THE EVOLUTION OF HOSPITALITY.

Introduction to Hospitality Industry

A contemporary explanation of Hospitality refers to the relationship process between a guest and a host. When we talk
about the “Hospitality Industry”, we are referring to the companies or organizations which provide food and/or drink
and/or accommodation to people who are away from home. However, this definition of the “Hospitality Industry” only
satisfies most situations. The following are the definition of key terms;

1. Hospitality
A term implies whereby a guest who is away from home is welcomed by a host where basic necessities are
provided such as food, beverages and accommodation. The term is derived from the Latin word ‘hospitaire’,
which means ‘to receive a guest’.

2. Hospitality Industry
An industry comprises business entity of food, beverages, lodging or a combination of these businesses to
travellers during their stay in a destination.
3. Tourism
As recommended by the World Tourism Organisation and adopted by the United Nations, the term tourism
comprises the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not
more than one consecutive year for leisure, business, and other purposes.
4. Travel and Tourism Industry
Businesses providing primary services to travellers, including the traditional hospitality businesses and others
closely linked to them in such fields as entertainment, recreation, and transportation, plus travel agencies and
tour operators.

Evolution of Hospitality industry

The Hospitality industry is as old as humanity. The industry can trace its roots to ancient times. People from a several
millennial ago had Inns or guest houses, for example ancient Mesopotamia had public bath houses and Guest rooms for
visiting diplomats and other travellers. The first form of paid 'hospitality' where you could reserve a place to stay, eat, and
relax started in private homes. Next came motels and hotels. Since then, recreational activities have become wide spread.
For instance, in Egypt you would get a mud-bath, in Europe jesters would tell jokes in turns, while Romans preferred
watching lions eat human warriors.

In Kenya, the evolution of hospitality industry can be traced back in the migration and settlement of ethnic groups.
Messengers were sent on foot and they were accommodated where night found them. When the 1 st Arab to visit (Henry
the navigator) arrived at the Kenyan coast and he was accommodated by the community, this hospitality attracted more
Arabs to trade in ivory and slaves. The traders needed accommodation thus leading to establishment of hospitality premises
along the coast region of Kenya. Also in the colonialism era where some communities were hospitable while others were
hostile. In the construction of the famous railway brought up hospitality establishments set up e.g. Stanley hotel so as to
cater for the labors. Later during the 1960's the government took initiative which lead to further development of hospitality
establishments.

The Nature of the Hospitality Industry.

Different from other sectors, the hospitality industry is unique in its nature which tends to be service-oriented and has a
strong emphasis on human exchange in the service delivery processes. It has the following unique characteristics:

1. Product-service-mix- In the hospitality industry, customers rarely consume pure products but a mixture of
products and services. For example, one who dines in a restaurant will not only pay for the food and drinks but
the services provided by the servers. The bill has covered both tangible and intangible experience. Tangible
features- for example, a steak as the main course, a glass of house wine, well groomed service staff and decoration
of the restaurant. Intangible features- for example, a comfortable dining atmosphere or the friendly attitude of
staff.
2. Relies on a two-way communication -In order to achieve service excellences in the hospitality industry, two-
way communication is one critical factor which requires the involvement and participation of both customers

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 and service staff in the service delivery process. Through interactions with customers, important messages about
their needs and expectations can be received by service staff for their immediate actions to create customer
satisfaction
3. It is emphasizes on Relationship building -This industry highly depends on repeated customers for survival.
Building long term relationship with customers can benefit the organizations for generating stable revenues
regardless of the instability of seasons and at the same time, developing brand reputations through positive word-
of-mouth of the repeated customers. In order to develop brand loyalty, different methods are currently applied
by the lodging and food service sectors, such as membership programms which give privileges and incentives to
frequent customer
4. Diversity in culture - As hospitality are closely related to tourism industry, it is not surprising that people
involved in this sector, no matter customers or staff are experiencing a diversity in culture through interacting
with others. Staffs who work in a hospitality organization always have interactions with customers from different
regions or to work and corporate with other colleagues who may have different backgrounds or cultures. Due to
their differences in religious beliefs and values, some conflicts and misunderstandings can be easily occurred.
Therefore, staff should be open-minded, and come up with solutions together in resolving problems in their
duties
5. Labour intensive - Since the hospitality industry is service-oriented in it’s’ nature, it requires a huge supply of
labour to create a memorable experience for the customers. This characteristic is especially true for those
enterprises which target for high-ended customers. For example, staff-to-guest ratios are high in fine dining
restaurants and 5-star hotels which aimed at providing one-on-one services to their customers. Although the
advancement in technology do contribute to the replacement of some simple tasks in the whole service process,
customers who concern the element of ‘care’ generally expect high degree of human contacts and personalized
services in their consumption experiences. It explains why the industry is always in high demand for labor and is
willing to spent time and resources in training and recruiting potential candidates to join the workforce of the
hospitality industry.

Characteristics of service industry.

Services are “Activities, benefits and satisfactions, which are offered for sale or are provided in connection with the sale
of goods” (American Marketing Association, Committee). Services are said to have four key characteristics which impact
on marketing programmes. These are;

1. Intangibility- Services are said to be intangible - they cannot be seen or tasted, for example. This can cause
lack of confidence on the part of the consumer. As was apparent earlier, in considering pricing and services
marketing, it is often difficult for the consumer to measure service value and quality. To overcome this,
consumers tend to look for evidence of quality and other attributes, for example in the decor and
surroundings of the beauty salon, or from the qualifications and professional standing of the consultant.
2. Inseparability- Services are produced and consumed at the same time, unlike goods which may be
manufactured, then stored for later distribution. This means that the service provider becomes an integral
part of the service itself. The waitress in the restaurant, or the cashier in the bank, is an inseparable part of
the service offering. The client also participates to some extent in the service, and can affect the outcome of
the service. People can be part of the service itself, and this can be an advantage for services marketers.
3. Heterogeneity Invariability- Because a service is produced and consumed simultaneously, and because
individual people make up part of the service offering, it can be argued that a service is always unique; it only
exists once, and is never exactly repeated. This can give rise to concern about service quality and uniformity
issues. Personnel training and careful monitoring of customer satisfaction and feedback can help to maintain
high standards.
4. Perishability- Services are perishable; they cannot be stored. Therefore an empty seat on a plane, for
example, is a lost opportunity forever. Restaurants are now charging for reservations which are not kept,
charges may be made for missed appointments at the dental clinic. Perishability does not pose too much of
a problem when demand for a service is steady, but in times of unusually high or low demand service
organizations can have severe difficulties.
Factors Affecting the Hospitality and Tourism Industry.

