DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOUSEKEEPING STAFF

1)Executive Housekeeper/Director of Housekeeping:-

The executive housekeeper reports to the General Manager or the Resident Manager or the rooms division manager. He/she is responsible for the overall cleanliness and aesthetic upkeep of the hotel.  His/her duties are:-

i)                    Organize, supervise and coordinate the work of housekeeping staff on day- to day basis.

ii)                  Ensure excellence in housekeeping sanitation, safety, comfort and aesthetics for hotel guests.

iii)                Prepare duty rosters and supervise the discipline and conduct of her staff.

iv)                Ensure proper communication within the department by conducting regular meeting with the staff.

v)                  Recruit new employees and train them for the housekeeping jobs.

vi)                Counsel and motivate employees on various duties.

vii)              Establish and maintain standard operating procedures for cleaning and develop new procedures to increase efficiency of labor and product use.

viii)            Search and test new techniques and products in the market.

ix)                Maintain regular inventory and checking of furniture, linen, uniform, equipments in the hotel.

x)                  Evaluate employee performance for promotions and transfers.

xi)                Approval of supply requisitions for the housekeeping and to maintain minimum stock and cost control procedures for all materials.

xii)              Check the reports, files, registers maintained in the department.

xiii)            Provide budget to the management and control of budgets

2) Deputy Housekeeper

The deputy housekeeper reports to the executive housekeeper. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Check and ensure that all guestrooms, public areas, back of the house areas are clean and well maintained.

ii)                  Inspect the work done by contractors- pest control, laundry, window cleaning, etc.

iii)                Prepare staff schedules and duty rotas.

iv)                Check periodical stocktaking and maintaining of stock records for linen, uniform, equipment.

v)                  Provide necessary information to assist executive housekeeper in staff evaluation, disciplining, termination and promotion.

vi)                Develop and implement training programs within the department in consultation with the executive housekeeper.

vii)              Assist executive housekeeper in forecasting and budgeting for operating and capital expenditure.

viii)            Take charge of housekeeping department in absence of executive housekeeper.

 3) Assistant Housekeeper/Housekeeping Manager:-

The assistant housekeeper reports to the executive housekeeper. In large hotels, where an deputy housekeeper exists, assistant housekeeper reports to deputy housekeeper. In large hotels the responsibilities of floors, public area are divided among assistant housekeepers. In the absence of deputy housekeeper, all the above mentioned duties and responsibilities are taken over by the assistant housekeeper. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Be responsible for efficient and orderly management of cleaning, servicing and repairing of guest rooms.

ii)                  Be responsible for hotel linen and check its movement and distribution to room attendants.

iii)                Keep an inventory of all housekeeping supplies and check it regularly.

iv)                Provide front office list of ready rooms for allotment to guests.

v)                  Organize flower arrangements

vi)                Arrange training of staff within the department

vii)              Update records/ files/ registers etc.

viii)            Compile the maids roster.

ix)                Check the VIP and OOO rooms

4) Floor supervisor/Floor Housekeeper:-

The floor supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. They are responsible for the final condition of the guestrooms on the floors allocated to them. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Issue floor keys to room attendants

ii)                  Supervise cleaning on the allotted floors and areas- including guestrooms, corridors, staircases, floor pantries of the allotted floors

iii)                Inspection of cleaning in rooms and coordination of the work in floors

iv)                Supervise handling of soiled linen to laundry and requisitioning of fresh ones from housekeeping

v)                  Report maintenance work on the floor

vi)                Supervise spring cleaning.

vii)              Coordinate with room service for tray clearance.

viii)            Maintain par stock for the respective floors.

ix)                Facilitate provision of extra services to guests such as baby sitters, hot water bottles, other guest requests.

x)                  Report any safety or security hazard to the security department.

xi)                Check on scanty baggage

xii)              Prepare housekeeping status reports.

xiii)            Inform the front office about ready rooms

xiv)            Ensure services offered to VIPs are of highest standards.

 5) Public Area Supervisor:-

The public area supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. He/ she is responsible for cleaning and inspection of the front of the house areas such as entrance, lobby, guest corridors and so on. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Ensure that all public areas and other functional areas are kept clean at all times.

ii)                  Ensure all maintenance jobs are attended in coordination with the maintenance department.

iii)                Ensure all flower arrangements are placed in appropriate places in public areas.

iv)                Ensure banquet halls and conference halls are kept ready for functions and conferences.

6) Night Supervisor:-

 The night supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. He supervises all night staff engaged in the cleaning of public areas and guestrooms in hotel. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Ensure all public areas are thoroughly cleaned at night when the traffic is low.

ii)                  Plan order of work and direct staff accordingly.

iii)                Ensure submission of room attendants reports and room status reports.

iv)                Provide guest supplies and attend guest requests in the night like providing water bottles, extra beds, towels etc.

v)                  Report safety and security hazards.

