Spring Cleaning Requirements for Hotel Owners and Operators

Leisure travel is still strong, and business travel has already begun. Groups are coming back, especially sports teams. One critical thing to remember with all these revived revenue streams is that costs have increased immensely. Food, energy, insurance and payroll are moving up quickly.

You’ll need a walk-through of the property to be familiarized with the standards of operations and to understand what guests have been experiencing — not to mention clearing your head after seeing 2022 expenses!

The place to start is the website. Is it up-to-date, easy to navigate and search-engine optimized? Clear directions to the hotel are required — despite GPS utilization by most guests.

The van driver might be the first contact point for a guest, thus making the appearance of the van and attitude of the driver critical. The next aspect a guest might encounter is the parking lot, so a quick check for debris in the bushes and lot itself will likely find tons of cigarette butts if not well-maintained daily. Walkways must be well-lighted and clean, and parking and exterior areas secure and lighted.

The next area is the front desk. Is it clean with a feeling of activity? Are friendly desk associates ready with a positive greeting and reservations in order? Guests should be checked in or out efficiently as there is no reason receptionists should have to ask guests to fill out forms at registration since it should be completed in advance. Phone calls must be answered politely by trained staff, preferably by the third or fourth ring. Other characteristics to look for from your front desk team include:

• Good knowledge of facilities.
• Courteous and helpful.
• Good appearance and a “hustle” mentality.
• Informative and sales oriented.

Food and beverage service, particularly breakfast, is critical. Fast service with frequent coffee refills and a smile are required. Menus and promotions must be clear, and staff must be trained to convey a friendly and helpful attitude. A clean appearance with food quality that conveys value and reasonable quantity is needed. A manager should be at breakfast if you’d like reviews that are paramount to repeat business. Table tops, utensils, linen and dishes must be present and clean.

Pools and fitness centers must be kept impeccably clean with proper water temperatures and wiped down and cleaned frequently. A well-stocked gift shop or store must have all travel essentials and should relate to your traveler’s needs.

After your property walk, research your specific submarket demand generators, revisit your key accounts and their plans, and use creative bundling versus discounting. Use all possible social media marketing and remember to stay current — the world has changed and yesterday is gone!

Lastly, it is time to ensure that all capital expenditures are up to date. If it is time to renovate, do not put that off. Today’s customer is paying top dollar and has a higher expectation of quality than before or during the pandemic. That is behind us — with supply chains damaged, your 2022 renovation is likely to be pushed to 2023 unless you order now.

To a great summer of 2022!