The tourism industry is regarded as an important source of revenue and livelihood both globally and domestically.
However, various incidents in human history have led to a fall in tourist arrivals. Incidents such as disease outbreaks in
several parts of the World, the infamous terrorist attacks among others have significantly caused reduction in world

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tourism arrivals.
In general, the factors that most commonly affect the hospitality and tourism industry are as follows:

1. Changes in Destination-The choice of places visited by tourists for holidays or leisure has changed over time.
This is due to the fact that some destinations have become unfashionable while others fall into decline as a result
of unpopularity and underinvestment. The changes of society have created new destinations through proper
planning and support by various parties. For example, the rise of ecologically friendly conscientiousness among
tourists has encouraged the development of ecotourism globally.
2. Customer Types-Tourism marketers adopted a greater use of market segmentation in the industry and this has
led to the focus of more varied customer groups. The groups are sub-divided into:
i. Leisure travellers
ii. Business travellers
iii. Independent travellers
iv. Age-specific groups
v. Package holidaymakers
3. Length of Stay-The evolution of customer’s demand where flexibility is constantly demanded has caused the
tourism industry to become more responsive towards this expectation. Customers are more into choosing shorter
breaks especially during the weekends. In fact, there are more and more ‘serial holidaymakers’ who take multiple
breaks within a short period of time. In addition, more firms are adopting flexible working patterns and this has
enabled employees to have long holidays in their career breaks.
4. Social Factors- Changes in social factors such as demographic changes and trends towards healthier lifestyles
have encouraged:
• Extreme and risk sport holidays
• Adventure holidays
• Leisure and activity-related breaks
5. Political Aspects.
a) War on Terror-Recent rise on terrorism attacks have caused security concerns over travel
created serious impact on the tourism industry which has eventually led to:
• Demise of certain destinations
• Increased business failure
• Loss of expected growth in other destinations
b) Security and Safety-Airport security seen as priority in order to attract more investment. Expense of
technological solutions to detect terrorists.
c) Health-New epidemics have significantly affected travel and tourism industry.
6. Technological Change.
1. New Transportation-With the invention of new transportation systems, the development of the tourism
and hospitality industry has continued to increase since the turn of the new millennium. Examples of
new transportation methods include:
• Super ferries and cruise ships
• New land bridges
• Space tourism
• New carrier (airline) routes
2. E-commerce-Continue growth of e-commerce with online booking and purchasing. It is
estimated that there is a 5 percent of global population online currently.

The other factors may include:

i. P-political e.g. Unrests and unfavourable legislation e.g. on taxation and licensing.
ii. E-economic e.g. inflation, competition, seasonality, interest rate on loans etc.
iii. S-sociocultural e.g. beliefs on consumption, social class, generations, consumer changing tastes
and preferences.
iv. T-technological e.g. costs of adoption of technology and impacts

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Career Prospect of the Hospitality Industry.

The following are the career prospects in the hospitality Industry:

i. Hotels and Restaurants.

ii. Membership clubs.
iii. Events and conference management.
iv. Travel agents and Tour operations
v. Airline and railway travel
vi. Tourism Departments
vii. Hospitals
viii. Parks
ix. Museums and cultural centers
x. Fitness clubs and sports organizations (e.g. gyms, golf clubs, and tennis facilities)
However, there are always some pros and cons for working in the hospitality industry. The concern whether a position
suits to you or not is mainly dependent on your own character and personal interest. Some general views, both positive
and negative, about the career prospects of hospitality industry are summarized below;

Positive Views.

a) Variety of career choices-Due to the booming development of the hospitality and tourism industry, many
new hotels and restaurants are opened for catering the needs of both the visitors and locals. It facilitates a huge
demand of labour in the market, especially in some developing countries.
b) Opportunities to meet people with different backgrounds-As mentioned earlier that the success of a
hospitality service highly depends on the human contact between staff and customers. Having a chance to work
in the industry, particularly in some front line positions means that there would be many opportunities for one
to meet and communicate with people with different backgrounds and cultures. For example, a hotel
receptionist can perceive his/her position as a tourist ambassador, which can be enjoyable and challenging.
c) Long-term career development-It is common that most people have to start their careers from the entry-
level. However, the career paths are always quite clear for employees and there are always opportunities for
them to get promoted and proceed to management levels based on their experience and performance.
d) Fringe benefits enjoyed by employees- Different from other business and service operations, staff working
in hotels and food service operations can usually enjoy some other benefits in addition to the basic salaries,
annual bonus and insurance coverage.
Negative Views.

a) Long and non-regular working hours-Shift works are very common in food and beverage and accommodation
sectors. Despite of morning and evening shifts, some positions require staff to work overnight, such as night
auditors in the front desk and security officers. As there are no such things of public holidays, staff are always
required to work on weekends or special days, such as Christmas and Easter, etc. “Long working hours” seem
to be the implicit norm of many positions in the hospitality industry.
b) Work under Pressure-In most situations, staff are expected to provide “quick” and “high quality” services
without keeping their customers from waiting. The pressure of maintaining the service efficiency and consistency,
especially in peak seasons could be tremendous.
c) Low starting salary- Hospitality industry offers many relatively low-skilled entry level jobs. With the
exceptions of management or positions which require fluency of languages or specific
skills, staff with no experience generally have low starting salaries. The differences
between large-scaled and small-scaled hotels or food service operations lead to further
variations in staff salaries.
d) Perceptions of low job status-As mentioned above that many positions are low-skilled in the hospitality
industry, some people would think their job status are relatively lower when compared with other industries,
such as banking and finance. The misperceptions of ‘being a servant to others’ in the Chinese culture plus other
negative views introduced above have also
discouraged many graduates from joining the industry.

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INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF HOTEL PROPERTIES

There is no generic rule for classifying accommodation establishments globally. One method is to divide
accommodation into two main groups:

1. Commercial (i.e. hotels)

2. Non-commercial; (i.e. private, non-profit and institutional)
Commercial accommodation products have the sole aim of profit maximization while the non-commercial
establishments provide accommodation for the wellbeing of the clients and not profit.

Examples of non-commercial accommodation properties are: private homes, non-profit organisations and institutional
e.g. universities. Commercial accommodation properties include hotels.

Hotels

Hotels are the predominant type of commercial accommodation in Kenya. They can be classified by use of the following
criteria:

i. Location: e.g. city centre hotels, suburban hotels, airport hotels and highway hotels/motels
ii. Function: e.g. commercial hotels and convention hotels
iii. Market segment: e.g. resorts, health spas, timeshares/vacation ownership and casino hotels
iv. Distinctiveness of property: e.g. all-suite hotels, boutique hotels, extended-stay hotels, historic conversions
and bed and breakfast inns
v. Price- luxury, upscale, mid-price, economy, budget
vi. Number of rooms (Size) : e.g. under 150 rooms, 151-300 rooms, 301-600 rooms, more than 600 rooms
vii. Rating (grading) : e.g. one-star to five-star or one-diamond to five-diamond
viii. Clientele- business, leisure, holiday
ix. Facilities and service-Full service, economy