7)  Linen Room Supervisor/ Linen Keeper:-

The linen room supervisor reports to assistant housekeeper. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Responsible for entire hotels linen.

ii)                  Send dirty linen from laundry after checking.

iii)                Check laundered linen before giving it for ironing.

iv)                Provide linen to the various departments

v)                  Maintain register of linen movements and check linen regularly

vi)                Supervise ironing and laundering of linen of the hotel

vii)              Supervise work of linen room attendants and tailors

viii)             Make suggestions related to replacement purchases and give requirements of linen to executive housekeepers.

8) Uniform Room Supervisor:-

The uniform room supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. He/ she is responsible for maintenance of hotel staff uniforms. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Responsible for providing clean, serviceable uniforms to the staff.

ii)                  Keep an inventory control of various uniforms in various stages of use

iii)                Set budget for procurement of uniforms and materials required for uniform

9) Linen Room attendant/ Linen Room Maid:-

Linen room attendants report to linen room supervisor. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Stacking sheets, pillowcases, towels, tablecloths, napkins in different stacks.

ii)                  Issue clean linen on clean- for- soiled basis.

iii)                Place soiled linen in containers and send these to laundry.

iv)                Examine and counts each linen item when sends to laundry and again on return.

v)                  Send torn articles to seamstress for repair.

vi)                Maintain proper records of discards and determine percentage of discards.

 10) Uniform Room attendant:-

A uniform room attendant reports to uniform room supervisor. His/her duties are:-

i)         Issue clean uniforms while receiving soiled ones

ii)        Send soiled uniforms for laundering.

iv)                Send torn uniforms to seamstress for mending.

v)                  Keep count of uniforms.

vi)                Shelve laundered uniforms after verifying types of articles.

vii)              Count and record linen.

11) Storekeeper:-

A storekeeper reports to senior floor or linen room supervisor. His/her duties are:-

       i)          Control the stock of equipment.

       ii)         Issue equipment and cleaning materials as per demand.

iii)                   Prepare requisitions for materials required.

iv)                   Coordinate with purchase department for procurement of approved materials.

12) Desk Control Supervisor:-

 The control desk supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. It is the nerve centre of housekeeping department and is manned 24 hours a day.  His/her duties are:-

i)                    Coordination with front office for information on departure rooms and handing of clean rooms.

ii)                  Receive complaints on maintenance and housekeeping.

iii)                Maintain registers kept at control desk.

iv)                Receive special requests from guests.

v)                  Maintain latest reports regarding room occupancy, VIPs, status of rooms etc.

vi)                Delegation of work to attendants and supervisors.

vii)              Attend to phone calls received at control desk

viii)            Responsible for issuing guestroom keys and maintaining key register

 13) Guest room attendant/ Room maids/ Chamber maids/GRA:-

Guest room attendant(GRA) report to the floor supervisor. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Cleans the rooms

ii)                  Change guestroom and bathroom linen.

iii)                Make guest room beds.

iv)                Replenish guest supplies.

v)                  Answer guest requests promptly on the floor.

vi)                Responsible for collecting guest laundry.

vii)              Servicing of rooms in the evening( turndown service) and also provide second service.

viii)            Handover lost and found articles if any found in the room

ix)                Replenish maids cart with supplies for the next shift

x)                  Arrange and stock the pantry with linen and supplies.

14) Head House person:-

He /she reports to the public area supervisor. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Supervises work allotted to the housemen in public areas.

ii)                  Supervise work of people who clean carpets, wall washers, window washers.

iii)                Supervise work of chandelier cleaners, vaccum cleaning machine operators

15) House persons:-

They report to the head house persons or the public area supervisor. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Shift furniture in public areas.

ii)                  Clear the garbage’s

iii)                Polish all brassware in public areas

iv)                Clean all doors, windows and ventilators.

v)                  Clean fire fighting equipments.

vi)                Clean the shafts and terraces.

vii)              Clean chandeliers, draperies and other hard to reach areas in public areas.

16) Tailors, seamstress and upholsterers:-

They report to the Linen Room Supervisor. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Mending and stitching uniforms, linen, upholstery etc.

ii)                  Alteration of uniforms if required.

iii)                Refurnish all damaged upholstery.

iv)                Repair guest clothes if required.

v)                  Calculate materials required for uniforms and upholstery and purchase accordingly.

17) Horticulturist:-

Many large hotels have their own horticulturist, who report to assistant housekeeper. He / she leads a team of gardener in maintaining landscaped gardens of the hotel as well as in supplying flowers from gardens for flower arrangements in the hotels. Flowers are used largely to enhance aesthetic appeal of various areas of the hotel.

18) Head Gardener:-

He reports to the horticulturist and maintains landscaped areas and gardens in the hotel. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Brief, schedule, allot duties

ii)                  Purchase plant seeds, plantings

iii)                Purchase and supervise usage of manure and fertilizers.

iv)                Maintain watering schedules of plants and attend problems regarding watering schedules.

v)                  Maintain and prepare indoor plants for the hotel.

vi)                Supervise and maintaining the lawns.

vii)              Ensure gardeners are handling equipments and tools efficiently.

