CHAPTER 1:

THE LODGING OPERATIONS

OVERVIEW
One of the 5 main sectors of the travel and tourism industry, the lodging operations is
involved in providing guests with accommodations for a certain fee. These guests are people
who are temporarily away from their homes, who travel either because of business or
leisure. Lodging operations do not only provide accommodation. Some provide almost all
services that guests do not need to go out of the hotel to since everything is inside the premise.
Aside from rooms, they also provide food and beverage service, security and maintenance
services among others. Lodging establishments nowadays have a wider array of facilities. These
include health services like gym, spa and massage, concierge, gaming facilities such as
casino and entertainment facilities like movie houses and malls.

EXPECTANCIES
After exploring this chapter, you must be able to:
 Discuss the organizational structure of lodging operations;
 Enumerate the roles and responsibilities of each member of the
organizational structure;
 Discuss the importance the importance of each member of the
organization to the success of the lodging operations;
 Differentiate the categories of hotels based on the following: size, location,
target market, and star rating;
 Differentiate the type of rooms in a lodging establishment.

LEARNING ACTIVITY
The Organization of a Lodging Establishment
According to catalogimages.wiley.com, organizing is the process of structuring human
and physical resources in order to organizational objectives. It involves dividing tasks into jobs
specifying the appropriate department for each job, determining the optimum number of jobs
in each department, and delegating authority within and among departments. Lodging managers
face a very challenging task of creating an organizational structure that is committed in
providing quality service. It is very easy to draft a perfect organizational chart but what is
most important is how the members would participate to be able to achieve the organization's
objectives. Jobs, members and the departments that
make up the organization must be aware of the company's goals and
objectives and must be oriented that they have to help in achieving it.

Organizational structure depends on the size of the lodging

establishments. Lodging managers or the General Managers are responsible for
spearheading the creation of departments as well as identifying the applicable
designation of each department available in the organization. These
departments may be grouped as Front of the House (departments that have
direct guest cont act such as Front Office, Room Section of the Housekeeping
Department) and Back of the house ( departments that have limited guest
contact such as engineering and maintenance) or as Functional group (group
that handles issues that are directly related to guests such as Housekeeping
and Food and Beverage) and A dministrative group (this includes
departments that handle the behind the scenes details that keep the property
running smoothly. These teams organize systems and processes that minimize
chaos and manage administrative details such as Security and Ac counting) .

Figure 1 shows an example of a department structure for a limited-service

hotel. This type of hotel includes only the departments the owner thinks are the
most important and the hotel cannot operate without. Figure 2, on the other
hand,illustrates an example of a structure f or a full-service hotel.

General
Manager

1•

. ','
Front Office HousekeepingSecurity Sales
· and Marketing
Accounting

Figure 1. Department Structure for a Limited Service Hotel

 General
Manager

i
i !
B Food and
Beverage
.
Human
Resource ,
Marketing
and SalesAccounting

Front Office Food Production Recruitment Controllers

Housekeeping SecurityFood
Engineering
Service Benefits Finance Purchasing Audit Storeroom
Room Service StewardingTraining

Figure 2. Deparhnent Structure for a Full-service

Hotel
(Source:catalogimages .wiley.com)

