p

It’s time for reopening plans. 

 There is a glorious moment for me when opening accommodation. The few hours where everything is done, and you are just waiting for guests to arrive.  A joyous breathing space you hope never to have again. 

 To truly enjoy reopening, Now is the time to review your Housekeeping Department and its reopening plans.

 This time, many teams will have the wonderful benefit of hindsight and empty rooms. This is an opportunity to open better, cleaner, greener, and to work smarter than before. Opening the best accommodation possible and ensuring the department continues to exceed guests expectations. 

Ask yourself, What went well when your accommodation reopened last year?  What opportunities were missed last time?  

There are many jobs to get done before the holiday accommodation opens. Without a strong, well thought out, and well-communicated plan, reopening can be extraordinarily stressful and fail to meet guest or brand expectations.  

These are my top 10 questions Head Housekeepers need to be asking themselves right now:  

1. What is your timeline, documentation and communication plan?

2. What is your recruitment plan? 

3. Have you revised your SOP?

4. When and where will team training happen? Who will be attending training? How will you train them?  

5. Have you prepared P.Os for opening Stock Ordering?  

6. Have you contacted your contractors lately? ( linen, windows, carpets)

7. Is there a plan for outstanding maintenance jobs?  

8. Have you drawn up room opening cleaning schedules?  

9. What is your carpet cleaning program?

10. When will you do your pre-opening audits?   

And finally, one major question that every holiday accommodation needs to be thinking about: 

 What are your backup plans?  

While large international brands have enormous resources available to help them get through any crisis, many smaller brands and independent hotels have no support and little experience to fall back on. 

For many HHKs, reopening will be extremely stressful, and they might need extra support too to avoid burnout. A good plan is essential to avoiding burnout and ensuring that your accommodation is ready for guests to arrive.  

It is my mission to provide dedicated and relevant support to housekeeping teams during reopenings. My experience in planning, sustainability, and team development allows me to give your team a crucial edge for reopening.  Find out how I can help by scheduling a consultation call.