaners, ice-cube machines, and so on.
d. Plumbing work: this deals with faulty faucets (taps), showers, drainage systems,
water closets, and so on.
e. Carpentry work: broken of shaky furniture; mirrors and cupboards in less than
peak condition, and fresh woodwork are all part of this.

COORDINATION WITH SECURITY DEPARTMENT

1. The coordination here is mainly concerned with the prevention of fire and thefts
and the safekeeping of keys and lost property.

2. Housekeeping personnel should also report anything of a suspicious nature or
movement in hotel immediately to the security staff.

3. Housekeeping have to coordinate if they see any anti-social activities in the guest
room such as gambling, smuggling and so on.

4. The security department is responsible for conducting training sessions on
handling emergency situations for the staff. e.g. they conduct fire drill to train staff to
gear up in a fire emergency











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3 STAFFING IN HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

1. Executive Housekeeper: Responsible and accountable for the total cleanliness, maintenance
and aesthetic upkeep of the hotel. This is achieved with the resources of manpower, materials,
machines, money, space and time available to him.

2. Assistant Housekeeper: May be one for each shift of a large hotel. He may be the
housekeeper of a small hotel or the only deputy to the Executive Housekeeper of a medium-sized
hotel. He manages the resources given by the Executive Housekeeper to achieve the common
objectives of cleanliness, maintenance and attractiveness in a given shift. His accountability
normally ends on the completion of his shift.

3. Uniform Room Supervisor: A non-management person solely responsible for providing
clean serviceable uniforms to the staff of the hotel. As the hotel staff are all practically in
uniforms his / her task is enormous and demanding as h e / she has to keep an inventory control
on various stages of use, such as, when sorted ones are handed over, or those which are being
washed or dry-cleaned in the laundry.
4. Uniform Room Attendants: The uniform supervisor is assisted by attendants who actually do
the issue of uniforms in exchange for soiled ones for onward transmission to the laundry. These
attendants are in actual contact with the staff.

5. Linen Room Supervisors: A non-management person solely responsible for the acquisition,
storage, issue and cleanliness of linen in its various forms. His job Accommodation
Operation is a mammoth task because he keeps track of all linen as they would number in
thousands.

6. Linen Room Attendant: Assists the supervisor by actually issuing linen and filling such
records as necessary.

7. Tailor / Seamstress: Tailor or seamstress personnel are responsible for stitching and mending
the linen and upholsteries.

8. Helpers: They are to be found both in Uniforms and linen Rooms and do the physical work of
transporting, counting and bundling of uniforms and linen.

9. Floor Supervisor: Responsible for the cleanliness, maintenance and preventability of the
guest floors attached to him in a shift. His scope encompasses guest rooms, corridors, staircases
and floor pantries of the allotted floor.

10. Public Area Supervisor: Responsible for the cleanliness, maintenance and preventability of
all public areas which include restaurants, bars, banquet halls, garden, administrative offices,
shopping arcade, health club, swimming pool, main entrances and car park areas.

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11. Room Attendants: Known also as chamber maids or room boys. They do the actual cleaning
of guest rooms and bathrooms allotted to them. They are not responsible for the cleanliness of
corridors, guest elevators or floor pantries.
12. Head Houseman: Supervises the work allotted to Houseman, especially those in public
areas. In medium sized hotels he could be the person in charge of housekeeping on night shifts.

13. Housemen: Usually handy men who do the heavy physical cleaning required in guest rooms
and public areas. Their job would include vacuuming, shifting of furniture, cleaning of windows
panes, mopping, braising, sweeping, etc.

14. Desk Control Supervisor: Is the hub of information dissemination in housekeeping and is
thus the critical person in housekeeping operations. The Housekeeping Desk must be manned 24
hours as guests and staff will contact this desk to transmit or receive information. It is the Desk
Control Supervisor who co-ordinates with the front office for information on departure rooms
and handing over cleared rooms. The Desk also receives complaints on maintenance from
Housekeeping supervisors spread all over the hotel.