19) Gardeners:-

Gardeners report to the head gardener or the horticulturist. They keep landscaped areas, lawns and gardens clean and aesthetically beautiful. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Dig landscaped areas and maintain them.

ii)                  Plant saplings and seeds

iii)                Water gardens as per schedules.

iv)                Maintain plant nursery and green house.

v)                  Prepare potted flowers and potted plants.

20) Florist:-

Florists employ their own florist. Providing attractive flower arrangements for the entire hotel is their responsibility. They report to the horticulturist. His/her duties are:-

i)                    Collect fresh flowers from gardeners every day.

ii)                  Purchase flowers from dealers

iii)                Prepare different flower arrangements for different areas- lobbies, front office, restaurants, guestrooms, banquet halls etc.

iv)                Treat cut flowers so that they last longer.

v)                  Maintain flower arrangements by changing water, etc .

vi)                Responsible for flower arranging equipments and equipments, accessories etc.

vii)              Train the assistant florist.

 21) Laundry Manager:-

He/she is in charge of the laundry and Laundry Manager reports to the Director of housekeeping. He/she is responsible for entire functioning of laundry and dry cleaning unit. He /she should have good knowledge of fabrics and chemicals and laundry machines.

22) Laundry Supervisor:-

He/she is in charge of the functioning of the laundry in the absence of laundry manager. He must have the knowledge of all the aspects of the laundry equipment, chemicals and fabrics.

23) Dry cleaner and washers:-

He/ she is in charge of dry cleaning of the hotel linen and guest clothing and washer does the laundering of the linen, uniforms and guest clothing.

24) Laundry workers:-

They are the staff of laundry who perform following duties;-

i)                    Spot stained fabrics before loading them into washing machines.

ii)                  Load soiled linen into washing machines, feed in the right amount of detergent and other laundering chemicals.

iii)                Load washed linen into dryers.

iv)                Clean equipments after use.

v)                  Sort soiled linen according to fabric types, colors, degree of soiling.

vi)                Transport soiled linen from linen room to laundry and fresh linen from laundry to linen room.

25) Valet/ Runners:-

“Valet service”  means that they take care of guest laundry. They report to the linen room supervisor. They are responsible for collecting soiled guest laundry and delivering fresh guest laundry.

USE OF COMPUTERS IN HOUSEKEEPING AND LIST OF GUEST ROOM SUPPLIES

USE OF COMPUTERS IN HOUSEKEEPING

Many hotels have invested heavily in information technology(IT) infrastructure and networking that use the latest technical advances in their operations.

The latest in IT amenities:-

The newer technologies that are gaining entry into the hospitality segment are:-

a)     Wi-fi (Wireless fidelity),

b)    Radio frequency identification

c)     Tracking inventory and guest data through cellular and wireless technologies,

d)    GPS( Global positioning System),

e)     Handheld communication devices.

f)      Wireless local area networks(WLANs) and

g)     Mobile computers.

Wirelss connectivity is developing rapidly , enabling whole world to stay networked and connected. Business travellers in particular are always looking for ways to stay connected while on move and expect wireless connectivity at their hotels. Hotels are aware of the benefits of enabling broadband access throughout their facilities as wireless connections improve a guest experience by providing complete mobility. WLANs allow guests to share high speed internet connections, browse the web, access their corporate networks remotely yet securely access the business centre from their room, organize video conference, play games online etc.

Hotels provide Wi- Fi as a value added amenity to guests or offer the service at a cost to their guests. Wi- Fi is provided in guest rooms, public areas, lobbies, meeting rooms, lounges and so on.  It permits users to roam unrestricted throughout the hotel facility, with real time access to critical information as and when required.

IT in the housekeeping department:-

WLAN technology is enabling a wide range of hospitality operations in the housekeeping department. Housekeeping staff can conduct room checks, after a guest vacates the room through a handheld Wi-Fi enabled device, to report the status of the room. They can also communicate with security personnel instantly over email in case of an emergency. Staff can also ensure that from remote spots, fire extinguishers are charged, emergency lights are functioning and so on, check and communicate, inventory information for guestroom supplies and stocking of minibars in order to ensure that provisions are replenished in an efficient manner. Housekeeping managers can also contact workers and identify their locations quickly resulting in quicker response times.

Computers are now being used in many housekeeping functions for rooms management , inventory control, linen management etc.Many software packages are now available in India that provide specific applications for housekeeping opearations. Computers can now be linked to the telephone systems in each individual guest rooms. This technology greatly reduces the cost of individual wiring in each guestroom. For instance an link can be created between the telephone system and CPU of hotels computer network by dialling specific sequence of numbers from a guestroom. Once dialled the computer can recognize the room number to which it is being connected. After the connection is established a specific list of dial up codes are aavaialbale to the GRA, by which he or she can transmit information to the computer system directly without any input devices in the rooms.

HOUSEKEEPING SOFTWARE:-

Housekeeping software modules are now an integral part of hotel management softwares. The module widely available includes applications such as forecasting GRA requirements, daily housekeeping scheduling, tracking housekeeping inventory, monitoring GRA performance.

