Hotel & restaurant consulting, PortugalFront of house, back of house - they are everywhere in a hotel. Housekeeping is your army. And like any good army, they must be well trained, respected, and valued.
Too often, they’re taken for granted. They clean rooms, public areas, laundry - they keep the hotel sparkling.
But they are far more than cleaners.
They are the powerhouse behind your success.
At one resort I managed, we had chaos every Thursday and Saturday - 200% guest flow, overcrowding, delayed check-ins, frustration everywhere.
So I asked the room attendants for solutions.
Their answer? Give us student helpers for linen and garbage. Send lunch to the floors so we don’t lose time.
Simple.
Within a week, rooms were ready by 3 p.m. Guest satisfaction rose. The chaos disappeared.
In another hotel, during union talks, attendants raised workload concerns. Instead of resisting, we listened. Their insights on supplies, scheduling, and equipment helped us protect both payroll and productivity.
Here’s the lesson:
The people on the front lines know the answers. When respected, they protect your assets, extend equipment life, prevent complaints, and safeguard your bottom line.
They are more important to the guest experience than any General Manager.
Ignore them at your peril.