Tourism & Hospitality | Thursday 6 September, 2018 12:59 pm |

When was the last time you tipped the housekeeping staff at the hotel you stayed at? Never crossed your mind? Not surprised. A clean, hygienic and fresh hotel room and surroundings send a strong message to customers. However, the out of sight housekeeping staff rarely gets acknowledged by guests unless faced with dusty furniture or unchanged towels.

 

Many a time housekeeping teams go the extra mile in caring for guests like the team at Flora Creek Park Deluxe Hotel Apartments. The housekeeping staff’s keen observation and quick response to a critical situation ensured that an expectant hotel guest received medical attention at the right time.

At another property in Dubai, a room attendant noticed that the guest who was busy working on his laptop looked like he had an uncomfortable back. The attendant proactively secured a back massager, which is given to guests only upon request, and fixed it to the guest’s chair for better comfort. 

Hotels in the region adhere to exceptional standards when handling guests of all age groups; however, dealing with premium nail polish demands a unique combination of customer management and problem-solving skills. The director of housekeeping, at a 4-star hotel in Dubai, recalled personally visiting half a dozen outlets across the city in pursuit of a particular nail polish brand.  The room attendant had accidentally broken the guest’s nail polish bottle and it was impossible to find the same brand. Finally, the director found the exact shade of nail polish which managed to appease the guest. 

The hospitality industry research group at the University of South Florida (USF) Sarasota-Manatee reveals, “Ensuring a property operates at the highest possible standards without straining a budget can be achieved when the right practices are in place”. 

“Turning around rooms before check-in time is a challenge when hotels run high occupancy. Acute training, proper manpower and seamless coordination between front desk and housekeeping is imperative”, explains Pamini Hemaprabha, Executive Housekeeper, Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel. 

 

Tatjana Ahmed, Housekeeping Manager at Grand Hyatt Dubai said, “Continuous training, adequate availability of supplies and equipment, and management support and appreciation enables excellent housekeeping at our property”. 

 

Last year, the Middle East Housekeeper’s League of Champions was established as an eminent platform for the region’s housekeeping prowess to be displayed and celebrated. An event carefully designed to cast the spotlight on the hospitality sector’s unsung heroes. 

 

Nothing short of a high-adrenalin rumble, the stringently timed competition last year saw 26 teams battle it out for the Championship that was bagged by the Fairmont Dubai team. “Our team was nearly running out of time due to the quality they were aiming to provide”, recounts Lea Ruhimbaccus, the Executive Housekeeper at the champions’ Hotel. “It was challenging to combine excellent cleanliness with speedy service; however, our team successfully overcame the challenge by prioritising quality and focusing on teamwork whilst watching speed”, she said.

 

A thoroughly trashed room and nerve-racking levels that will challenge skill, speed and spirit await the 30 housekeeping teams from hotels across the region at the Middle East Housekeeper’s League of Champions, this year, sponsored by Restonic along with Diversey, the hygiene partner and Clean Brands as supporting sponsor. The competition will take place at the Hotel Show from 16-18thSeptember 2018 at Dubai World Trade Center. 

 

”In the hospitality sector, F&B, Culinary, Front Office all have a range of renowned awards and recognitions dedicated to celebrate excellence and motivate the teams; however, such events are quite limited for Housekeeping department. The Middle East Housekeeper’s League of Champions, therefore, is a great opportunity for housekeeping staff in the region”, said Lakmal Mawella, Executive Housekeeper at The Address Boulevard. 

 

Gary Williams, Event Director of Hotel Show Dubai said, “Last year, the Middle East Housekeeper’s League was the most thrilling live event at the Hotel Show. We are looking forward to yet another gripping competition this year. It is not often that housekeeping teams in the Middle East get a dedicated opportunity that showcases and celebrate their skills; the Championship aims to do just that. I wish all participating teams the very best for the event this year”.