Divisions or Departments of a Hotel

In almost all establishments, three (3) departments that are concerned
with accommodations are the Front Off ice, Housekeeping and M aintenance .
These three have their own specific duties in ensuring that accommodations of
the establishment are at its top quality. Front Office sells and allocates rooms,
Housekeeping provides and services the rooms while maintenance ensures
everything in the guestrooms are working properly such as provision of cold
and hot water, heating, lighting and ventilation among others. In addition,
all the departments of the hotel are essential in providing quality service to its
guests.
l. Rooms Division / Rooms Department - sometimes called the Front
Office in a limited-service hotel. In a full service, rooms division includes
Front Office, Housekeeping, and Security and Engineering departments
for the main reason that these four specific ally function because of the
main product of the hotel, the guest rooms.
• Front Office - responsible for reservation, guest check-in and
check out, mail and information services, and concierge
services. Telephone operations (PBX) are sometimes included in
this section as well as the Uniformed Service Department which
includes parking and door attendants, drivers, porters and bell
attendants. This department provides personalized service which
creates a more lasting impression t o the guests. Front Office is
one of most
 important departments of a hotel as they often offer the only contact
between the guests and the hotel.
 Housekeeping - keeps the hotel and the areas clean, tidy, hygienic, and pleasant
and performs the duties pertaining to decoration of hotel premises.
 Security – responsible in keeping the property, its guests and employees safe
and secured from external hazards.
 Engineering and Maintenance - ensures that everything in the hotel is
functioning. It takes care of repairing furniture and fixtures, and painting the
required area. When the hotel is small, these works are contracted from an
outside agency.
2. Food and Beverage – responsible for preparing menu, foods and managing
inventory of food and beverage items. It includes food and beverage preparation and
service for restaurant, lounge, coffee shops, bars, parties and room service.
3. Sales and Marketing - responsible in selling and marketing the hotel and its products.
4. Accounting - conducts all financial activities like producing bills and receiving
payments, computing employees' compensations and delivering payments. They also
carry out the activities such as compiling monthly and annual income statements,
depositing and securing cash, and controlling and monitoring assets.
5. Information Technology (IT) – responsible for keeping all of its equipment
operational. The duties include maintaining telephone, hotel management software,
internet etc. It is also responsible for implementing any new change required such as
upgrading the software and hardware.
6. Human Resource Department - responsible for sourcing, interviewing and recruiting
qualified staff for different positions. Benefits administration, training and promotion
are some of their responsibilities.

Members of the Executive Committee

Heading the departments mentioned earlier are the following:
1. General Manager (GM) - overall in-charge of the entire hotel. He oversees all of the
departments in the hotel. He is responsible for defining and interpreting all policies
established by top management.
2. Resident Manager (RM) – acts as the General Man absence and represents the GM
on interdepartmental hotel committees. He is the manager of the rooms department.
Normally, the RM resides in the hotel.
 Since the hotel operates on a 24-hour basis 365 days a year, a department head
must always be at reach for any concern that may arise even in the wee hours of the
night.
3. Food and Beverage Director – directly reporting to the GM. the F&B Director is
responsible for coordinating all food and beverage activities on a daily basis. He works
directly with the chefs and F&B supervisors to create menus, manage food costs,
uphold menu standards and control inventory.
4. Executive Housekeeper – responsible for overseeing the entire housekeeping
department to ensure delivery of quality service and exceptional guest experience
through provision of clean guest rooms and hotel facilities.
5. Director of Security – responsible in ensuring safety and security of the guests,
employees and the hotel property with the help of his team.
6. Director of Sales and Marketing – responsible in planning and implementing sales,
marketing and product development to ensure target sales are achieved.
7. Director of Human Resources - also known as HR Director or Chief HR Officer.
The Director of Human Resources is tasked with overseeing human relations system,
handling employee relations, ensuring compliance with regulations, managing budgets,
assessing staffing needs, hiring employees, designing training programs and
developing compensation and benefits plans.
8. Chief Accountant – leads the finance department and other related operations to manage
and maximize the profitability of the property.
9. Chief Engineer - oversees issues such as repairs and renovations, create budgets for
the maintenance department and hires and trains staff.
10. Information Technology (IT) Director – responsible for daily support of IT
systems, business systems, office systems, computer networks and telephone systems of
the entire hotel property.

Types of Hotels
The type of hotel helps the management decide on the organizational and
departmental structures of an establishment. Hotels can be categorized based on their size,
location, target market and ownership.
Hotel Types by Size
If the hotel management needs to compare different hotels within the same size,
knowing the number of available rooms of a hotel is an essential requirement. Hotels are
categorized by the number of rooms to which service is provided.
a) Below 200 rooms – Very Small
b) Up to 200 rooms – Small
c) 200 to 399 rooms – Medium
d) 400 to 700 rooms – Large
e) More than 700 rooms - Mega

