PASSI CITY COLLEGE

CITY OF PASSI, ILOILO

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENTS

Module 2

Course Title: FUNDAMENTALS IN LODGING OPERATION

Course No.: HPC 1
Course Credit: 3 Units
Pre-requisite: None

OVERVIEW:

The lodging operations concentration provides students with in-depth

knowledge of the operational aspects of hospitality businesses. This is an attractive
concentration for budding general managers, as the concentration includes aspects
of finance, sales and marketing, human resource management and revenue
management.

MODULE OUTCOME:

At the end of the module the students would be able to:

1. Define Housekeeping quality service, attitude and housekeeper.

2. Identify the importance of housekeeping.
3. Describe the challenges of quality service and attitude.
4. Differentiate the two types of housekeeping services.

DISCUSSION

Housekeeping department is one of the major contributors in terms of hotel

operations success, though some may consider this as a supplementary service only.
In fact, housekeeping is a 24x7x365 operation, running non-stop. With guestrooms,
being the main product of the hotel, all guest look for a spotlessly clean, relaxing and
pleasing guestroom every time they check-in at any lodging establishment. In
addition to Front Office Department, Housekeeping also creates a lasting impression
to guests. The way how housekeeping is being done in a hotel tells exactly how the
hotel will take care of its guests.
ADVANTAGES OF HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT
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 1. Clean and hygienic atmosphere
2. Comfortable and convenient stay
3. Privacy
4. Safety and Security
5. Provision of amenities
6. Making guest feel good

THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF HOTEL HOUSEKEEPING ARE:

1. To provide guest the highest quality of service by ensuring their care and
comfort thru maintaining of hotel cleanliness and orderliness at all times;
2. To perform cleaning duties and ensure the highest standards of cleanliness and
general upkeep in all areas;
3. To use good quality, safe cleaning equipment and chemicals;
4. To provide all the supplies needed by both the guest and different sections in the
housekeeping department such as guest supplies and amenities and employee’s
uniforms;
5. To manage laundry and linen;
6. To maintain the original aesthetic beauty of the furniture, fittings and fixtures of
the entire hotel;
7. To deal with lost and found items;
8. To establish good working relationship and coordination with other departments
of the hotel such as renovations and refurnishing; and
9. To control pets.

AREAS IN THE HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENTS

The size and lay-out of the housekeeping department depends on the number of the
guestrooms, outlets and employed staff in the hotel. The following areas are the most common
in the housekeeping department:

1. Office of the Executive Housekeeper- this is where the executive housekeeper does
his administrative work for the department. All budgets, schedule, requisition is
done here. Somewhere near the office of the executive housekeeper is an area
where the housekeeping staff report for work before they start their day and end
their duty hours. In some hotels, this is called the Housekeeping Control Desks.
2. Laundry area- this is where the linens and the uniforms of the staff are washed,
ironed, dry- cleaned and folded. Guest who wish to have their clothes and other
linens laundered are also washed here.
3. Linen Room- where linens of the hotel are stored to be distributed to the different
places in the hotel.
4. Uniform Room- where the staff uniforms are collected when dirty, stored and
distributed when clean. In some high- end hotels, a conveyor is present that is

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 responsible in issuing the uniforms of the employees. Upon dropping in chute, the
computer reads the chip in uniform identifying those who were able to leave their
uniform from those who weren’t.
5. Housekeeping supplies store- this is where all guestroom amenities and cleaning
items and equipment are stored.
6. Lost and Found- area where all the items left or lost by the guest are stored.

In the bigger hotels, the following offices are also available:

1. Tailor room- this is where clothes of the guests, uniforms of the employees and
hotel linens are stitched, repaired and given other mending services.
2. Flower room- normally not found in some hotels but this area is responsible in
arranging flowers for displays such as in public areas or for VIP’s.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

ROLES AND RESPONSIBLITIES

Housekeeping department is one of the departments of a hotel that is considered as

labor-intensive. It requires a lot of manpower depending on the size and structure of the

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hotel. The number of manpower must be considered very well to be able to do the tasks
properly.

1. Executive Housekeeper- as the chief housekeeping department, the Executive

Housekeeper heads the entire housekeeping department. He/ She ensures that the
department functions and performs well in the hotel regardless of the target guest
type, size of the hotel and its location.

2. Assistant Executive Housekeeper- supervises and coordinates activities of room

attendant, house attendant, public area cleaners and floor supervisors. He / She
assists in the managing and directing of the day–to–day operations of all
housekeeping and laundry functions.

3. Floor Supervisor- responsible in organizing employee shifts, training and

motivating team members and checking private and public areas for tidiness. To be
successful in this role, you should have a good understanding of sanitation
regulations and team management abilities.

4. Public Area Supervisor- responsible for providing consistent housekeeping service

to guest rooms, balconies, bathrooms, restaurants, public areas and circulatory
areas that meets the hotel’s standards of cleanliness and presentation.