1)Forecasting GRA requirements- This module is designed to forecast the total number of GRAs needed in each day in each shift, based on current in house occupancy and staffing and also keeping in mind the expected arrivals and departures. These modules can forecast staffing upto 365 days in advance.

2)Daily housekeeping scheduling- This application can automatically create and print a cleaning schedule each day for each GRA , based on number of dirty rooms, estimated cleaning time needed per room, number of GRAs available in the establishment. A housekeping status screen is the core element of this system, and tracks each housekeeper updating the status as rooms are cleaned and inspected. The module tracks the status from ‘dirty’ to ‘ready for inspection’ to ‘clean and ready for guests’. This is made possible by marking the rooms clean using an in-room intercom or handheld wireless PDA (personal digital assistant)

If a optional housekeeper – phone interface is installed the room attendanr can press a key in the in- room phone to indicate they have started cleaning. This stamps the cleaning start time into the housekeeping history file. The room attendant can press a different key to indicate they have completed clenaing and which indicates the time that its ready to be inspected. Reports available can show the actual cleaning time per room, as well as expected cleaning time and checking time per room.

Room status can be changed in various ways:-

a)Room attendant can use the phone in the room to directly to change the room status from clean to dirty.

b) Room attendant can call the front desk or the housekeping deparment and ask them to change the room status using the houskeeping status screen.

3)Attending guest requests promptly-This module can also schedule the servicing of guest requests. For instance if a guest calls the front desk and requests a crib or extra towels, the front desk can input this requst into the computer and it then appears on the main houseekeeping monitor screen. The guest request information can also be informed to th most suitably placed GRA and can also be placed to a handheld wireless device(PDA) or cell phone and he also informs the desk as soon as the request is completed.

4)Monitoring GRA performance:-

This is a historical reporting module. It is possible to measure the peformance of GRA by tracking the estimatesd cleaning time and the actual cleaning time. This also gives the time  required by supervisor to check the rooms. Thus reports are aavailable that show how much time was taken by room attendants preparing the room and supervisor completing the inspection. The executive housekeeper can thus track time and duration for each room cleaning by each person.

In case the room is not properly cleaned the room status can again be changed to dirty and the room can be assigned to the room attendant with comments like shower neds proper cleaning and that can also help to track the GRA performance. Even if a guest has checked in into a room and if the guest has complained then housekeeper can determine the GRA or supervisor who has done the cleaning and inspected the room.

5)Indication of cleaning time:-

 The housekeeping staff can also be alerted when a room is available for cleaning. In this application guests can click a button , which sets off another sensor , to indicate they are out of the room and the room can be cleaned.

6)Reporting maintenance problems through wireless devices:-

While doing the routine room checking , room attendant may notice that the WC is leaking and pick up the room phone and identify the specific problem and report it immediately to the maintenance person through his wireless phone.

         EXAMPLE OF LIST OF GUEST ROOM SUPPLIES

Behind the door:

Fire exit map

“DND” card (do not disturb)

 “Please clean my room”  card

 “Collect my laundry” card

In the wardrobe:

Iron board with iron

Coat brush

Hangers – three different types

Coat hangers

Satin padded hanger for ladies

Clip hangers

Laundry bag

Laundry list

Shoe tray with Room slipper, Shoe shiner/mitt, Shoe horn and complimentary card)

Safety locker ( with a guideline card )

Minibar

Inside:

Mineral water

Aerated beverage and energy drink

Alcoholic beverage – gin, vodka, whiskey, dark rum, white rum, bear cans etc.

On top of the Minibar:

A snack tray on top with 3 nuts,(cashew, almond, pistachio), 2 wafers (moong dal, khatta mitha), 2 mints, 3 chocolate, 1 cookie, ice bucket, 2 old fashioned, 1 brandy balloon, 1 liquor glass, 2 drinking glass, 2 mineral water bottle(500 ml

Minibar menu (provides charges for alcoholic beverage and snacks)

Luggage rack :

 Remains free of any item.  (As guest is expected to put his baggage on luggage rack)

Writing table:

Guest folder-

1.    Letter head ( large, medium and small)

2.    Envelope

3.    Picture postcard

4.    Fax form

5.    Confidential form

6.    Tariff card

7.    Brochure

8.    Pen

Business Kit- Pen, Pencil, Sharpener, cello tape, scissor, gems pin etc.

·         1 internet adaptor

Tea and coffee set up

1.    Cups and saucer set – 2

2.    Sugar sachet (three variant – plain suger, sugar free sugar & brown sugar)

3.    Coffee sachet

4.    Milk ( condensed milk 10ml container)

5.    Tea –( many variants –  Green tea, Lemon, Ginger, Darjeeling tea, English Breakfast Tea, Earl Grey Tea, etc.)

6.     Sugar free sachets

ON THE COFFEE TABLE:-

-          Hotel Magazines ( may be provided in magazine rack)

-          Fruit Basket with quarter plate and fruit knife

-          Ashtray and match box

-          Newspaper ( 4-5 types – 02 national and 2-3 international newspaper)

-          Room service menu card

ON THE BEDSIDE TABLE:-

-          Mineral water bottle 500ml – 2no.