15. Runner: He is a person who goes from one guest room to another collecting or delivering
guest laundry.

16. Clack Room Attendants: Cloak room attendants are persons responsible for the supply of
clean dry towels, soaps and perfumeries, prescribed by the management for the guest rooms.

17. Hat- Checkers: This is a service provided by superior hotels in cold climates. A hat-check
room is where hat and heavy overcoats are deposited by guests as soon as they enter the hotel
lobby so as to spare them the inconvenience of carrying them around in the hotel. The hat-
checker would carefully label these guest articles and hang and store them correctly so as to
return them to the guests when they are leaving the hotel.

18. Night Supervisor: They handle all aspect of housekeeping at night including desk control
operations, issue of linen and uniform in an emergency, etc. His area of activity extends over
guest rooms, public areas as also linen and uniform rooms. He is solely responsible and
accountable at night for smooth housekeeping through his night brigade and has larger decision-
making authority than other supervisors as he is the housekeeper for the night.

19. Horticulturist: Many hotels may contract horticultural work to an outside agency. However,
a large number of large hotels have professionally trained Horticulturists who maintain the
gardens of the hotels as well as supply flowers from the garden for interior decorations and floral
arrangements. Flowers are used in banquet functions, guest rooms, restaurants, lobbies, offices,
etc. The Horticulturist would have to ensure smooth supply of flowers as well as assist the
Housekeeper in flower arrangements.

20. Head Gardener: Supervises the brigade of gardeners in maintaining hotel garden and
keeping them contemporary each season.

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21. Gardeners: Does the actual digging, planting, watering, etc. of gardens on a day-to-day
basis.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOUSEKEEPING STAFFS

Executive Housekeeper
1. Supervise and be responsible for cleanliness, order and appearance of the hotel rooms and
public areas, annexes, cottages, facilities, service corridors, linen and uniform rooms, shopping
arcades and employees.
2. Schedule, recruit, train, and recommend hiring, discharging and discipline of all department
employees through management and in accordance with labor regulations.
3. Prepare reports as required.
4. Participate in all department head meetings. Supervise preparation of maintenance requisitions
and maintain follow up file to ensure that all public areas and guest accommodations do not
deteriorate from standard.
5. Train all employees to perform their best in the standard procedures as applicable to their job
positions.
6. Develop and recommend standard procedures for new tasks or changed conditions.
7. Inspect personally, and supervise inspections by Assistants of all areas in a frequent and
unvarying schedule.
8. Pay particular attention on inspection to the presence, of odors and pests and appropriate
control measures.
9. Work closely with the General Manager on day-to-day Housekeeping requirements.
10. Supervise linen stock and recommend the maintenance of adequate quantities of cleaning
equipments and cleaning supplies with due regard to delivery requirements and import
restrictions on cleaning equipments. Develop and supervise the maintenance of the lost and
found procedure including the disbursement of unclaimed articles to employees.
11. Prepare the annual housekeeping budget for submission to the General Manager. Identify
reliable suppliers of Housekeeping materials including carpets, linen, etc, and recommend them
to the Purchase Department. Develop Housekeeping Systems and Procedures and see that they
are followed diligently. Plan, control and supervise horticultural requirements and commitments.

Public Area Supervisor
1. Check all public areas against area check-lists and see that they meet the standards of
cleanliness stipulated.
2. Remove furniture, curtains and other fixtures, which require repairs, mending, spotting,
washing, etc.
3. Maintain a regular and complete advance scheduled programme for cleaning public areas after
receiving the final concurrence of the Executive Housekeeper.
4. Prepare schedule for the chandelier cleaning crew.
5. Prepare Schedule for the carpet shampoo crew.
6. Inspect staff turnout.
7. Train new recruits.
8. Submit performance appraisals of staff working under his / her control.
9. Clean safety and security systems in public areas, e.g. locks, shutters, etc.
10. Account for furniture movements, if any.
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11. Initiate and follow-up maintenance orders for public areas/ service areas under his / her
control.
12. Check and control equipment like hovers, floor washing machines, floor polishing machine,
carpet shampoo and beating machines and ensure that they are used correctly and maintained
properly.