5. Control Desk Supervisor- Responsible for Departmental keys and guest room
master cards. Responsible for all calls coming to the Desk and to convey the right
message to the right person. Maintaining records related to day-to-day operations of
Housekeeping. Follow up with concerned departments in case of guest requests/
complaints.

6. Linen/ Uniform Supervisor- supervises the daily operations of the laundry, linen
and uniform room to ensure adherence to organizational procedures and standards.
He/She plans resources, allocates work assignments, oversees laundry, linen and
uniform room workflow and supervises work performance and quality control.

7. . Room Attendant - are responsible for cleaning and servicing guest rooms in order
to provide a pleasant and comfortable experience for guests. They ensure that all
rooms are inviting and clean and they address all guest queries politely and
knowledgeably.

8. Public Area Attendant- ensures the cleanliness and orderly presentation of

assigned guestrooms or serviced apartments and maintains a positive overall
impression of the hotel in accordance with the hotel's procedures and standards.

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 9. Housemen and Mini Bar Attendant- (1)Housemen duties include assisting in the
housekeeping department to clean common areas, repairing and replacing
malfunctioned units and furniture, responding on guest's requests and inquiries,
flexibility to multi-task, and coordinating to other personnel for concerns and
guests' assistance. ( 2)The Mini Bar Attendant is an important role within the
Housekeeping department. You will provide guests with a fully stocked and well
maintained mini-bar on a consistent basis throughout a guest's stay. You will clean
mini-bars regularly and maintain a fully stocked inventory of all mini-bar items.

10. Linen Room Attendant- ensures the delivery of clean uniforms, towels, and linens
to clients. Duties include sorting, assembling, and wrapping linen packs and
restocking as needed. Being a Linen Room Attendant tracks linen usage and
provides clean linens as requested. May require a high school diploma or its
equivalent.

11. Valet/ Laundry Attendant- Retrieves folded linens and stacks or hangs clean
linens as appropriate. Sorts clean towels, rugs and robes. Uses towel folder and
manual folding for bath towels, washcloths, rugs and robes. Assist in the loading and
unloading of dryers and sort out washed laundry items.

12. Tailor/ Upholster- Performs timely repairs on all items of uniform, linen and
upholstery. Stitches new uniforms, items of linen and upholstery as per hotel
specifications. Ensures that all linen and uniforms are repaired before issuing them
to staffs. Measure, make or alter uniforms for new employees.

QUALITIES OF HOUSEKEEPING STAFF

To be able to qualify as a housekeeping skill, a staff must posses the following

attributes:

1. Personal Hygiene and Appearance

a. With high degree of personal hygiene
b. Nails are trimmed, no loud- colored polish
c. For male, hair should not reach the collar while for female, hair must be tied like
a bun.
d. Uniform must be clean and well- pressed. It should be worn completely and
properly.
e. Look clean and smell clean. Before reporting to work, staff must take a bath,
apply deodorant and brush teeth.

2. Interpersonal skills
a. Show professionalism at all times

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 b. A good team player
c. Possesses right attitude
d. Listen carefully and attentively

3. Communication skills
a. Speaks clearly and professionally, in a well- mannered tone
b. Maintains polite eye contact while interacting with hotel guest
c. Refrains from any unnecessary side comments

4. Personal Skills and Traits

a. Be able to fulfill the whims of the guests that are hotel operations-related.
b. Be able to deal with different kinds of guest sincerely and respectfully
c. Must be pleasing and physically fit
d. They must conduct themselves confidently and courteously
e. Have high integrity

RULES FOR HOUSEKEEPERS

The housekeepers, just like all the employees of the hotel, represents the hotel itself
and create an image of the hotel by conducting themselves well while on job. Thus, there
are several rules the housekeepers need to follow. The housekeeper must:

1. Enter the floor properly groomed wearing a clean and complete uniform.
2. Only use the service lifts
3. Refrain from speaking with others staff unless necessary.
4. Walk properly and professionally in the hotel premises.
5. Knock the guest room doors using knuckles. Keys, coins or other articles must not
be used.
6. Not eat nor drink while cleaning. Break hour must be observed religiously.
7. Respect the privacy of the guests. Whenever there is a chance to speak to the guest
in his room, the housekeeper must stand outside the guestroom.
8. Always keep the guestroom door open while cleaning.
9. Always be courteous. Guest must be greeted with a smile according to the time of a
day.
10. Never answer the guestroom phone or floor desks phone when it rings during
cleaning.
11. Never use the guest room phone or floor desks phone for making private calls.
12. Never use guest bathroom nor the guestroom for unauthorized person.
13. Familiarize themselves with the face of guests. This is especially important for
security purpose.