-          Glass tumblers with coaster- 2no.

-          Scribbling pad with pencil – I each

-          In-house  telephone directory

-          “do not change my linen” card

-          Telephone/ Internet tariff card

-          Breakfast door knob order card

-          Pillow menu ( 7-8 types are offered)

-          City telephone directory

-          Yellow pages book (it’s a telephone directory with commercial no.)

INSIDE THE BEDSIDE TABLE DRAWER:-

A SLUMBER KIT:

·         “anti stress” spray

·         “sound sleep” spray

·         eye mask

·         ear plug

-Breakfast door knob card

- Holy book

ON THE BED:

mattress pad

mattress

mattress protector

first sheet

second sheet

blanket

blanket cover/crinkle sheet

bed cover

pillows and cushions- 4-5no.

IN THE BATHROOM:-

VANITORY COUNTER:-

-          Moisturizer- 30 ml bottle -2no

-          Talcum Powder- 2 no.

-          Hair oil – 1no.

-          Shaving Kit- 1no

-          Dental Kit-1 no.

-          For your care Kit-(Band Aid, Ear buds, Nail filer)- 1no.

-          Comb- 1no.

-          Soap-30 gms – 1no.

-          Tooth glass/Gurgle glass- 2no.

-          Cotton balls in jar

-          Tissue paper in box

-          Hair Dryer-1 fixed on the wall

-          Face towel- 2no.

-          Hand towel- 2 nos.

NEXT TO WC:-

-          Toilet roll in a toilet roll holder

-          Sanibin- (a bin with lid) – two sanitary disposable bags a placed near sanibin

-          Toilet soap

-          Toilet strip/ WC band (“Disinfected for use” in printed on the strip)

NEXT TO BATH TUB:-

-          Soap- 60 gms- 1no.

-          Shampoo- 30 ml – 2no.

-          Conditioner- 30 ml – 2no.

-          Shower gel- 30 ml -2no.

-          Loofah – 1no.

-          Shower cap- 2no.

-          Bath towel- 02 nos.

-          Bubble bath 30ml – 2no.

INNOVATIVE SUPPLIES IN EVA FLOOR:-

•      Wardrobe- Silk gowns, Iron and Iron Board

•      Minibar- Gin and vodka(as preferred by ladies)

•      Writing Table- Sewing Kit,

•      Bedside table- Jewellery box

•      Next to Bath tub and shower cubicles-Toiletries(Bath Gel, lotion, shampoo, conditioner are from Forest Essentials)Loofah, Pumice, honey soap.

•      Vanitory counter- Amenity tray consists of nail filer, detangling comb, nail polish remover, lip balm, astringent, body talc, face wash, tweezer, Safety pin, face tissues known as SINGLE LADY KIT.

•      Next to WC- Disposal bag 

HOUSEKEEPING TERMINOLOGY

Amenity – A service or item offered to guests or placed in guestrooms for convenience and comfort, at no extra cost.

Area inventory list – A list of all items and surfaces within a particular area that require the attention of the housekeeping personnel.

Back of the house – The functional areas of the hotel in which employees have little or no guest contact, such as the engineering and maintenance department, laundry room and so on.

Back to back – Describes a heavy rate of check outs and check ins on the same day, so that as soon as room is made up, a new guest checks into it.

Banquet – A term used to describe catering for specific numbers of people at specific times, in a variety of dining layouts.

Bath linen – Include bath towels, hand towels, face towels, washcloths and fabric bath mats. Machine.

Budget – A budget is a plan that projects both the revenue that the hotel anticipates during the period covered by the budget and the expenses required to generate the anticipated revenues.

Buff – To smooth the floor with a low speed floor polishing.

Burnishing – Polishing the floor with a high speed floor machine to achieve an extremely high gloss.

Breakfast knob cards – Card hung by guests on the knobs of guest room doors to pre order breakfast at night so that the order reaches the staff on time and the guest is not disturbed for placing the order early in the morning.

Bonsai – Literally meaning “a plant in a tray” this refers to a tree or a plant whose typical growth in nature has been copied exactly in a miniature style within the confines of a container.

Capital budgets – These allocate the use of capital assets that have a life span considerably in excess of one year, these are assets that are not normally used up in day to day operations.

Cabana – A room adjacent to the pool area, with or without sleeping facilities, but with provision for relaxing on a sofa. It is mainly used for changing.

Coverlet – A bedspread that just covers the top of the dust ruffle but does not reach down to the floor.

Cleaning supplies – Cleaning agents and small cleaning equipment used in the cleaning of guestrooms and public areas in the hotel.

Condominiums – hotels similar to timeshare hotels. The difference between the two lies in the type of ownership. Units in condominium hotels have only one owner instead of multiple owners, each for a limited amount of time each year.