Floor Supervisor
1. Assign duties to the floor housemen and room attendants.
2. Inspect each room completed by Room Attendants according to specified room checklist and
ensure that they meet the standards of the establishment in terms of cleaning, functional and
aesthetic value.
3. Check par stocks of linen and guest supplies and cleaning supplies on floors and ensure timely
delivery of soiled linen to laundry and requisition for fresh linen from linen room and guest
supplies / cleaning supplies from the stores.
4. Train Room Attendants and Housemen for maximum productivity and standards of efficiency.
5. Submit performance appraisals periodically for each staff under his / her control.
6. Check all safety systems on the allotted floors.
7. Liaise with security on security aspects on guest floors.
8. Account for movement of linen from his / her floors.
9. Prepare housekeeping occupancy lists for front Office.
10. Check all maids carts to ensure it is well stocked with linen and supplies and as per
standards stipulated.
11. Follow upon maintenance orders sent to Engineering.

Uniform / Linen Room Supervisor
1. Schedule linen / uniform room staff.
2. Check periodically the condition of uniform and hotel linen.
3. Assign daily work to tailors.
4. Devise and maintain an effective control system to issue clean linen and uniforms.
5. Co-ordinate closely with the laundry department to ensure timely supply of fresh uniforms and
linen.
6. Conduct periodic inventories of linen and uniforms.
7. Ensure that all linen, uniforms needing stitching, mending is immediately attended to before
being sent to the Laundry Department.
8. Ensure that the Linen Room is kept neat and clean.
9. Ensure that all linen, uniforms and materials are neatly and systematically stacked and
arranged and properly labeled.
10. Train the staff to perform their duties effectively and, efficiently.
11. Maintain all relevant records in respect of material, uniforms /linen-storage and movement.

Night Supervisor
Supervises all night force engaged in cleaning public areas and guest rooms of hotel. His duties
and responsibilities are same as that of the floor supervisor and public area supervisor.



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Hotel Housekeeping Manikant

Room Attendant
1. Clean guest bathrooms and replenish supplies.
2. Clean guest bedroom and replenish supplies as per room checklist.
3. Report missing or broken hotel property to the Floor Supervisor.
4. Maintain a polite, dignified and helpful and pleasing attitude towards the guests.
5. Attend daily briefings and give attendance.
6. Receive allocation of floor and rooms.
7. Replenish maid cart with guest supplies, detergents andlinen.
8. Count soiled linen handed over to floor linen room.
9. Hand over lost and found articles to Supervisor
10. Make physical check of rooms for preparing the housekeeping occupancy list.
11. Check that all bulbs and switches are working. In case of defect or fuse, report the same to
the Floor Supervisor.
12. Change the water glasses daily and fill the water flasks.
13. Turn down beds in the evening and draw the curtains. Remove and dispose off refuse and
rubbish at the assigned area.
14. Return keys to the Housekeeping Department before going off duty.
15. Ensure that Housemen polish guest shoes and assist the Bell Boys in carrying guest luggage
when required.
16. Prepare room checklist.

Uniform / Linen Room Attendant
1. Issue uniforms to all hotel employees on a one-to-one basis.
2. Count soiled uniforms / linen received and delivers the same to the laundry department.
3. Maintain records of linen and uniforms movements.
4. Store uniform and linen according to prescribed methods. Check for damages when receiving
dirty uniforms.
5. Check for fitness of uniforms as per norms laid down before issuing.

