Tag Archives for housekeeping.
When you ask for late check-out, and the hotel agrees, two things invariably happen. The front desk forgets to code your room key for late check-out, and it stops working by Noon. And housekeeping comes in to turn the room in the morning, even though you’re not supposed to be checking out yet. There’s a solution for both!
Marriott appears to be testing a requirement that guests give up housekeeping during their stay in order to get the cheapest room rates.
Maybe the most Marriott thing ever is allowing a hotel using their brand to get away with failing to meet brand standards and treat customers well – with a sign about how they aren’t going to do housekeeping, and proving it with a used band-aid in front of it that hasn’t been cleaned up by housekeeping.
A Marriott Ambassador member, who spends over 100 nights and $23,000 a year with the chain, reports returning to their room to find housekeeping there – and the cleaner brought her boyfriend.
A viral warning from hotel guests and ex-managers reveals disturbing practices of housekeeping staff using guests’ personal items, like toothbrushes, for cleaning, highlighting the importance of safeguarding personal belongings in hotels.
Before the pandemic, Hilton’s CEO Christopher Nassetta admitted that he typically doesn’t tip housekeeping. He quickly backtracked once coming under criticism. But at least now, and in Southern California, doesn’t it seem like he’s right?
Once a job hits $35 per hour with $20 per month full family health insurance coverage, should we take it out of the category where tips are expected?
Hotels have been on a mission to cut back on housekeeping costs. They don’t want to do full cleans of every room every day. They’ll make you request it (and sometimes fill out paperwork) so that there are fewer rooms to clean, and they can hire fewer housekeepers who don’t work as many hours.
And hotel owners are pushing tips for housekeepers so they don’t have to pay the housekeeper as much.
As a general matter if you see something white it’s being changed, if it’s multicolored it was probably purchased specifically to avoid showing stains. Pricier chains have changed bedding more regularly than budget hotels. There was once a standard in the industry for mid-priced and below to change duvets four times a year coinciding with a deep clean of the room.
Sheets might not be changed if a bed doesn’t look slept in. Towels still folded and on the rack may be left there between guests. Even if that’s not the instruction that housekeepers are given and especially where management, like this one, is supportive.
Now at Hyatt housekeeping is supposed to be available at least on request at all of their brands, though full service hotels provide it by default. I’ve been to a franchise Hyatt Place that won’t provide this even when asked to do so.
Another one like this is the Hyatt Place at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Here’s what they tell guests: housekeeping is not an option but you can choose points, a drink at the bar, or to volunteer as a gardener for the hotel.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