Convention – A formal assembly of representatives sharing a common field of interest, come together to air their views.

Crib – Cot for babies, provided to guests on request.

Occupancy-The percentage of available rooms occupied for a given period of consecutive time.

The occupancy figure (expressed a s a percentage) is calculated by dividing the number of rooms occupied for a period by the number of rooms available for the same period.

Occupancy Report

A report prepared each night by a front desk agent that lists rooms occupied that night. The occupancy report also lists those guests expected to check out the following day.

Occupied Room

The use and/or booking of a room by a guest for the purpose of accommodation, conference or any other use that means that the hotel staff may not allocate the room to another guest.

Out of Order

A room status term that indicates that a room cannot be assigned to a guest. A room may be out-of-order for refurbishing, maintenance, deep cleaning, or other reasons.

Outside Air

Air taken from outside the building and not previously cooled or heated by the building's mechanical systems.

Overstay

A guest who remains at the property after their stated departure date.

Package

A special offering of services and products created by a hotel to increase sales. In addition to the guestroom, packages may include meals, the use of the property's recreational facilities, entertainment, champagne and chocolates - all in one special price. Examples include honeymoon packages, weekend packages, or New Years packages.

Package Tour

A tour put together by a tour operator, offering several travel elements that a traveller would otherwise purchase separately. These may include any combination of flights, airport transfers, car hire, accommodation, meals, sight-seeing, attractions or entertainment - all for an inclusive price.

Travellers who buy the package make the trips by themselves rather than with a large group. A package tour may include more than one destination.

Point of Sale System (POS)

A computerised system that retail outlets such as gift shops and restaurants enter orders and maintain various accounting information. The POS generally interfaces with the property management system (PMS).

Porcelain

A hard ceramic substance used in the hospitality industry for tableware and kitchen items. Quality hotel porcelain is normally dishwasher friendly and microwave/grill resistant.

Porter

A person employed to carry travellers' baggage at a hotel.

Private Branch Exchange (PBX)

A private telephone network used by hotels to manage a certain number of external lines. The system enables guests to use their room telephone to make calls to external numbers, without the hotel having to go to the expense of installing individual lines in each room.

Property Management System (PMS)

A computerised front desk system that deals with online reservations, guest bookings, point of sale, telephone and other amenities. Some property management systems also include payroll, back office and guest billing.

Property Types

Hotel classifications driven primarily by building structure and secondarily by service level. Property types include: All-Suite

Properties that offer only suite room accommodations. Suite rooms will be the only type of room offered at properties that fall in this category. Conference

Lodging properties that place major focus on conference operations. Convention

Lodging properties that place major focus on convention operations. These properties offer or are located near convention facilities. Gaming

Lodging properties that place major focus on casino operations. Hotel/Motel

A standard hotel or motel operation.

Term Definition

margin.

Quad Room

A guestroom assigned to four people; this will have two or more beds.

Quality Group

A group of travellers for whom the quality of their holiday is of principal importance. They want and are willing to pay for first-class service and accommodations.

Queen Bed

In the US, a bed that measures 152 x 203 cm (60 x 80 in); this is approximately equivalent to a King Size bed in the UK. (although it is actually a little longer).

The term 'Queen Size' is not used in the UK or continental Europe.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

An system used as an alternative to bar coding, in which specialised equipment is used to transmit data to an RFID receiver.

Reception

Also known as Front Desk.

A designated area in the hotel lobby with a counter where guests are received. This is the first point of call for any visitor or guest. Here, guests are registered, assigned rooms, given keys (entry cards) and checked out.

The receptionists are responsible for dealing with customer queries, requests and complaints.

Resident Manager

The manager in charge of the rooms division in a mid-size to large hotel. In some cases, the resident manager may also be in charge of security.

Resort Hotel

A hotel, usually located in a desirable holiday spot, which offers exceptional service, fine dining, recreational activities unavailable at most other properties, in a more aesthetically pleasing setting, than other hotels.

These hotels are located in natural and attractive tourism destinations and their attractions vary depending on the region; some might offer tennis, golf, scuba diving and, depending on the natural surroundings, may also arrange other recreational activities.

Revenue per Available Guest (RevPAG)

The revenue per available guest. Hotels should consider not only the revenue generated by each room (RevPAR), but also the revenue generated by each guest, from booking to check out. This may include additional revenue generated by dining, recreation (golf, spa services, excursions and so on) and meeting facilities.

RevPAG is often considered by a hotel when conducting their revenue management.

Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR)

A statistic used in the hotel industry used to measure revenue per available room. RevPAR is the key indicator of performance for hotels and can be broken down into two parts reflecting occupancy and rates:

RevPAR = occupancy (percentage of available rooms occupied) × average room rate per night.

The figure can be used to compare companies but only if they have broadly similar hotels - i.e. similarly priced in similar locations.

Room Attendant's Cart

A lightweight, wheeled vehicle used by room attendants for transporting linen, cleaning supplies, and equipment needed to fulfil a block of cleaning assignments.