The following are types of accommodation used by travellers and their respective characteristics

a) City centre hotels-These hotels are located within the heart of a city. The type may vary greatly from business,
suites, residential, economy, mid-scale to luxury.
b) Suburban hotels-Suburban hotels tend to be smaller properties which usually provide full-service, and locate
in suburban area.
c) Airport hotels-These hotels are designed especially to accommodate air travellers. They offer a mix of facilities
and amenities. The majority offer guests transportation to and from the airport.
d) Highway hotels/Motels- They are designed for overnight stays for car travelers, often with very basic
facilities. The rooms usually have direct access to an open parking lot. They are often smaller than most hotels.
They are located on the outskirts of towns and cities.
e) Convention hotels- These hotels can have 2000 rooms or more. In addition to accommodation, they provide
extensive meeting and function space for holding conventions. There are banquet areas within and around the
hotel complex. Most of them provide an in-house laundry, a business centre, airport shuttle service, and 24-
hour room service. They are often in close proximity to convention centres and other convention hotels.
f) Commercial hotels- They are located in downtown areas. They tend to be smaller than convention hotels.
Meeting and function space are smaller, and there are fewer banquet areas.
g) Resort hotels -These hotels are located in picturesque, sometimes remote settings. Guests travel long distance
to resorts. Usually, they tend to stay longer. Resorts typically provide a comprehensive array of recreational
amenities, as well as a variety of food & beverage outlets ranging from informal to fine-dining restaurants.
h) Spa hotels- They are located in resort-type settings or as part of city spa hotels. They provide
accommodations, spa treatments, programs and cuisine. Programs offered vary widely. They may include
relaxation/stress management, fitness, weight management, grief/life change and yoga. Spas have professional
staff that often include dieticians, therapists, masseurs, exercise physiologists, and in some cases, physicians.
i) Timeshares/Vacation ownership-This is a type of shared ownership where a buyer purchases the right to
use the property for a portion of each year. In many cases, when the timeshare is purchased, the buyer receives

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 a deed. This indicates that the buyer can use the property each year at the time specified for the number of
years based on the deed and the purchase can be handed down to the buyer’s heirs.
j) Casino hotels -They have gambling operations which are the major revenue centres. They also provide live
entertainment. A wide variety of luxury amenities, hotel services including fine and casual dining and shopping
centres are typically available on site.
k) All-suite hotels-The guest rooms in these hotels are larger than normal hotel rooms, with separate areas for
working, sleeping and relaxing. A living area or parlour is typically separated from the bedroom, and some
properties offer a kitchen set-up in the rooms. The amenities and services can vary widely. They can be found
in various locations such as urban, suburban, or residential.
l) Boutique hotels- Boutique hotels differentiate themselves from traditional hotels and motels by providing
personalized accommodation and services/facilities. They are sometimes known as "design hotels" or "lifestyle
hotels". The price varies greatly. They are very different in their “look and feel” from traditional lodging
properties. They are more intimate, and, perhaps, more luxurious, and stand out as an individual. The amenities
vary greatly depending on what the hotel’s environment and theme chosen. For example, a boutique hotel may
not offer Wi-Fi Internet, air conditioning, or cable/pay TV if it is focus on comfort and solitude. Local
example: _
m) Extended stay hotels/ Serviced Apartments- These properties cater to guests who stay for an extended
period. They usually offer full kitchen facilities, shopping services, business services and limited housekeeping
services.
n) Historic conversion hotels- These properties have historic significance. They have been converted into
lodging establishments with retention of their historic character. Local example: _
o) Bed and breakfast inns (B&BS) - They are usually family-owned. They are private homes whose owner lives
on or near the premises and rents out rooms to overnight guests. The paid accommodation typically includes
breakfast. A popular term is “B&BS” (i.e. bed and breakfast provided). The host often provides guests with
assistance regarding directions, and information regarding the local area including sightseeing suggestions. It is
usually located in rural areas and villages.
p) Guest houses- Guest houses are similar to bed and breakfast inns. They range from low-budget rooms to
luxury apartments. They tend to be like small hotels in bigger cities. Though the facilities are limited, most
rooms are air-conditioned with en-suite shower and toilet.
q) Hostels - They are very cheap accommodation. The sleeping arrangements are usually in dormitory style and
there may also be self-catering facilities on site.
r) Cabins- They are bedrooms on a ship or train for passengers.
s) Villas/Chalets (usually found in skiing and beach resorts) - They are self-catering accommodation in a
private bungalow, usually rented to prestigious or renowned guests. In many cases, it refers to a small cottage
with an overhanging roof in a seaside resort, e.g. beach houses.

NB: Take away Assignment: Read on homestays and other types of Hospitality facilities

Other classification criteria

Hotel properties may be classified according to their management and ownership structures. Based on hotel ownership,
they can be classified as:

i. Private-An independent hotel owned by a person/partnership/private company

ii. Local group- Several hotels owned by a local company e.g. Sarova hotels
iii. International group-A hotel which is part of an international chain of hotels e.g. Hilton hotels, IHG etc.

Based on management structures, hotels can be classified in the following ways:

1. Independently owned and operated

These can be independent hotels, with no affiliation, that are being managed by the
owners of the properties.
2. Management contract
Management contracts are hotel management companies which operate properties owned by other entities. In
some cases, the hotel owners may arrange to run their properties through a management contract with a company

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 that specializes in managing hotels. The reason for this is that the owner may not have the necessary expertise or
the desire to become involved in the operation of the hotel
Benefits for the hotel management company:
a. Little or no up-front financing or equity involved
b. Manage the property for the contract period such as five, ten or twenty years
c. Receive a management fee during the contract period
3. Franchising
Some investors prefer to use the franchising concept in running the hotel. Franchising in the hospitality
industry is a concept that:
i. Allows interested investors to use a company’s (the franchisor) name and business format
ii. Is made up of properties where the franchisees agree to run the hotel in accordance with the
strict guidelines set by the franchisor
iii. Allows a company to expand more rapidly by using others’ capital.
Benefits towards the franchisee:
a) Obtain from the franchisor the expertise in doing business such as site selection,
planning, pre-opening training, operations manuals, information management,
central reservation system, field support, quality control, purchasing, advertising,
marketing, new products and concepts
b) The franchisee has complete control and responsibility over the daily operation
of the property. In return, the franchisor receives a joining fee and an ongoing fee from the
franchisee.
4. Referrals.
Referral associations to hotels offer similar benefits as franchising, but at a lower cost. Some hotels choose to
become a referral property. This means that the property is being operated as an independent hotel in association
with a certain chain. These hotels refer guests to one another’s properties and share a centralized reservation
system, a common logo, image, or advertising slogan. Hotels pay an initial fee to join a referral association and
further fees are based on services required. As the property has already been physically developed, the owner
may want assistance only with marketing, advertising, management, or reservation referral. In addition, guests
may find more variation among the referral properties as size and appearance standards are less stringent than
those in a franchise agreement. However, every hotel is assessed and checked regularly to ensure that it maintains
the highest standards.

Other Hospitality Organizations (Timeshares, Resorts and Apartments)

1. Timeshares

The timeshare industry is one of the newest and fastest growing sectors of the international hospitality and tourism
experience. Although known as vacation ownership in some quarters, timeshare is the most widely used term to describe
the purchase of periods in locations of choice.

