Housekeeper Confessions

[bhskittykatt]

Probably not the best list, but here it is: http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/c...010301344.html

I don't let guests in with me while I clean rooms. Nope, you get to go stand outside. Exceptions are little old ladys who have trouble getting out of bed, and regular guests I trust when I'm just quickly swapping out towels or taking out trash. I could actually be fired if I let a guest stay in the room with me while I cleaned.

For shortcuts, things like pulling out the furniture or cleaning an unused shower, I'm okay if it gets skipped. (Our housekeepers only get 20 minutes a room...and Corporate is talking about cutting that down even further.) If they skip something like dusting, they'll likely end up missing something they didn't see, so that shouldn't be skipped.

I totally understand about the gloves. Boss Man always orders them too small. Things I will touch without gloves: Dirty towels and linens, trash, cleaning rags, urine, non-pokey drug paraphenalia (pipes, bongs, etc). Things I will not touch without gloves: Blood, feces, vomit, used condoms, syringes.

I'm surprised there weren't more confessions. While I've never gone through luggage, if I found an interesting book in a stayover room I've picked it up to read the back cover. Also, if it's left in the room after checkout, we will pick through it. (yes, people have left entire suitcases full of luggage...usually because they don't want it anymore, but sometimes because they honestly forgot it)

[shadowpanda]

It's an interesting list to read, that's for sure.

The only thing I am really concerned with, is the idea that my room has been thoroughly cleaned before I get there. Other than that, I know who is in my room, what's been going on etc, and I don't hoover or polish every day in my own house so I'm not too worried if it doesn't get done in my hotel room.
I wouldn't leave a toilet in a foul condition in my own house, I certainly wouldn't in a hotel room for someone else to deal with.

Some of the most incredible housekeepers I have ever encountered were when I was on holiday in Cuba. Many of them were highly educated, but they chose to go where the work was rather than claim unemployment or whatever (I'm not trying to start an argument or get sent to fratching here, it was what I was told by the workers). They seemed happy in what they were doing, always seemed to be having a laugh, were extremely polite.
My favourite thing, was if they changed the towels, they did a sort of origami thing, like make them into swans or elephants which looked awesome!

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I leave the DND card up the ENTIRE time I am staying in a hotel. I do not like strangers in my space, and if I am renting a hotel room, it's my space. If I lose something, I have no real reason to blame the hotel staff because I am fairly certain they have not been in my room.

I bring my own dish soaps and clorox wipes and whatnot.

When I leave, garbage is picked up, towels are in a single pile on the bathroom floor, and everything is set back to where I found it, with the exception that I don't make the bed.

If I need more towels during my stay, I go get them myself.

[MoonCat]

A guy at a convention once told me that he handled hotel stays this way: When he checked in, he asked housekeeping to bring him enough towels, etc., for the full length of his stay, and he kept his DND sign up. In return, he kept the room as neat as possible and when he checked out, the used towels were neatly piled up and a decent tip was left for the staff.

He said it worked every time, he could sleep as late as he wanted, had everything he needed and he made sure the hotel management knew what was going on so the housekeeping staff didn't get in trouble for not cleaning his room every day.

[bhskittykatt]

My favourite thing, was if they changed the towels, they did a sort of origami thing, like make them into swans or elephants which looked awesome!

I do that to my favorite guests. I'll fold the towels into elephants, 'cause that's the only one I can do. I can also fold the end of the TP roll into paper cranes, fans, and sailboats.

I don't have time to do that for every guest, but if you're really nice, then you get the extra special details (tipping helps, too).