Room Block

A predetermined number of rooms reserved in advance for members of a group (for example, tour or conference).

Room Data Card

A card used to record information concerning the major elements and basic characteristics of an individual guestroom.

Room Inspection

A detailed process in which guestrooms are systematically checked for maintenance needs and cleanliness.

Room Night

One guestroom occupied for one night.

Room Occupancy Sensor

A device that uses ultrasonic sound waves or infrared light to sense the physical occupancy of a room. Sensors have the ability to turn on appliances and devices such as air conditioning, heating and lights whenever a guest enters a room, and to turn these appliances and devices off when the guest leaves.

Room Rack

A card index system that is continually updated to reflect vacant and occupied rooms. In the evening, the room rack will only contain forms for registered guests remaining for the night who are to be charged for rooms. A daily room report can be prepared from the room rack.

Room Rate

The price a hotel charges for overnight accommodation.

Room Revenue

Total room revenue generated from the rental of rooms.

Room Service

The department within a food and beverage (F&B) division that is responsible for delivering food or drinks to guests in their rooms. The department may also be responsible for preparing the food and drinks.

Room Service Menu

A menu offered by hotels and other lodging properties that serve food to guests in the room. As it is difficult to maintain food quality while transporting the food to the guest, room service menus usually offer a limited number of items.

Room Status

Information about current and future availability of rooms in a hotel. Information about availability data which extends several days into the future is important because it may affect the length of stay of in-house guests.

Current availability is determined through housekeeping data, whilst future availability is determined through reservations data.

Room Status Discrepancy

A situation in which the room status information that guides the front desk employee in assigning rooms to guests differs from the housekeeping department's description of a room's status. Discrepancies can seriously affect a property's ability to satisfy guests and maximise room revenue.

Rooming List

A list of the guests who will occupy reserved accommodations.

Rooms Activity Forecast

Information on anticipated arrivals, stay-overs, departures and vacancies. Managers use this forecast to determine staffing needs in housekeeping areas and at the front desk.

Rooms Allotment Report

A report that summarises rooms committed (blocked or booked), by future date.

Rooms Availability Report

A report that lists, by room type, the number of available rooms each day (net remaining rooms in each category).

Rooms Checklist

A list of all the items in the guestroom with a brief notation opposite each item of the type of inspection, repair, adjustments, lubrication, or cleaning activity to be performed.

Rooms Discrepancy Report

A report that notes any variances between housekeeping and front desk room status updates. It often alerts management to investigate the possibility of sleepers.

Rooms Division

The largest, and usually most profitable, division in a hotel. The rooms division typically consists of four departments:

* reservations

* front office

* housekeeping

* uniformed service

Rooms History Report

A computer-based report that depicts the use and revenue history of each room by room type. This report is particularly useful to those properties that use an automatic room assignment function.

Rooms Management Module

A front office application of a computer-based property management system. The module:

* assists in the assignment of rooms during registration

* maintains up-to-date information on the status of rooms

* helps coordinate various guest services

Rooms Productivity Report

A report that ranks room types by percentage of occupancy and/or by percentage of total rooms revenue.

Rooms Sold

The number of rooms sold (excludes complimentary rooms).

Rooms Status Report

A report that indicates the current status of rooms according to housekeeping designations, such as:

* out-of-order

* on-change

* on-makeup

* clean and ready for inspection

Ryokan

Traditional Japanese lodging facilities (similar to a bed and breakfast) featuring landscaped gardens, communal baths, and tatami mat floors.

Safety Deposit Boxes

Individual boxes located either in a central, secure, and supervised location or in individual guest rooms, provided for the safekeeping of guest valuables.

Service Bar

A relatively small bar where bartenders prepare beverages for servers to present to guests. Guests typically do not order or pick up their own beverages.

Service Charge

A percentage of the bill (usually 10-20%) added to the guest charge for distribution to service employees in lieu of direct tipping.

Service Station

A small work island located in a hotel's dining room.

Serving

The control point in which finished menu items are transferred from the production department to guests.

Shift Manager

The manager in charge of a hotel during a period of time, usually a 6-8-hour shift.

Shoulder Season

The period between high (peak) and low (off-peak) season.

Side-By-Side Suite

A suite that consists of two small bays, each with windows to the outside.

Sidestand

A service stand that holds supplies of condiments, tableware, ice, dairy products, and some beverages for easy access.

Sidework

Setup and cleanup work that must be done before and after dining rooms are opened. Examples include filling salt and pepper shakers, and restocking server supply stations.

Silence Cloth

Oilcloth or other padded material placed under a tablecloth in a restaurant to absorb noise.

Single Bed

Also known as King Single in the US.

A bed approximately 91 x 191 cm (36 x 75 in).

Skipper

A hotel guest who leaves without paying.

Sleeper

A vacant room that is believed to be occupied because the registration card or room rack slip was not removed from the rack when the previous guest departed.

Term-definition

Solid Mattress

A mattress stuffed with cotton, hair, or some other material.