The timeshare industry first emerged significantly in Europe in the 1950s. One of the earliest examples emerged in a skiing
resort in France. The skiers wanted to ensure guaranteed accommodation for skiing. Property owners found that they
could sell their rights to have access to the same accommodation across the year. Very soon, various US resorts began to
sell timeshare weeks in their resorts. Since the 1970s, timeshare has evolved through different international resort locations
and resort types, number of resorts, number of owners and variations in the nature of the timeshare offer.

Timeshare evolved as a form of second home ownership with limited rights of access, and relieved the timeshare owner
of the full annual costs of maintaining the property because it is shared with other owners over the year. The term ‘timeshare’
includes ‘time’ and ‘share’ indicating that the approach, in principle, involves sharing time in a given space.

In fact, a Swiss company known as Hapimag began the first timeshare operation in the 1950s in Europe. They sold shares
in their hotel and used the proceeds to buy holiday accommodation across Europe. The ‘shareholders’ had the right to use
these properties on a regular basis.

1. The benefits to the shareholder are that they can get regular access to properties, which they know and trust.
2. They are aware of the quality and service standards, as well as the location.

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 3. The hotelier is able to raise capital with which to expand.
4. The hotelier overcomes problems relating to accommodation – the space is sold even if the individual timeshare
does not materialise that year.

Timeshare Schedules

There are six main schedules for timeshares. They include:

1. Fixed unit/fixed interval

2. Fixed unit/float interval
3. Float unit/fixed interval
4. Fixed unit/float season
5. Float unit/float season
6. Points

In the early stages, time-share owners bought a fixed week in a fixed property unit (fully appointed luxury apartment, villa,
cottage or suite) for a fixed week(s) in high, medium, or low season bands in a given resort. This is known as ‘Fixed
unit/fixed interval’.

Over the years, more flexibility has been built into the offer to consumers. The ‘Fixed unit/float interval’ involves
purchase of a time period in a fixed unit, but this might float with regard to week(s) taken, though these are likely to be
taken at high, medium or low season.

-In some cases, timeshare owners buy a set period but are not tied into availing themselves of that period in the same unit,
or in the same resort. These are referred to as a ‘Float unit/fixed interval’ in the table.

A small number of timeshare relationships involve having access to a fixed unit in different seasons. Typically, the purchase
of a high season week may result in access to several weeks in the low season – referred to as a ‘Fixed unit/float season’

One of the more flexible arrangements for owners involves a ‘Float unit/float season’ whereby the arrangement allows
timeshare owners to vary between units, resorts and seasons.

Finally, the ultimately flexible offer allows the consumer to buy enough ‘points’ to meet vacation needs. Disney was one
of the first to introduce the vacation club based on the purchase of points. This allows the timeshare owner to purchase
enough points to vary the accommodation size in bedrooms or in seasons, or number of weeks used

2. Resorts

The term “resort" means a town which people visit for holidays and days out which usually contains hotels at which such
holidaymakers stay. Therefore, a resort is a self-contained commercial establishment that tries to provide most of a
vacationer's wants, such as food, drink, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping, on the premises. The term resort may
be used for a hotel property that provides an array of amenities, typically including entertainment and recreational activities

Some resorts are also condominium complexes that are timeshares or owed fractionally or wholly owned condominium.
A resort is not always a commercial establishment operated by a single company, but in the late 20th century, that sort of
facility became more common.

The difference between what a hotel and a resort offers has to do with the services they provide, their location, and the
activities and amenities available on-site. A resort is usually spread out over more land compared to a hotel. Considering
the extra land, there are more activities for guests to partake in.

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The basic types of resorts are:

i. Beach Resorts.
ii. Golf Resorts.
iii. Island Resorts.
iv. Luxury Resorts.
v. Lake Resorts.
vi. Mountain Resorts.
vii. Ski Resorts.
viii. Spa Resorts

3. Apartments

Also called a residential hotel, or extended-stay hotels. An apartment hotel is a serviced apartment complex that uses a
hotel-style booking system. It is similar to renting an apartment, but with no fixed contracts and occupants can "check-
out" whenever they wish.

A serviced apartment (also known as a service apartment or an extended stay apartment provides a home-like
environment, with units typically some 15 to 30 percent larger than a standard hotel room. The fundamentals of the
serviced apartment concept are driven by the needs and preferences of corporate travellers (average 70 percent of guests
across sample of leading operators). This includes those on short-medium term assignments, as well as those relocating
on a more permanent basis requiring interim accommodation whilst searching for a traditional residential dwelling. These
clients form a solid base of unit occupancy, upon which higher yielding short-stay travellers are layered.

It is a fully furnished apartment available for short-term or long-term stay, providing hotel-like amenities such as room
service, housekeeping, a fitness center, a laundry room, and a rec room. Most of them are equipped with full kitchens, Wi-
Fi and in-apartment washers and dryers. Companies frequently use serviced apartments to host professionals who may be
on a local or international work assignment. It is common for executives to stay in serviced apartments temporarily while
searching for a permanent residence or relocation. Although business executives primarily occupy serviced apartments,
the apartments are also available to the public. Serviced apartments offer facilities much like an apartment hotel but
provides more space, convenience and privacy. They have private cooking facilities, sometimes a kitchenette but
sometimes a full-size kitchen with dishwasher and washing machine, living and sleeping areas that are larger than most
standard rooms, and often having access to gyms, restaurants, meeting space, concierges and other hotel-like services.
Their services usually include towel replacement, toiletries change, making of bed, and cleaning

Classification of Hotel Guest

Hotel guests can be classified according to their:

i. Trip purpose – pleasure or business travellers

ii. Numbers – independent or group travellers
iii. Origin – local or overseas travellers

(a) Pleasure travellers-They are individuals who travel to engage in leisure activities, outdoor recreation,
relaxation, visiting friends and relatives or attending sports or cultural events.
(b) Corporate business travellers-They are individuals whose frequent bookings are usually made by
companies with reduced room rates. Business travellers travel to conduct business, attend business
meetings or workshops, and engage in selling or purchasing products.
(c) Free independent travellers (FITs- They are sometimes referred to as "foreign independent travellers".
FITs are international tourists who purchase their own accommodation and make their own travel
arrangements.

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 (d) Group inclusive tours (GITs) - Tourists who travel together on package tours with accommodation and
sometimes meals which are booked through travel agencies. Group tourists tend to spend less and budget
their spending allowance.
(e) Domestic tourists-They are local residents who stay at a hotel for special occasions and functions.
(f) Conference participants
Individuals who travel to attend conference and whose accommodation is usually reserved by
himself/herself, his/her company or a conference organiser before their arrival.
(g) Very important persons (VIPs)-Very important persons may include celebrities, frequent-stay guests,
guests in expensive rooms, guests with security risks and top executives from companies.
(h) Incognito-They are guests who stay in a hotel with concealing identities so as to avoid notice and formal
attention.