Cloak Room Attendant
1. Take soiled hand towels to the linen room for replacement.
2. Maintain adequate stocks of soap, detergents and hand towels to meet demands at peak level.
3. Maintain shoe-shine kit and clean guest shoes, if required.
4. Maintain all cupboards and fixtures installed in the cloak room.
5. Maintain a polite, dignified and helpful attitude to guests.
6. Report any plumbing deficiencies to Public Area Supervisor.
7. See that clack rooms are immaculately clean. Faucets should be sparkling, wash basins dry
and environment free of unpleasant odor.
8. Supply the guest with towels, soap, comb, brush and powder.
9. Sweep, wash and scrub the floors.
10. Clear the soiled linen periodically from the baskets.
11. Brush the guests jacket, if requested.




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Hotel Housekeeping Manikant

Tailor / Upholsterer
1. Mend all damaged linen.
2. Mend all damaged uniforms.
3. Refurnish all damaged upholstery handed over by the Supervisor.
4. Estimate the requirements of material and request the Linen Room Supervisor to requisition it
from stores.
5. Collect material from the stores and take to the work area assigned.
6. Pre-shrink all materials which have a tendency to shrink.
7. Cut the fabric as per requirement of each particular item.
8. Check the quality of springs, in the cots and replace, if necessary under directions of the Linen
Room Supervisor.
9. Fasten springs properly with strings and place the foam in position.
10. Keep the work area assigned neat and tidy.
11. Store systematically all items i.e. needle, thread, etc. Prepare requisition for replenishment of
stock and render accounts of the same.
12. Render account of material consumed and balance left over should be handed back to stores.

Head Gardener
1. Ensure that the prescribed landscaping is carried out in the garden.
2. Be knowledgeable about seasonality of plants and their maintenance conditions.
3. Brief on the work, schedule and allot duties to gardeners to meet daily exigencies.
4. Dig-up landscaped areas for fresh planting.
5. Procure seeds from reliable sources at least cost.
6. Procure, control and supervise the usage of manure and fertilizers.
7. Ensure that seeds planted are done so with consideration for ultimate aesthetic appeal and
survival.
8. Ensure that gardeners follow the watering fertilizing and maintenance schedules, reporting any
water shortage problems and suggesting alternatives.
9. Cut, prune, trim hedges, bushes, flowers to enhance aesthetic appeal.
10. Maintain nursery at optimum conditions and ensure steady supply of saplings for planting.
11. Provide the hotel with flowers, garlands, wreaths, bouquets as required. Also grow, supply
and maintain indoor plants for the hotel.
12. Ensure that lawns are well maintained, healthy and kept clean at all times.
13. Train and motivate gardeners.
14. Ensure that gardeners handle garden tools and machines properly and carefully.

Houseman
1. Hoover carpets.
2. Shift beds, chairs, heavy furniture for cleaning carpets.
3. Beat carpets and shift from one area to another.
4. Clean swimming pool when assigned.
5. Clean all surfaces including garden paths, etc.
6. Polish all brassware.
7. Clean all windows, door and ventilators.
8. Clean and replenish linen in the floor and pool area.
9. Do all heavy cleaning like shaft cleaning, terrace cleaning etc.
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Hotel Housekeeping Manikant


Gardener
1. Take daily briefing from Head Gardener.
2. Maintain landscaped area properly and also prepare for fresh planting.
3. Plant seeds and saplings as per conditions and concept prescribed.
4. Apply manure and fertilizers economically ensuring proper coverage.
5. Perform spraying of insecticides and fungicides to control or as prophylactic measure against
pest and disease incidence as directed by the Head Gardner.
6. Water all gardened areas as per daily schedule and routine.
7. Maintain the nursery as instructed.
8. Cut, trim, Prune hedges, buses, flowers to enhance aesthetic appeal.
9. Prepare such flowers potted plants, wreath, bouquets, etc, as required by the Hotel.
10. Maintain indoor plants as per schedule when assigned.
11. Utilize garden tools correctly.
12. Be punctual and regular.