Hotel Types by Location

Hotels may also be categorized based on their location. Some examples are:
a) Airport Hotels – accommodation located near the airport. The guests in transit use
them for short stay. The hotel need not be connected with the airport to be able to
operate. Sometimes, a shuttle is available to transport guests from an airport hotel to the
airport itself and vice versa.
Examples: Remington Hotel, Belmont Hotel
b) Boatels – a boat with sleeping accommodation that is used as a hotel.
Examples: Boatels Czech, Devolu in Paris
c) City Center – hotels that are located in the heart of the city, usually near commercial
areas. Examples: Dhusit Thani Manila, Fairmont Makati
d) Motels – these are small hotels usually located along highways that provide lodging
and parking. Rooms are usually accessible from an outdoor parking area. Transient
guests are the common guests of this type of accommodation. Examples: Victoria Court,
Sogo Hotel
e) Floating Hotels – also referred to as Cruise ships; hotels that are not located on solid
ground, but with the facilities and services of that of a hotel (www.wisegeek.com).
Examples: MS Allure of the Seas, Royal Princess
f) Resorts – a luxury facility that is intended primarily for vacationers and is usually
located near special attractions such as beaches and seashores, scenic or historic areas,
ski parks or spas. (www.britannica.com)
Examples: Walt Disney World Resort (Orlando, Florida), Banff Springs Hotel (Alberta,
Canada)
Hotel Types by Target Market
1. Airport Hotels – hotels that provide accommodation to airline passengers or any guests
with cancelled or delayed flights.
2. Business Hotels – hotels that cater to guests whose primary purpose of traveling is
business.
3. Bed and Breakfast (B&B) – small hotels that provide breakfast meals in addition
to accommodation to transient guests. The owner of B&B, who usually cooks the
breakfast for the guests, usually stays in the same premises.
4. Casino Hotels – hotels that have entertainment facilities in the premise that
provides accommodation mainly to guests interested in gambling. Normally, the
points they earn when they gamble can be used to pay their accommodation.
5. Resorts – accommodations that offer facilities such as spa, basketball and tennis courts,
golf course, fitness center, sailing, snorkeling, swimming among others that originally
target high income busy professionals who wish to spend time away from city's noise
and crowd. At present, a lot of low-cost resort hotels are already available.
6. Service Apartments - accommodations that are normally acquired by residential
guests. Located in residential colonies, these types of accommodations offer almost all
basic amenities such as kitchen, washing machine, dishwasher aside from beds with
once a week housekeeping service. A written agreement with the guests must be
executed if stay will last for at least a month.

Did you know?

Airbnb is an online marketplace that connects people who want to rent out their homes
with people who are looking for accommodations in that locale (Airbnb: Advantages and
Disadvantages by Jean Folger, Feb 13, 2019). Aside from being cheaper than the regular
hotel guest room, guests can experience a more relaxed environment as they immersed
themselves as if they are locals of the area. Hosts or the owners rent out their spaces to those
who are interested at a more reasonable cost.

Hotel Types by Star Rating

The star rating system is used to classify hotels according to their quality. This helps the
guests identify what type of hotels they will be visiting and what kind of
services and amenities are available. The more number of stars, the higher the quality of the
service and more guest amenities and facilities are provided.
1. One Star - this is sometimes a small to medium-sized hotel operated and managed by
the owner and family. The ambience is more personal and the guest rooms are filled
with basic amenities such as telephone and television. Restaurants are at a walking
distance, located outside the premise. Bellhop service is not usually provided. There
would be a small commercial area and a nearby public transportation hub.
2. Two Star - often a 2-4 story building with a more personal atmosphere. It is usually
located near affordable attractions, major intersections and convenient to public
transportation. Furnishings and fixtures are clean but basic. A limited service restaurant
may be on-site or a good low-priced dining may be available at a walking distance.
3. Three Star – Typically these hotels offer more spacious accommodations that include
well-appointed rooms and decorated lobbies. An on-site medium-sized restaurant that
typically offers all meals from breakfast through dinner is available. Valet and room
service, fitness center and a swimming pool are available.
4. Four Star – this hotel would be large, often standing as a part of a cluster of similar
hotels with a formal appearance and very good services such as reception, front desk
and bellhop. The hotels are most often located in the prime area of the city around
shopping, dining and entertainment joints where hotels of the same caliber can be
found. The guest can expect well-furnished, well-lit and clean rooms, several
restaurants, room service, valet parking, fitness centers, concierge services and one or
more pools within the hotel premises.
5. Five Star – the property that offers a high degree of personal service. Hotels of
such caliber would be large and luxurious, which offers the highest level of
accommodations. It is built with beautiful architecture, and is managed keeping
elegance and style in mind. The lobbies are sumptuous and the rooms are complete
with stylish furnishing and high quality linens, television, bathtubs and special outside
view from the room. Multiple eating joints in its premise such as coffee shops,
restaurants and poolside snack bars are available. 24/7 room service, valet service
and concierge are also provided.
 Did you know?
Dubai's Burj Al Arab made headlines as the world's first seven star hotel, but wasn't
actually rated as such by an authorized body. In 2015, the first hotel to receive a seven-star
rating was the Hotel Seven Stars Galleria, located inside Milan's 19th century Vittorio
Emanuele II structure. (Milan: Inside the World's Only Certified 7 star Hotel by Declan Eytan,
Aug. 4, 2015)

