Hotel Classification, Ownership Models, and Housekeeping Standards
Hotel Classification and Ownership
Guest Segments
- Leisure: Individuals and groups
- Business: Individuals, groups, military staff, government staff
Classification
- Location: City center, resort, airport, suburban, highway
- Price: Limited price, mid-range, first-class/luxury
- Star Rating: 1-5 (criteria differ depending on the country)
- Other Categories: All-suite, conference, timeshare/condo, spa, golf resort, theme resort, rural, boutique
- Ownership:
- Independent
- Referral association
- Chain
Hotel Chain Ownership Models
1. Owner of Building and Management
The individual or entity that legally owns a property, such as a hotel or resort. They are responsible for property ownership, financial management, decision-making, legal compliance, and asset maintenance. While they may not be directly involved in day-to-day operations, they oversee the property’s strategic direction and overall success.
2. Renting Building and Management
This involves leasing a property (the building) for a specified period and then assuming responsibility for all aspects of operating the hotel, including staffing, guest services, marketing, and financial management. The lessee, often a hotel management company, operates the hotel business within the rented premises, while the property owner remains the landlord. This arrangement allows the lessee to run a hotel without owning the building, while the property owner receives rent income from the lessee.
3. Management Contract
This is an arrangement where a property owner or investor contracts with a hotel management company to oversee the day-to-day operations of a hotel. The management company is responsible for staffing, marketing, guest services, and overall hotel management. The property owner retains ownership but relies on the expertise and services of the management company to run the hotel efficiently, often in exchange for a fee or a percentage of the hotel’s revenue.
4. Franchise
This is a business arrangement where an independent hotel owner or operator (franchisee) partners with a larger hotel brand (franchisor). The franchisee gains access to the franchisor’s established brand, marketing support, reservation system, and often standardized operational procedures in exchange for a fee and ongoing royalties. This allows the franchisee to operate under the recognized brand name and benefit from the franchisor’s reputation and resources while maintaining some degree of independence and ownership of their specific hotel property.
Housekeeping: Area Inventory and Standards
Area Inventory Lists
These are lists of all areas under the responsibility of Housekeeping (HK). They involve creating an inventory of all items within those areas. Lists are long and very detailed. If there are different types of rooms, separate inventory lists are needed.
Frequency Lists
These lists indicate how often items on area inventory lists have to be cleaned or maintained. Items that must be cleaned daily or weekly are part of a routine cleaning cycle and are incorporated into Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Others are inspected daily or weekly but they become part of a deep cleaning program.
Performance Standards
These standards not only state what must be done but also how it has to be done. Everything has to be described in detail: the materials or everything in the room and what products are used for each.