WHAT IS HOUSEKEEPING?

Housekeeping means performing all the duties towards cleaning, maintaining orderliness,
and running a house or a business property. In case of hotels, the housekeeping duties involve
maintaining the hotel to the best possible state in terms of cleanliness, and keeping it at highly
desirable ambience.

HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL

1)Executive Housekeeper/Director of Housekeeping:-

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

2) Deputy Housekeeper
The deputy housekeeper reports to the executive housekeeper.

3) Assistant Housekeeper/Housekeeping Manager:-

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

4) Floor supervisor/Floor Housekeeper:

The floor supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. They are responsible for the final
condition of the guestrooms on the floors allocated to them.

5) Public Area Supervisor:

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

6) Night Supervisor:-
The night supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. He supervises all night staff engaged in
the cleaning of public areas and guestrooms in hotel.

7) Linen Room Supervisor/ Linen Keeper:-

The linen room supervisor reports to assistant housekeeper.

8) Uniform Room Supervisor:-

The uniform room supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. He/ she is responsible for
maintenance of hotel staff uniforms.
9) Linen Room attendant/ Linen Room Maid:-
Linen room attendants report to linen room supervisor.

10) Uniform Room attendant:-

A uniform room attendant reports to uniform room supervisor.

11) Storekeeper:-
A storekeeper reports to senior floor or linen room supervisor.

12) Desk Control Supervisor:-The control desk supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper.

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

Guest room attendant(GRA) report to the floor supervisor.

14) Head House person:-

He /she reports to the public area supervisor.

15) House persons:-

They report to the head house persons or the public area supervisor.

16) Tailors, seamstress and upholsterers:-They report to the Linen Room Supervisor.

17) Gardeners:-Gardeners report to the head gardener or the horticulturist. They keep
landscaped areas, lawns and gardens clean and aesthetically beautiful.

18) Valet/ Runners:- They are responsible for collecting soiled guest laundry and delivering
fresh guest laundry.

AREAS OF HOUSEKEEPING

 Guest Rooms.
 Guest Bathrooms.
 Public Areas such as Lobby and Lifts.
 Banquets and Conference Halls.
 Parking Area.
 Sales and Admin Offices.
 Garden.

FUNCTIONS OF HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

The primary function of the housekeeping department is keeping the venue clean and sanitary as
part of customer service. Maids and cleaners vacuum rugs and furniture in hallways, rooms and
public areas. They collect trash and empty wastebaskets, change the sheets and make the beds.
SECTORS OF HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY:

Food and beverage

Ten years ago, when one talked about ‘eating out’ at a standalone restaurant, for the most part it
meant going to Kwality, Gaylord’s or Nirulas. Today, F&B offerings in India have evolved and
are fast making a mark for themselves in the global F&B arena, too. Until recently, five-star
hotel restaurants were considered the epitome of fine dining experiences in the country; however,
the rapid growth in standalone restaurants is seriously challenging the former for top honours.
With a well travelled upwardly mobile consumer, new and trendy food concepts are a rage in the
Indian F&B business. Of late standalone restaurants like Indigo, Tote, Olives, Tetsuma, Trishna,
Zest, Smoke House Grill, to name a few have raised the bar for the F&B offerings across major
metros; each outlet has a unique selling proposition (USP) that has become its claim to fame.
However, the concept of standalone restaurants is still in a nascent stage and will benefit
immensely if provided the right impetus with regards to ease of acquiring licenses, clearances
etc.

Lodging

Lodging refers to the renting of a short-term dwelling. People who travel and stay away from
home for more than a day need lodging for sleep, rest, food, safety, shelter from cold
temperatures or rain, storage of luggage and access to common household functions. Lodging is
a form of the sharing economy.

Recreation

Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something
for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities
are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun".

Travel and tourism.

The travel industry is in the business of moving people from place to place while the tourism
industry provides those people with services that promote travel and vacations. Busses, planes,
cabs, boats, and passenger trains are all part of the travel industry while travel agencies, tour
operators, cruise companies, convention planners, and visitors bureaus are all part of the tourism
industry.

Hospitality marketing trends

Ten years ago, the marketing mantra that worked best for hotels was the creation of a brand;
make it exclusive, market the experience as surreal and the customer’s decision to purchase was
expected to automatically follow suit. This worked at that time because there was a narrow
playing field with few domestic and international hotel chains in the country.