Types of Hotel Rooms

Hotel rooms are classified based on the number of occupants it can
accommodate, its size and the furniture, fixtures and guest amenities available.
1. Single Room - a room with a single bed meant for a single occupant. Basic
facilities and amenities include bathroom, a small dressing table, a small bedside table,
a small writing table and a single chair.
2. Double Room – a room good for two people. It is equipped with adequate furniture
such as a dressing table and a writing table, a TV and a small fridge. There are two
variants in this type depending upon the size of the bed.
 King double room - with king-size double bed
 Queen double room - with queen-size double bed
3. Deluxe Room – a well-furnished room with a dressing table, a bedside table, a
small writing table, a television and a small refrigerator. It is available in single deluxe
and double deluxe variants. This is normally suitable for one small family.
4. Double-Double (Twin Double) Room - a room with two double or two queen
beds that can be occupied by one or more people. This is ideal for a family with two
children below 12 years old.
5. Twin Room - this room provides two single beds with separate headboards. It is meant
for two independent people. It also has a single bedside table shared between two beds.
6. Hollywood Twin Room – this room provides two single beds with a common
headboard.
7. Cabana – this type of room faces water body, beach or a swimming pool. It generally has
a large balcony.
8. Studio - a room equipped with a studio bed - a couch that can be converted into
a bed. It is also equipped with a small kitchen corner and a dining area.
9. Lanai – this room faces a landscape, a waterfall or a garden.
 10. Suite – a room composed of one or more bedrooms, a living room and a dining area,
sold at a higher price. It is excellent for the guests who prefer more space, wish to
entertain their guests without interruption and giving up privacy. There are various types
of suites:
 Mini suite or junior suite – a single room with a bed and a sitting area. The
sleeping area is in a bedroom separate from the parlor or living room.
 Penthouse suite - a more luxurious suite than the junior suite. It is provided
with the access to terrace space above the suite. It is located on the top-
most floor of the hotel giving the guest the utmost privacy he demands thus
providing a bird's eye view of the city.
 Presidential suite – sometimes called the “Royal Suite”, this is considered as
the best suite in the hotel, offering all the best possible services the hotel can
offer. Its price is the most expensive of all the room rates.

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-proof 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
Schmalbruch, July 19, 2018).

:
 CHECKPOINT
Instruction: Identify what is being asked.
1. Department of the hotel that is responsible for reservation, guest check in and check out,
mail and information services, and concierge services.
2. This department provides personalized service which creates a more lasting impression
to the guests. This department provides personalized service which creates a more
lasting impression to the guests.
3. This department ensures that everything in the guestrooms is working properly such as
provision of cold and hot water, heating, lighting and ventilation among others.
4. Department that is responsible in selling and marketing the hotel and its products.
5. One of the most expensive suites located on the top-most floor of the hotel.
6. A classification of hotels that has gambling facilities in the premise that entertains
players of the said activity.
7. He is responsible for daily support of IT systems, business systems, office systems,
computer networks and telephone systems of the entire hotel property.
8. He, along with his staff, ensures that the guests, employees and the hotel property are
safe and secured.
9. He acts as the General Manager in cases where the GM is not around.
10. These are accommodations that offer facilities such as spa, basketball and tennis
courts, golf course, fitness center, sailing, snorkeling, swimming among others that
originally target high-income busy professionals who wish to spend time away from the
city's noise and crowd.