Hotel Classification in Kenya Industry Sectors

The classification of hotels in Kenya is done by the Kenya Tourism Regulatory Authority. The Authority uses a star rating
criteria to classify hotels from one-star to five star rating. Apart from classification of the hotel establishments, the object
and purpose of the Authority is to regulate the tourism sector. The main functions of the Authority are to—

a) Formulate guidelines and prescribe measures for sustainable tourism throughout the country;
b) Regulate tourism activities and services countrywide, in accordance with the national tourism strategy;
c) Register, licence and grade all sustainable tourism and tourist-related activities and services including
cottages and private residences engaged in guest house services;
d) Develop and implement, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, criteria for standardization and
classification of tourism facilities and services;
e) Develop and regulate, in consultation with the ministry for the time being responsible for matters relating
to education, tourism and hospitality curriculum, examination and certification;
f) Develop and implement a code of practice for the tourism sector;
g) Ensure the development and implementation of high quality tourism sector;
h) vet and recommend expatriates seeking employment in the tourism and hospitality sector;
i) Monitor and assess tourist activities and services to enhance continuous improvement and adherence to
sound principles and practices of sustainable tourism;
j) Undertake, annually, an assessment and audit of tourism activities and services, measures and initiatives
at the national level, and prepare and publish an annual national tourism sector status report, in
consultation with the Minister and the relevant lead agencies; and

Star Rating Criteria

The authority is mandated to grade all registered hospitality establishments including restaurants, town and vacation hotels
lodges, tented camps and motels. For instance;

(a) To qualify for One Star grading, a Hotel must score 100 percent on Essential Items; and a minimum of 50 percent
points out of a possible total of 2,135 points marked on the Criteria for attaining a One Star rating.
(b) To qualify for Two Star grading, a Hotel must score 100 percent on Essential Items; and a minimum of 60 percent
out of a possible total of 2,400 points marked on the Criteria for attaining a Two Star rating.
(c) To qualify for Tree Star grading, a Hotel must score 100 percent on Essential Items; a minimum of 30 percent points
and a total minimum of 60 percent out of a possible total of 4,135 points marked on the Criteria for attaining a Tree
Star rating.
(d) To qualify for Four Star grading, a Hotel must score 100 percent on Essential Items; a minimum of 40 percent of the
total points; and a minimum 80 percent out of a possible total of 4,975 points marked on the Criteria for attaining a
Four Star rating.
(e) To qualify for a Five Star grading, a Hotel must score 100 percent on Essential Items; a minimum of 50 percent of
the total points; and a minimum of 80 percent out of a possible total of 5,575 points marked on the Criteria for
attaining a Five Star rating

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ACCOMMODATION OPERATIONS

The Functions and Departments of a Hotel.

The day-to-day operations of a hotel are the key factors determining the success or failure of its service. It is
necessary to understand the structure of hotels in order to get an overview of how the organisation fits together.

General
manager

Resident
manager

rooms human food and sales and

engineering security Accounts
division resource beverage marketing

Figure 2: Major departments of a five-star hotel.

Regardless of the size of a hotel, the organisational structure will be basically the same. It is usually divided into
several distinct departments, each responsible for a particular area of work. The larger the hotel is and the more
facilities it offered, the more specialised the
departments become. For example, the front office and housekeeping department are under the control of the
director of rooms.
The duties of key executives
a. General Manager
The main responsibilities of the general manager (GM) include:
i. Providing leadership to the management team
ii. Coordinating the work of all departments
iii. Participating in the formulation of hotel policies and strategies
iv. Leading the hotel staff in meeting the financial, environmental and community
responsibilities
v. Assuming full responsibilities for the overall performance of the hotel
b. Resident Manager
The main responsibilities of the resident manager include:
i. Holding a major responsibility in developing and executing plans developed by the owner(s),
the general manager and other members of the management team
ii. Checking on operations, providing feedback and offering assistance when needed
iii. Completing, reviewing and summarizing statistical reports and sharing them with
the general manager
iv. Assuming responsibilities for the daily operations and management of the hotel

Functions of major hotel departments

1. Engineering- The engineering department is responsible for maintaining the physical plant of the hotel
such as electricity, plumbing, air conditioning, heating and elevator systems; and for overseeing all
mechanical and technical conditions of the hotel.
2. Security- Security is an important concern in every hotel. The security department is responsible for
implementing procedures which aim at protecting the safety and security of hotel guests, visitors, hotel
employees and the hotel itself. Examples include monitoring surveillance equipment, patrolling the hotel
premises and maintaining security alarm systems.

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 3. Human Resources-The human resources (personnel and training) department is responsible for hiring,
orientation, training, wages and benefit administration, labour relations, employee relations, and staff
development.
4. Food and Beverage-The food and beverage (F&B) department provides food and beverage services to the
hotel guests and visitors through a variety of outlets and facilities/services. Examples include lounge, bar,
coffee shop, restaurants, banquet service, room service (also called in-room dining) and cake shop.
5. Sales and Marketing- The main functions of the sales and marketing department involve generating new
businesses for the hotel, coordinating advertising, as well as sales promotions and public relations activities
aiming at enhancing the hotel’s image.
6. Accounts- The accounts department is headed by the financial controller who, as a key member of the
management team, can guide the hotel to an increasing profitability through better control and asset
management. In addition, this department is responsible for monitoring all of the financial activities of a
hotel. Examples include overseeing accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, and cost control systems
of the hotel; keeping records of assets, liabilities and financial transaction of the hotel; preparing the monthly
profit-and-loss statement, coordinating with purchasing department and information technology
department, and handling guests’ inquiries about billing.

Liaising/coordination with other departments.

There are a number of departments in a large hotel. Some of them will be concerned with raising revenue, or earning
money for the hotel: the rooms division and food and beverage divisions are the main ones - but the hotel may also earn
revenue through recreational facilities, guest laundry/dry cleaning, a business center and etc.

Other departments may fulfill the management and support functions of the hotel (sales and marketing,
accounting/finance, security, engineering/maintenance, premises management, information technology (IT) and
HR/personnel).