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 14. Not accept gifts or token from guest and politely deny them. If being insisted upon,
housekeepers must mention it to the floor supervisor who can permit to take the
gift out of the hotel.

EQUIPMENTS AND TOOLS FOR HOUSEKEEPING OPERATIONS

With the advent of technology, tools and equipment in cleaning used by the
housekeeping staff in various areas of the hotel make their job easier and faster. To keep
the hotel premises to the highest standards of appearance at all times, housekeeping staff
utilize various cleaning equipment.

ADVANTAGES OF CLEANING EQUIPMENT

Cleaning equipment comes in varying sizes, shapes, voltages and usages. The
cleaning equipment are advantageous in multiple ways:

1. Save cleaning time of housekeeping staff;

2. Clean more efficiently than manual labor;
3. Produce more output and reduce work fatigue;
4. Reach any corner or height of an area which is difficult to reach by manual labor;
5. Some are eco-friendly and user-friendly.

CLASSIFICATION OF CLEANING EQUIPMENT

A. Manual Cleaning Equipment

1. Chambermaid’s Trolley/ Housekeeping Trolley- is a large metal basket on

wheels which is used by a cleaner in a hotel to move clean bed linen, towels, and
cleaning equipment.
2. Janitor’s Trolley- trolley helps the cleaning job in two ways. One, it allows you to
carry all the materials and tools necessary for the daily and routine cleaning all
the time; and two, it facilitates the janitor to do multiple tasks simultaneously, as
the necessary tools and materials are available at one place.
3. Mop and Mop Wringers- A mop is a mass or bundle of coarse strings or yarn, etc.,
or a piece of cloth, sponge or other absorbent material, attached to a pole or
stick.
4. Carpet sweeper- used to pick- up dirt in carpet floors.

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 B. Electric Cleaning Equipment

1. Vacuum Cleaner- The dirt is collected by either a dustbag or a cyclone for later
disposal. Vacuum cleaners, which are used in homes as well as in industry, exist
in a variety of sizes and models—small battery-powered hand-held devices,
wheeled canister models for home use, domestic central vacuum cleaners, huge
stationary industrial appliances that can handle several hundred liters of dust
before being emptied, and self-propelled vacuum trucks for recovery of large
spills or removal of contaminated soil. Specialized shop vacuums can be used to
suck up both dust and liquids.
2. Polishing Machine- used to add shine to the floors of frequently visited areas of
the hotel.
3. Scrubber- equipment that is used when mopping doesn’t suffice. It is used for
scrubbing stubborn and sticky stains on the floors of the hotel.
4. Dry Foam Machine- Machine with pleasure tank filled with water solution and
shampoo to clean water sensitive carpets, needle felt and other carpet types
whose construction inhibits sufficient water extraction.

CLEANING TOOLS

 Sponge
 Scouring pads
 Towels- normally white
 Microfiber cloths
 Feather duster
 Squeegee
 Spray bottles
 Broom
 Dustpan
 Bucket and water dipper
 Brushes- toilet bowl brush, cobweb brush, shoe polish brush
 Dustbins
 Plunger
 Gloves
 Eye googles
 Shoes/ boots
 Warning signs
 Tongs

CLEANING AGENTS OE CHEMICALS

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  Water
 Vinegar
 All-purpose cleaners
 Glass cleaners
 Bathroom cleaner
 Disinfectant
 Metal polisher
 Clean air spray
 Degreaser
 Floor cleaners and sealers
 Detergents
 Bleach
 Softener
 Swimming pool cleaner

Other chemicals used in Housekeeping may include the following:

 Ammonia
 Wood polish
 Insecticides
 Muriatic acid
 Drain cleaners

Did you know?

The most expensive suite in the world is The Royal Penthouse Suite of Hotel
President Wilson that can be found in Geneva, Switzerland. Once checked-in, the
guest would have the entire 8th floor of the hotel all by himself. The living room is
filled with a grand piano, billiards and rare book collection while the bathroom
features Hermes toiletries and a jacuzzi overlooking Lake Geneva. The guest is
secured with bullet- proofs windows, state of the art security system and a panic
button. The amount??? A whopping $80, 000.00 for an overnight accommodation!
(The World’s 10 Most Expensive Hotel Suites by Sarah Achmalbruch, July 19, 2019).

EXERCISES:

IDENTIFICATIONS

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 1. Department of the hotel that is responsible for reservation?
2. He acts as the General Manager in cases where the GM is not around.
3. He supervises and ensures that the cleanliness is maintained at all times in public
areas?
4. These are the staffs who perform housekeeping duties during nighttime?
5. Responsible for cleaning guestrooms, bathrooms and making-up rooms?

ANSWER THE QUESTION

1. Should you be assigned in the Housekeeping Department in the future?

2. What section would you like to be part of? Why?

Prepared by: Casandra Jane P. Jinon

INSTRUCTOR

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