HOMEWORK
Search the net and identify the current top 10 hotels in the Philippines and in the world. Include
your reference/s upon submission of your answers.
 CHAPTER 2:
INTRODUCTION TO
HOUSEKEEPING
OVERVIEW
Housekeeping department is one of the major contributors in terms of hotel
operations success, though some may consider it as a supplementary service only. In fact,
housekeeping is a 24 x 7 x 365 operation, running non-stop. With guest rooms being the
main product of the hotel, all guests look for a spotlessly, relaxing and pleasing guest room
every time they check any lodging establishment. In addition to Front Office Department,
Housekeeping also creates a lasting impression to guests. The way housekeeping is being done
in a hotel tells exactly how the hotel will take care of its guests.

EXPECTANCIES
After exploring this chapter, you must be able to:
 Define the meaning of housekeeping;
 Differentiate the two types of housekeeping services;
 Discuss the advantages of housekeeping in an institution;
 Explain the purpose of cleaning; and
 Explain the objectives of the housekeeping department in the hotel.

LEARNING ACITIVITY
According to www.yourdictionary.com, housekeeping is doing basic cleaning tasks in
a house, hotel or other locations, of me department of employees who manage and perform
cleaning tasks. Although ironically, housekeeping duties involve not only the basic cleaning
tasks but also those that require expertise and training. Housekeeping as per
www.tutorialspoint.com, means performing all the duties towards cleaning, maintaining
orderliness and running a house or a business property. Therefore, when speaking about
hotels, housekeeping duties involve maintaining the hotel to the best possible state in terms of
cleanliness, and keeping it at highly desirable ambience.
There are two types of Housekeeping: Domestic and Institutional. Domestic
Housekeeping includes housekeeping services or maintenance done at home. It covers the
areas found at home such as bedroom, kitchen area, dining room and living room among
others. Institutional Housekeeping, on the other hand, includes housekeeping services applied
to commercial establishments like hotels, resorts, inn and even hospitals. Services are done in
the departments and areas of the lodging establishment such as guestrooms, food and
beverage outlets, offices, and grounds among others.

Advantages of Housekeeping Department

Imagine entering a hotel that is dirty, with foul odor and dust all over the furniture and
fixtures. Imagine checking a guest room with used and dirty linens, trash all over and a
bathroom that is wet and with unimaginable items from the previous guest. What would you
feel? What would you do? Still going to check in? Definitely, your answer would be NO!
You would leave and demand your payment to be returned. Housekeeping department is very
important in a lodging operation. It is one of the departments that the hotel cannot operate
without. The following are the advantages the housekeeping department offers to its guests:
1. Clean and hygienic atmosphere
2. Comfortable and convenient stay
3. Privacy
4. Safety and security
5. Provision of amenities
6. Making guests feel good

The Main Objectives of Hotel Housekeeping are:

1. To provide guests 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 guests and the different sections in the
housekeeping department such as guest supplies and amenities and employees'
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 pests.
Areas in the Housekeeping Department
The size and lay-out of the housekeeping department depends on the number of
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 budget, schedule, requisition are
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 Desk.
2. Laundry area - this is where the linens and uniform of the staff are washed, ironed, dry
cleaned and folded. Guests 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
responsible for issuing the uniforms of the employees. Upon dropping in the chute, the
computer reads the chip in the uniform identifying those who were able to leave their
uniforms from those who weren't.
5. Housekeeping supplies store - this is where all guest room amenities and cleaning
items and equipment are stored.
6. Lost and found - area where all the items left or lost by the guests are stored.

In 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 for
arranging flowers for displays such as in public areas or for VIPs.

Purpose of Cleaning
One of the basic responsibilities of the Housekeeping department is providing a clean
and hygienic atmosphere to the guests and employees of the hotel.
Cleaning, according to https://dictionary.cambridge.org, is the activity of removing the dirt
from things and places, especially in a house. So in this set up, the house that we are
referring to is the hotel where you will probably be working in the future.
Cleaning is conducted to remove harmful bacteria that are present in the dust deposited
on the hotel property because of pollution and other factors. This is very important for the health
not only of the working staff but also the guests to prevent pest infestations. Its purpose is to
eliminate, if not reduce, the threat of any infections and offer comfortable stay to the guests in
the hotel.
 CHECKPOINT
Instruction: Write T if the statement is true and F if the statement is false.
1. Housekeeping department operates 24 hours a day from Monday to Saturday.
2. The main product of the hotel is the guest room.
3. Domestic housekeeping is a type of housekeeping that is done in hotels, cruise ships
and other accommodation establishments.
4. Institutional housekeeping is housekeeping that is being done at home. It is normally
being done by the mother with the help of the other members of the family.
5. Cleaning is being done to avoid getting sick.
6. Linen section is where the linens and uniform of the staff are washed, ironed, dry
cleaned and folded.
7. Room section is where the staff uniforms are collected when dirty, stored and
distributed when clean.
8. Flower area where clothes of the guests, uniforms of the employees and hotel linens
are stitched, repaired and given other mending services.
9. One of the main objectives of the Housekeeping department is to control pests.
10. Maintaining the original aesthetic beauty of the furniture, fittings and fixtures of
the entire hotel is not part of the responsibilities of the Housekeeping Department.