Since front office will have to liaise with various other departments in the hotel, Following is a brief at what the main
ones do, and why liaison is required

Departments Main responsibilities Liaising with front office

1. Food and Purchasing, preparation and provision of F & B needs occupancy forecasts to estimate provisions requirements
beverage (F & B) food, drink and F & B needs confirmed arrival/ departure info to control guest credit
catering services to guests; via FO needs info on food/drinks charges to add to guest bills
banqueting (function catering); FO may take or refer restaurant bookings
restaurant; bar; perhaps coffee F & B takings will be 'paid in' to the cashier for accounting and
shops; 'floor service' banking
(refreshments delivered to the
lounge or pool area, say); and
room service.
2. Housekeeping The management of guestrooms and Housekeeping needs arrival/departure info to plan its staff rosters and
cleanliness of all room cleaning schedules
public areas of the hotel; Housekeeping needs info about special requests, complaints or urgent
cleaning, making-up and room preparation requirements
supplying of rooms (e.g.. with FO needs up-to-date info on rooms (occupied, vacant but not ready,
soap, towels, mini-bar stocks); out of order, ready to let) to update room status/availability records;
preparing housekeeping /room the housekeeper's report
status reports,
3. Maintenance The maintenance and operation of Maintenance needs info about repair/ replacement
all machinery and equipment (e.g.. requirements
lighting, heating, air conditioning); FO needs confirmation that guest repair requests
carrying out minor repairs and have been seen to
works (carpentry, upholstery, FO needs up-to-date info on out of order rooms
plumbing, electrics). (closed for maintenance) to update room availability records
4. Accounts Monitoring, recording, checking and Accounts needs front office takings paid in, with relevant records
reporting of all financial Accounts needs guest billing info, for credit control,
activities of the hotel; processing entry in main hotel accounts, revenue reporting etc
and banking takings; processing of

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 payrolls; preparing internal reports, FO needs clear policies, procedures and authorizations for handling
audits and financial statements; and recording of transactions; and lists of credit approved guests
compiling statistics
5. Security The safety and security of guests, visitors Security needs to be alerted to suspicious persons or
and employees: patrolling activities, reports of security breach etc
premises; monitoring surveillance FO needs warnings (e.g.. to evacuate premises) and
equipment; handling security incidents; incident reports (for future planning)
liaising with police if required Security helps with special needs guests
May administer first aid
Deals with problems with guest safes, guests locked out of
rooms and opening of inter-connecting doors
Deals with lost property
6. Sales and Generating new business and Sales needs info on room availability to know what rooms
marketing increased sales for the hotel: sales of to sell
rooms, facilities and services; advertising; Sales needs info on guest types/ origins to develop
promotions; PR and publicity; winning marketing strategy and target key guest segments
corporate, tour Sales needs FO support in selling rooms, facilities and
operator, and agency business; designing services
the web site; etc. FO needs info on special promotions (e.g.. special rates and
inclusions); campaigns (to anticipate increased demand); etc
7. Human resources Recruitment and selection of staff; staff HR needs info on FO job requirements (for recruitment
(HR) induction and training; performance planning); FO staff performance and training needs; FO staff
appraisal; rewards and career planning; problems and concerns.
employee relations; compliance with FO staff need info on all HR policies and rules; training/career
employment law opportunities etc

FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS.

The front office is the nerve centre or hub of a hotel. It is the department that makes the first and last impression on the
guests, and the place that guests approach for information and service throughout their stays.

The three main functions of the front office are as follows:

a) Selling rooms
b) Maintaining balanced guest accounts
c) Providing services and information to guests

Guest Cycle

The operation of the front office department is mainly determined by the type and number of guest transactions which
take place during the four different phases of the guest cycle as shown below;

i. Pre-arrival-the stage where the guest makes room reservation.

ii. Arrival-the point when the guest arrives at the hotel.
iii. Occupancy-the period during which the guest stays in the hotel.
iv. Departure-the point when the guest checks out and leaves the hotel.

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 pre-arrival

departure arrival

occupancy

Determine at which stage(s) of the guest cycle the following guest transaction or
service could occur.
Assignment: Indicate with the correct alphabet (A-D) which denotes the four different stages of the
guest cycle.in the following front office activities.
1. Reservation
2. Mail and information
3. Transportation
4. Telephone call and message
5. Check-in and registration
6. Flight confirmation
7. Room assignment
8. Safe deposit
9. Issuing of key
10. Baggage handling
11. Maintaining guest account
12. Bill settlement
13. Issuing of breakfast coupon
14. Currency exchange
15. Wake-up call
16. Check-out
17. Booking of theatre ticket
Front office organization chart of large hotel.

The chart below illustrates the structure and lines of communication which operate within the front office.

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 f. o manager

asst. front office

manager

telephone service reservation front desk exc. floor

asst. manager chief concierge
manager manager manager manager

telephone reservation front desk baggage exc. floor/

guest relations
supervisor supervisor supervisor supervisor business centre

telephone
reservation clerk front desk clerk baggage porter door attendant
operator

parking
attendant/driver

Figure 5 Front office organization chart of large hotel.

The front office department is headed by the front office manager (FOM) whose main duty is to enhance guest services
by constantly developing services to meet guests’ needs.

The FOM performs the following duties:

 Monitoring reservation status

 Looking over market mix and preparing occupancy forecasts
 Determining rate structures and supervising implementation of rate policies
 Reviewing previous night’s occupancy and average room rate
 Reviewing arrivals and departures for the day and the next day
 Making staffing adjustments needed for arrivals and departures
 Reviewing the VIP list, checking VIP rooms, meeting VIPs and entertaining them.

Telephone.

The telephone department is headed by the telephone services manager. The telephone supervisor and telephone operator
process all incoming and outgoing calls through the hotel switchboard. Staff in this department generally possesses good
language and communication skills. The members need to:

i. Provide general information regarding the hotel or local attractions to guests over
ii. the telephone
iii. Place international calls, morning calls and wake-up calls as required by guests
iv. Administer the paging system of the hotel, which provides a communication service
between certain hotel staff and management staff who are not always in their offices
v. Administer the in-room movie system of the hotel
vi. Stay familiar with the names of Very Important Persons (VIPs) in the hotel
vii. Protect guest privacy by not disclosing room number, guest information and
reporting suspicious person
viii. Communicate weather emergency to management, engineering, security and guests
ix. Perform the role of communications centre in the event of emergency. In order to provide better service,
some hotels have introduced the “one-stop service” with all guest requests being carried out through the

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 telephone department. For example, if a guest called in and wanted to place a booking with the coffee shop,
the line would be transferred by the telephone operator to the coffee shop in the past. With the “one stop
service”, the telephone operator will take the booking for the guest. This can speed up the booking process
and leave the guest a better impression.

Reservations

The reservations manager takes charge of this section and makes decisions on whether
room reservations/bookings should be accepted when the hotel is fully booked. That is,
to stop taking room reservations or to allow overbooking of rooms. The reservations supervisor will monitor closely all
the room reservations taken and report to the reservations manager when abnormal situations happen. For example,
there is a larger number of room cancellations than usual. The reservations clerk will:

i. Handle reservation request and prepare reservation confirmation slips

ii. Request guests to confirm or guarantee their room reservations
iii. Keep records of the details of each reservation and the number of room reservation
taken for each night
iv. Provide the front desk with details of room reservation due to arrive the next day
v. Prepare VIP lists
vi. Update guest history records
vii. Reservations may originate from different sources:
viii. Direct reservation via telephone, fax, letter, e-mail or Internet
ix. Reservation network systems such as Leading Hotels of the World (LHW)
x. Travel agents
xi. Tour operators
xii. Meeting planners
xiii. Walk-ins

When a reservation request is accepted, the details of the room reservation such as guest name(s), staying period, room
type and rate, method of payment, guest contact information and special requests will be recorded on a reservation form
and in the computer.

