< Previous50 / HOTELIERMIDDLEEAST.COM / JANUARY 2024 What guests don’t always see is the amount of work that goes into making their first impression a special one, the elbow grease that means their room is sparkling upon arrival and the manpower that keeps hotels clean, safe and healthy throughout their stay. Being part of a housekeeping team, however, means we get to see plenty about our guests. The good, the bad and the downright disgusting. You really get to see the whole spectrum of human life in this job, and you can’t help but speculate about what people are like in their own home, based on their attitudes and behaviours in hotels. Each day, as we step into a hotel room, we never know what we might fi nd. From half-eaten room service meals and spilled drinks to more unsavoury surprises, us housekeepers have seen it all. Despite the occasional shock and the unpleasant nature of some tasks, we still face each room with determination and a commitment to our roles. The reality is that guests can be messy, leaving behind a trail of chaos. Of course, they can be super charming, too, keeping everything as tidy and possible and behaving politely at all times. These are the people we like best, of course. Either way, our guests give us something to chat about amongst the team and often provide us with hilarious anecdotes to tell our colleagues who perhaps aren’t so close to the people who stay with us. My fellow housekeepers have reported fi nding rooms strewn with rubbish, bathrooms in disar- ray, and even items that are diffi cult to talk about. Yet, we face each situation with professionalism, ensuring the room is returned to a pristine state for the next guest. But our role extends beyond just cleaning up after guests. We are also the observant eyes and ears of the hotel, noticing if a guest has a specifi c requirement or need. Despite the sometimes gruelling nature of their work, housekeepers take immense pride in our role, understanding our efforts are crucial in maintaining the hotel’s reputation. Every clean, welcom- ing room is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire hotel team. Coming clean To share your opinion anonymously, contact paul.clifford@itp.com “You really see the whole spectrum of human life. How people leave their room tells a story about them” Housekeepers take pride in our work, we just wish some hotel guests respected what we doFLEUR DÉCO – exclusive novelty 2024 WWW.ZIEHER.COM Catalogue 2024Next >