HOMEWORK
1. What local lodging establishments have you stayed in one of your travels? Why did you
choose to stay there?
2. What are the factors you consider when looking for an accommodation to stay?
 CHAPTER 3:
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

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

EXPECTANCIES
After exploring this chapter, you must be able to:
 Discuss the roles and responsibilities of the members of the housekeeping department;
 Explain the attributes needed to qualify as a housekeeping staff.

LEARNING ACTIVITY
Below are the members of the Housekeeping Department and their Responsibilities:
1. Executive Housekeeper - As the Chief of the 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 – Along with the Executive Housekeeper, the
Assistant Executive Housekeeper ensures the overall cleanliness, condition, sanitation,
comfort and ambiance of the hotel. He/she also trains the new members of the
department while motivating and evaluating the existing employees. He/she
establishes and models the new Standard Operating Procedures for cleaning and
decorating. The Assistant Executive Housekeeper is also responsible for monitoring
regular inventory of guest supplies, linen, housekeeping equipment and property, and
handling of training, promotion and transfers, organizing flower arrangements for
events and presenting the estimate of the required budget to the General Manager of the
hotel.
3. Floor Supervisor – The Floor Supervisor's responsibilities include issuing of keys to
room attendants, coordinating floor operations and tray clearance with room operations,
inspecting rooms for readiness and then reporting to the Front Office for the same and
catering to VIP facilities and
 providing special supplies such as hot drinking water and baby-sitting provision.
4. Public Area Supervisor - His responsibilities include ensuring that the cleanliness is
maintained at all times in public areas such as lobby, lifts, parking, swimming pool,
coffee shop, conference hall, banquet halls and restaurant among others. In addition, he
also ensures that the concerned operating staff is available as per schedule.
5. Night Supervisor – Aside from supervising the hotel at night, the Night
Supervisor ensures the following: provision of guest supplies such as water, extra beds
or towels, cleanliness of all the areas at night and operating staff working at night
follow all cleaning SOPs.
6. Uniform Supervisor - The Uniform Supervisor provides clean, ironed and fresh
uniforms to the hotel staff, suggests procurement of any uniforms required, checks
repaired linen from the tailor room and keeps track of number and condition of
uniforms.
7. Linen Supervisor – The Linen Supervisor inspects linen and sends it to laundry for
washing and ironing. He also maintains linen influx and out flux register, checks
repaired linen from tailor room and suggests linen replacement if and when necessary.
8. Uniform Attendant - The Uniform Attendant collects staff uniforms at the end of
every shift and maintains them to be used for the next time, which he also issues. He
also maintains the shelves of uniforms and linens neatly. At present, in bigger hotels
where there is a conveyor, they are called as wardrobe attendant. They ensure that the
uniforms are properly placed in the conveyor.
9. Linen Attendant – Some of the responsibilities of the Linen Attendant include
segregating the dirty linen according to its types before sending it to the laundry, keeping
track of linen count before and after laundry, and stacking linens according to its uses.
10. Guest Room Attendant – He is formerly known as the Chambermaid. But since at
present, both female and male alike can work as a GRA, its name has evolved to Room
Attendant (RA) or GRA. GRA is considered as one of the most popular staff in the hotel
since aside from being frequently seen by in-house guests, they are also asked about
services and other information about the hotel as well. The GRA, who reports to the
Floor Supervisor, cleans the guestrooms, bathrooms and hallways. Cleaning of the
guestrooms and bathrooms includes changing the linen, making up
 beds and replenishing guest supplies. GRA also replenishes the
housekeeping cart with supplies and linens f or the next shift staff .
1 1 .Store A ttendant - Directly reporting to the Storekeeper Supervisor, the
Store Attendant keeps the count of cleaning equipment and items such as
cleaners and detergents. He is also responsible for generating requisitions
to purchase the required materials.
12. Public Area Attendant - Directly reporting to the Public Area
Supervisor, the PA attendant keeps the public areas in best maintained
status. Public areas include parking, l obbies, lif ts and corridors among
others. In some establishments, they may be referred to as
Environmental Services Attendant.
13. Night Shift Attendants - These are staffs that perf orm housekeeping
duties during night time. They directly report to & the Night Supervisor for
any hotel safet y issues.