It is common practice for hotels to overbook during peak season in order to ensure full occupancy as some guests are
likely not to show up. Overbooking refers to a situation when the hotel takes more reservations than the number of its
rooms to accommodate. Therefore, reservations clerk will request guests to guarantee their booking during peak season.

For guaranteed reservation, hotel will hold the room for the guest overnight or during the guaranteed period as the guest
has prepaid for the room and no refund will be given if the guest does not show up. By contrast, a non-guaranteed
reservation means that the hotel will hold the room until a stated cancellation time, normally up to 6 p.m. on the arrival
date and then release the room for sale if the guest does not arrive.

Concierge and uniformed staff

‘Concierge is the French term for 'porter', but the concierge department in a large hotel (which may also be called 'lobby services')
may cover a variety of roles, often divided into:

1. An enquiries desk, which may be responsible for general guest or visitor enquiries and directions; handing out
and accepting guest keys; handling incoming and outgoing mail for guests; and organising taxis or valet parking.
2. A bookings desk, which may handle car hire, flight confirmations, tour bookings and entertainment tickets for
guests. (This desk may also be operated by specialist car hire companies and/or booking agencies, who pay for
the right to operate on a 'concession' basis within the hotel)
3. A baggage handling and storage desk, or 'porterage' desk (although this may also be handled from reception).
4. Security in the lobby/reception area, if this is not handled by a separate security officer or team. Operators have
much less to do: mainly, directing in-coming calls to the appropriate guest rooms (consulting a guest directory) or to
appropriate departments of the hotel; and dealing with answer machine messages.

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 In smaller or more old-fashioned hotels, however, the switchboard may be a general communications 'hub':
putting internal and external calls through for guests; taking messages for guests; making personal wake-up calls;
and perhaps also handling incoming and outgoing mail.
5. Traditionally, 'concierge' is the title given to the Head Porter, who manages all these services and supervises a
range of uniformed staff.
6. Uniformed staff include:
i. Doorpersons (or greeters): who open doors; bring luggage from guests' transport to the hotel (and
vice versa on departure); and hail or call taxis on request
ii. Porters, 'bell staff and/or pages, who carry luggage to and from guests' rooms; keep the lobby
area clean and tidy; run errands and relay messages
iii. Lift attendants, parking attendants, cloakroom attendants etc

Guest relations

a) In large hotels, Guest Relations Officers (GROs) are sometimes employed to create a more ‘personal’ relationship
with guests - who might otherwise have very little human contact with hotel staff. Their main role is to make
guests feel welcome and provide personalized service, by greeting guests; attending social gatherings held by the
hotel (as social 'facilitators'); and perhaps talking to those who are travelling alone.
b) Guests with special needs, problems or complaints may be referred to GROs by reception. GROs may also be
given the task of greeting and liaising with Very Important Persons (VIPs), Commercially Important Guests
(CIGs) and Special Attention guests (SPATTs).
c) GROs may support sales staff (e.g.. by escorting potential clients around the hotel, or providing guests with
information about the hotel's services and facilities), and provide non-routine guest services when required (e.g..
sending a fax for a guest after the hotel's business center has closed).

Housekeeping Operations.

The housekeeping department is responsible for cleaning and maintaining the guestrooms,
public areas, office spaces and back of the house areas in the hotel so that the property is as fresh and attractive as its first
day of business. Although the roles that housekeeping performs vary from one hotel to another, the tasks performed by
the housekeeping department are critical to the smooth daily operations of any hotel.

Organization of the Housekeeping Department.

The organization of the housekeeping department will vary from one hotel to another depending on the number of rooms
and the hotel management. This department is usually headed by an executive housekeeper, who is often assisted by an
assistant and several supervisors. In the case of a small hotel, an executive housekeeper might have no assistant and is
assisted by smaller number of supervisors. Increasingly hotel management are streamlining their organizational structures
and employing casual employees. As a result many hotels have substantially reduced the number and role of housekeeping
staff. This helps reduced the bottom line. However, set standards may be scarified and staff must assume a larger
responsibility.

The housekeeping department of a large-sized hotel comprises of the following sections:

 Laundry department  Public areas

 Uniform and linen room  Health club
 Housekeeping office  Floral and plant arrangement
 Guest floors
The laundry department provides laundry, dry cleaning and pressing services to guests. Some hotels maintain their own
laundry, while others rely on commercial operators. In either case, close teamwork is necessary to assure a steady flow of
linen back and forth for restaurants, banquet areas, floor pantry and recreational areas. Examples of linen follow:

Page | 17
  Towels  Mattress protector
 Blankets  Tablecloths
 Sheets  Napkins
 Pillowcases  Cleaning cloths

Organization chart of a Housekeeping department in a large-sized hotel

Roles and Responsibilities

Key Position Responsibilities

Deputy Executive a) Deputizes for Executive Housekeeper
Housekeeper
(or Floor Housekeeper, b) Checks rooms prior to arrival, during occupancy and after departure
depending on size and c) Releases clean rooms to reception
organisation of hotel)
d) Conducts shift briefings
e) Organize and schedule rooms and suites maintenance (e.g . spring clean, wall cleaning
and ceiling washing, high dusting and under-bed vacuuming

f) Organize room attendants to service and clean the room or suites which are under
priority
g) Check rooms and suites which are due out on the day
h) Prepare any relevant paperwork for the next day
i) Hand over the shift and all information regarding their floor to the evening
housekeepers
j) Communicate any issues regarding rooms and suites with the housekeeping office
coordinator and senior housekeepers

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 k) Organize floor maid service areas
l) Carry out weekly and monthly stock-take
m) Check and control room and bathroom amenities stock
n) Accommodate guest needs and expectations on a daily basis
Room Attendant (or 1. Attend daily briefings
chambermaid)
2. Stock service trolleys

3. Clean rooms and suites to the highest standards

4. Vacuum and dust rooms and suites

5. Maintain maid service pantry areas

6. Communicate with customers

Attend training sessions

7.
8. Communicate with floor housekeeper

9. Report any broken and missing items in rooms and suites to floor housekeeper

Evening Maid 1. Completes 'turn down' service

2. Deals with customers' requests

Public Area Check and inspect the public areas such as front hall, ballroom, public rest rooms and
Supervisor cloakrooms, stair cases, etc

Check and inspect the function rooms and meeting rooms with private event's team

Check and inspect staff changing rooms and restrooms

Maintain the highest standards of public areas and staff areas

Organise public area attendants working rota

Communicate any issue and challenge with the public areas cleaner contactors

Conducts weekly and monthly stock-takes

Public Area Cleaner (PA) Clean public areas to include (lobby, lifts, corridors, public toilets, offices and service areas)

Report any faults or defects

Communicate with customers

Make public areas clean and well presented

(The cleaning of areas such as restaurants and bars are normally partly cleaned by the outlet
staff and partly by public area staff)

Linen Porter Assists with transporting soiled linen from rooms to linen room
Assists with replenishing of fresh linen to floor pantries
Delivers additional fresh linen to customers on request
Collects and delivers customers' dry-cleaning to and from rooms