Spa Hotel

A hotel that provides professionally administered spa services, fitness and wellness components and spa cuisine menu choices.

Specialty Menu

A menu that differs from the typical breakfast, lunch, or dinner menu. Specialty menus are usually designed for specific guest groups or for special events. Examples include banquet menus, children's menus and dessert menus.

Specialty Restaurant

A theme restaurant that features certain types of food.

Split Service

A food service method in which servers deliver courses separately. This form of service helps to maintain food safety and quality as each course can be portioned and served when it is ready, eliminating short-term holding in the kitchen.

Star Ratings

The star classification system is a common one for rating hotels. Higher star ratings indicate more luxury. No Category Hotels

These hotels include motels, cottages, bungalows and others with limited services.

 One Star Hotel

Low budget hotels; inexpensive; may not have maid service or room service.

Two Star Hotel

Budget hotels; slightly more expensive; usually has daily maid service.

Three Star Hotel

Middle class hotels; moderately priced; has daily maid service, room service, and may have dry-cleaning, Internet access, and a swimming pool.

Four Star Hotel

First class hotels; expensive (by middle-class standards); has all of the previously mentioned services; has many 'luxury' services (for example: massages or a health spa).

Five Star Hotel

Luxury hotels; most expensive hotels/resorts; numerous extras to enhance the quality of the client's stay (for example: private golf courses and even a small private airport).

Stay over

A room status term indicating that the guest is not checking out and will remain at least another night.

Steam Tunnel

Laundry equipment that moves clothes on hangers through a tunnel where they are steamed and de-wrinkled as they are moved through.

Studio

A guestroom having one or two sofas that convert into beds.

Suburban Hotel

A hotel that is somewhat smaller than a city centre hotel (typically 250-500 rooms), is usually part of a chain, and has bars, restaurants, and other amenities found at city centre hotels.

Suite

A guestroom with a parlour area in addition to a sleeping room, and perhaps a small kitchen.

Suite Hotel

A hotel whose rooms have separate bedroom and living room or parlour areas, and perhaps a small kitchen.

Third Party Booking Engine

An Internet site that provides a booking engine where a traveller can search a large number of hotels for availability and reserve a room. The hotels are not affiliated with the site and typically pay a fee for the business that the site generates.

Tour

Any pre-arranged (but not necessarily prepaid) journey to one or more places and back to the point of origin.

Traditional Lodging

A type of accommodation where guests pay nightly rates for suites single or rooms and have full access to the hotels' range of services and amenities.

Rates begin at 'rack,' but vary widely, based on time of season and week and nearby attractions and events.

Transfer

The transportation of visitors between their point of arrival and selected hotel, and back again on departure.

Travel Club

A type of travel agency that charges an annual fee to its members in return for providing packaged holidays at reduced prices.

Turkish Bath

Consists of one or a series of hot, dry rooms, where hotel guests can bathe and perspire freely. The rooms are controlled at different temperatures allowing the guests to move through increasing in temperature possibly followed by a plunge pool, wash and massage and in some cases, a cooling and relaxation room.

Twin Room - a guestroom with two single beds.

Twin Bed

A bed size used in the US, approximately 75 x 190 cm (30 x 75 in).

Underbar

The primary working space for the bartender. The underbar is the area of the bar that is in front of the bartender as they face the guests and mostly (but not entirely) below the level of the bar itself.

Understay

A guest who checks out before their stated departure date.

Upgrade

To move to a better class of service or accommodation.

Vacant

A room status term that indicates that the room has been cleaned and inspected, and is ready for the arriving guest.

Ventilation

The process of removing air from or supplying air to an interior space.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A system used in the hospitality industry to allow users to send, receive and share private information or encrypted data over a public infrastructure.

Voice Mail

A system that is part of the telephone equipment, which provides for hotel guests to retrieve a messages left by a caller.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

The technology used to transmit voice conversations over a data network using the Internet Protocol. VoIP is also known as Internet telephony, Broadband Phone and Voice over Broadband.

Wake Up Call

A telephone call made by front office to a guest room to waken the guest at a time requested by them.

Walk-In Refrigerator/Freezer

A large fridge or freezer used in high-volume kitchens for storage of perishable items.

Walked Guest

When a guest room is not available for a confirmed guest (i.e. the hotel is overbooked), then the hotel helps the guest find alternative accommodation elsewhere. This is known as 'walking the guest' to another hotel.

Each hotel has its own walk compensation policy that the manager will follow during this process. This usually includes paying for transportation to the hotel and covering any difference in the room rate at the hotel the guest was 'walked' to.

Waterpark Hotel

A hotel that offers a large recreational water elements such large pools, slides, multiple pools, or other water related amenities.

Yield Management

A strategy or process that hotel operators use to maximise their hotel room revenue by achieving the right balance between occupancy and room rates that generates the most revenue.

Zero Call

A telephone call placed with an operator's assistance. Examples may include credit-card and calling-card, collect calls, and third-party calls.

Zone Lighting

Lighting designed to facilitate traffic from one space to another.