Assnt fXe<uti>le

I HoUseieep«f

r
•
uniform
SUpervisot l
iI Li'M<n J r· · ;ghtI
i i :
SU(lENisor supervisor
)

- - _J
····-·-·-····r··--··L--r·--j

1
l -...... .. ..............,
Uniform I linen ii
I
Higtlt Shift

....._.1 __..
Attend;int I Attend;iin1 ' Attend.mts

Figure 4 Sample organizational chart of Housekeeping Department

Qualities of Housekeeping Staff

To be able to qualify as a housekeeping staff, aside from housekeeping skills, a
staff must possess the following attributes:
l. 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 females; hair must be
tied like a bun.
d. Uniforms must be clean and well-pressed. It should be worn completely
and properly.
e. Look clean and smell clean. Before reporting for work, staff must take a bath,
apply deodorant and brush teeth.
2. Interpersonal Skills
a. Shows professionalism at all times
b. A good team player
c. Possesses right attitude
d. Listens 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 guests
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 guests 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 represent 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 housekeepers must:
a. Enter the floor properly groomed wearing a clean and complete uniform.
b. Only use the service lifts.
c. Refrain from speaking with other staff unless necessary.
d. Walk properly and professionally in the hotel premises.
e. Knock the guest room doors using knuckles. Keys, coins or other articles must not be
used.
f. Not eat nor drink while cleaning. Break hours must be observed religiously.
g. 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 guest room.
h. Always keep the guestroom doors open while cleaning.
i. Always be courteous. Guests must be greeted with a smile according to the time of the
day.
j. Never answer the guest room phone when it rings during cleaning.
k. Never use the guest room phone or floor desk phones for making private calls.
l. Never use the guest bathroom or the guestroom for unauthorized person.
m. Familiarize themselves with the face of guests. This is especially important for security
purposes.
n. Not accept gifts or tokens from guests and politely deny them. If being insisted
upon, housekeepers must mention it to the floor supervisor who can permit them to
take the gift out of the hotel.
 CHECKPOINT
Instruction: Identify what is being asked.
1. As the Chief of the Housekeeping Department, he ensures that the department functions
and performs well in the hotel.
2. He supervises and ensures that the cleanliness is maintained at all times in public areas
such as lobby, lifts, parking, swimming pool, coffee shop, conference hall, banquet
halls and restaurants.
3. One of his responsibilities is to train the new members of the department while
motivating and evaluating the existing employees.
4. He ensures that the guests are taken care of during night time and operating staff
working at night follow all cleaning SOPs.
5. These are staffs that perform housekeeping duties during night time.
6. He is responsible for cleaning the guestrooms, bathrooms and hallways of his station.
7. He collects staff uniforms at the end of every shift and maintains them to be used for
the next time, which he also issues.
8. He is responsible for segregating the dirty linen according to its types before
sending it to the laundry, keeping track of linen count before and after laundry, and
stacking linens according to its uses.
9. He is responsible for keeping the parking, lobbies, lifts, and corridors among public
areas clean.
10. He is responsible for keeping the count of cleaning equipment and items such as
cleaners and detergents and in generating the requisition to purchase the required
materials.

HOMEWORK
1. Based on your observation, aside from the qualities mentioned, what other traits
must the housekeeping staff have? Why do you think so?

2. Should you be assigned in the Housekeeping Department in the future, in what section
would you like to be part of and why?
REFERENCE

Fundamentals in Lodging Operations

Jennefer Y. Yap, Evan Laurence R. Yap

Prepared by:

ROBEONZAGA
HRM Instructor

Approved by:

MA tffel&:ANG
Program Head