Definition of Housekeeping

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

The term Housekeeping outside the hospitality, hospital refers to the management of daily duties and chores involved in the running of a household, such as cleaning, cooking, home maintenance, shopping, and bill payment, etc. These daily recurring tasks may be performed by any members of the household, or by other persons like butlers or maids who are hired for the purpose.

 Role of Housekeeping                                  

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

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

Being responsible for the turnaround of the rooms promptly, housekeeping’s primary communications are with the front desk/reception team. Each room status is updated regularly from the housekeeping to the front desk and vice versa. With new technologies available a room status update can be done via the hotel software, telephone systems, housekeeping mobile applications, etc.

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

The role of housekeeping can change depending upon the type or category of the hotel, for example, only in a luxury or full-service hotel evening or turndown services are offered by the housekeeping department. The housekeeping department is one of the major ‘Support Centre‘ in the hotel as it doesn’t generate any major revenue for the hotel.

Housekeeping is considered a ‘back of the house’ department even though they have some direct contact with the guests; for example, while cleaning rooms, picking up laundry, providing evening or turn down services, etc.

Areas Under the Responsibility Of Housekeeping

Areas Under the Responsibility Of Housekeeping, Staff of the Housekeeping department have very little or no guest contact in some scenarios, this is mostly because most of the work carried out by the housekeeping staff is in the back of the house area. Hence, housekeeping is considered a back-of-the-house department.

Staff of the Housekeeping department have very little or no guest contact in some scenarios, this is mostly because most of the work carried out by the housekeeping staff is in the back of the house area. Hence, housekeeping is considered a back-of-the-house department.

Main Responsibilities of Housekeeping

1. To ensure well-furnished and maintained guestrooms and public areas.
2.  To ensure excellence in housekeeping sanitation, safety, comfort, and aesthetics for hotel guests.
3.  To oversee the coordination of and administer all housekeeping programs and projects.
4.  To act as a source of contact in interdepartmental communications,vendors, professional agencies, etc.
5.  To provide a budget, budget control, and forecasting related to housekeeping.
6.  To achieve the maximum efficiency in ensuring the care and comfort of guests & in the smooth functioning of the department.
7.  To establish a welcoming atmosphere.
8.  To ensure courteousness, and reliable service from all staff to the guest.
9.  To ensure a high standard of cleanliness and general upkeep in all areas for which the department is responsible.
10.  To provide linen in rooms, restaurants, banquet halls, conference halls, health clubs, etc, as well as to maintain an inventory for the same.
11.  To provide uniforms for all the staff & maintain inventory for the same.
12.  To Cater to the laundering requirements of hotel linen, staff uniforms, and guests.
13.  To provide & maintain the floral decorations and to maintain the landscaped areas of the hotel.
14.  To select the right contractors & ensure the quality of work is maintained.
15.  To co-ordinate renovation and refurnishing of the property in consultation with the management & interior designers.

 Coordinate with the purchasing department for the procurement of guest supplies, cleaning agents, equipment, fabrics, carpets, & other items used in the hotel.

Carpet shampooing and maintenance.

 Dealing with any guest queries, complaints & requests as they occur.

To keep the general manager or administrator informed of all matters requiring attention.