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Laundry Attendants Wash and iron in-house laundry items

Send and receive in-house dry-cleaning items to departments or external laundry

Separate all types of linen and laundry items before the items are processed

Fold all types of linen and laundry items before delivery back to the floors

Communicate with the linen and laundry room manager and the floor housekeepers

Butler "This position is For housekeeping duties only.

normally only found in
very high quality hotels) Unpack and pack guest belongings

Send and receive guest laundry and dry-cleaning items from the valet

Communicate any issues regarding rooms and suites with housekeeping office coordinator
and senior housekeepers
Maintain the highest standards of guest rooms and suites

Report any broken and missing items in feature suites to the floor
housekeepers

Valet Assist room attendants during peak times

Send and arrange return of guest dry-cleaning items

Carry out minor guest repairs on customers' laundry

Assist room attendants with deep cleaning activities

Pressing services

Charge to guest account folio for guest laundry items

Do weekly and monthly stock-take for the valet

Communicate any issues regarding rooms and suites with housekeeping office
coordinator and senior housekeepers

Organize any guest belongings and lost property items to and from storage

Linen Room Send out and receive all staff laundry and dry-cleaning items On a daily basis
Attendant
Do weekly and monthly stock-takes for the linen room

Organize staff laundry and dry-cleaning of uniforms

Carry out linen repairs

Deliver all linen to the maid service (Pantry) on each floor as per stock levels

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Housekeeping
Communicates with floor housekeepers
Porter
Help floor housekeepers with the weekly and monthly stock-take

Remove and empty the rubbish bins from the maid service areas

Refill all cleaning chemicals at the end of the shift

Assist with floor housekeepers' and room attendants' requests

Maintain cleanliness and tidiness of maid service areas

Move furniture as per floor housekeepers' instructions

Organise and maintain the storage and bed and linen cupboards

Assist with rooms and suites maintenance as and when required

Restock floor linen room pantry for room attendants

Deliver and collect 'Special Request' to rooms (cots, blankets, extra towels)

Transport dirty laundry to linen room from floors

In-room Guest Supplies and Amenities.

Hotels provide a variety of guest supplies and amenities for the guest’s needs and convenience. Guest supplies refer to
items the guest requires as part of the hotel stay, e.g. toilet tissues, hangers etc. Guest amenities refer to the non-essentials
that enhance the guest’s stay, e.g. in-room safe etc. The housekeeping department is responsible for storing, distributing,
controlling and maintaining adequate inventory levels of both guest supplies and guest amenities.

Room Status Codes.

Special codes and terminology are used between the housekeeping and other departments (e.g. the front office) for
effective communication. One typical example of how these special codes and terminology are used is that when a guest
check-out from the front desk and settles his account, the front desk computer system will automatically change the room
status to ‘vacant dirty’ or ‘VD’. This permits housekeeping staff to make up the room promptly for arriving guests. As the
‘vacant dirty’ room is made ready for sale, housekeeping will notify the front desk through changing the room status to
‘vacant clean’ (‘VC’) or ‘Inspected Clean’.

A sample Housekeeping Room Status Report is given as Fig. below.

The following is a set of commonly used Room Status Codes:

DND : Do not disturb OC : Occupied clean

OOO : Out-of-order OD : Occupied dirty
OOT : Out-of-town VC : Vacant clean
NB : No baggage VD : Vacant dirty
LB : Light baggage ED: Expected departure
SO : Sleep out NNS : No need service
CO : Check-out XB : Extra bed

Other special terminologies include:

Terminology Description

1. Skipper Room is vacant and guest has left without settling the bill

2. Sleeper Room is occupied by guest, but has not been checked into the computer

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 3. Complimentary The room is occupied, but the guest is assessed no charge for its use

4. Stay-on The guest will stay for the night

The guest is allowed to check out later than the hotel’s

5. Late check-out
standard check-out time

The room has been locked so that guest cannot re-enter until he/she is cleared by a
6. Lock-out
hotel official

The guest has settled his/her account, returned the room

7. Check-out
keys, and left the hotel

Security Procedures.

In a hotel of any size, security is a major concern. The security division is responsible for maintaining systems and
implementing procedures which protect the personal property of guests and employees and the hotel itself. Every hotel
has its own procedures and guidelines for staff on how to handle guests’ valuables, keys and telephone calls. Any
unauthorized disclosure of guest information to anyone by hotel staff will be regarded as misconduct. Hotel staff should
never disclose guest’s information such as guest name and room number to anyone calling in.

Handling Guests’ Valuables

A room attendant must report to the housekeeping office any guests’ valuables found inside the guestroom during cleaning.
It is important that the room attendant stays in the room until the assistant manager, floor supervisor and the security
officer arrive at the scene. The case must then be recorded very clearly in the Housekeeping Log Book with the time, room
number, item(s) found, the name of finder, and the name of whom the case is reported to and handled by for future
reference. The guestroom will

then be double locked until the guest returns.

Key Control

The room key is an important instrument that housekeeping staff use to access the guestroom and carry out their duties.
All keys must be kept securely and distributed properly. Every room attendant is responsible for taking care of the keys
under their charge and not allowing anyone else access to their keys. All keys are kept in the housekeeping office in a
locked cabinet and are properly coded. The housekeeping co-ordinator is responsible for the distribution and control of
keys. All keys issued must be properly signed for and cancelled after return. The room attendant must complete or sign
“The sign in and out” log book listing the number of keys issued. The housekeeping co-ordinator takes inventory of the
keys at the beginning of each shift and prior to the handover of keys to the subsequent shift in charge. The key cabinet
must remain locked at all times. Keys issued to the employees must be kept under their own custody and never be left
hanging on the trolley or in the door lock. All keys must always be returned to the housekeeping office.

Keys must never be taken out of the hotel premises. The misplacing or loss of key is a very
serious matter and should be reported to the executive housekeeper or assistant manager and security officer immediately.
An immediate search must be made until the key can be located. Every member of staff in the housekeeping department
is trained to handle the different keys and use the correct procedures when someone asks to open a guestroom.

Suspicious Person

The housekeeping staff must report any suspicious person loitering on guest floors and public areas to the housekeeping
office. The housekeeping coordinator will in turn inform the floor supervisor/assistant housekeeper, the assistant manager
and the security officer.

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Lost and Found

'Lost and Found' refers to:

a. a place or an office that keeps any items found inside the hotel; or

b. a place or an office where reports of missing items, reported by either guests or staff, are kept and followed
up.

All staff should hand in items found inside the hotel premises, regardless of their value. Most hotels assign this duty to the
housekeeping department, or the Security department. All information is recorded in the Lost and Found Logbook for
prompt and easy reference in case of a guest inquires about a lost item. All items found by the guests and staff should be
stored in a ventilated room and kept for three months before being releasing to the finder. Some items, such as perishable
food or drink, may be kept for a shorter period. The storage area must be secure.

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