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3 tips for cleaning guest rooms with ease

September 27, 2019
cleaning tips

Housekeeping staff have a challenging task – they need to clean guest rooms quickly and efficiently, while also ensuring rooms are left in pristine shape. With guests’ expectations high, any slip up could lead to a bad review, which can negatively impact your hotel brand.

So, how do housekeepers keep up with demand while keeping rooms clean and tidy? Here are some tips for going above and beyond when cleaning guest rooms.

1. Start with a clean slate

When working against the clock, it can be tempting for housekeepers to clean around guests’ items, instead of under them. But doing so can look sloppy and unprofessional. Instead, advise cleaning staff to remove all of the clutter from an area before cleaning it, so that way they are sure to cleanse the space thoroughly and not miss a spot.

2. Choose a versatile cart

The right housekeeping cart can make a huge difference in the preparedness and efficiency of your staff. That’s why it’s important to invest in quality carts such as the new Xduty Xpress Cart from Hospitality 1 Source. The Xpress Cart is compact in design, yet includes a bag with multiple storage options to meet the needs of any guest room. 

Additional features include:

  • A durable, hammertone powder-coated finish
  • A sturdy, multi-purpose bag with numerous pockets and storage areas
  • Easy assembly with no tools required
  • Four swivel wheels that easily attach to the bottom of the cart

3. Add a special touch

While it may seem trivial, adding a small touch to the room after cleaning – a note from the housekeeper, a uniquely folded towel, a small chocolate on the pillow – can make a big impression. It shows that your staff – and ultimately your property – go the extra mile to make your guests feel special.

Learn more about the Xduty Xpress Cart, and get ready for a better cleaning experience.  

How to prepare for your property’s busy season

September 6, 2019
hotel busy season

It’s never too early to start thinking about the next busy season – otherwise it might sneak up on you. The busiest times at your hotel can make or break the whole year: While the goal is to deliver optimal service year-round, that level of service is hard to maintain when rooms are fully booked.

So, what can be done to make the most out of busy season?

Even if this isn’t your first rodeo, it’s still good to brush up on what to expect when the flood of travelers arrive. During the slower months leading up to busy season, take stock of inventory, anticipate your staffing needs, and analyze past data or customer reviews to ensure your accommodations are ready.

To get you started, here are four ways to ensure the next busy season is a success:

1. Beware of overbooking

You may be tempted to overbook rooms during busy season, but double booking looks unprofessional. Instead, review your rates and cancelation policies, and implement a minimum-night stay policy so cancelations don’t mean a loss of revenue.

2. Take stock of staff

Anticipating your staffing needs is critical. Not only will you need to ensure you’ll have enough staff, but you’ll also need to properly allocate resources. For instance, you may need to up the restaurant staff over the holiday season to accommodate special meals and events. It’s also just as crucial to give employees the flexibility to handle issues on the fly. Daniel Craig, founder of Reknown Hospitality & Technology Marketing, told Hotel News Now that empowering managers and employees to resolve on-property problems can help prevent complaints, and cross-training employees in other departments will ensure everyone can aid each other when needed to improve efficiency.

3. Get creative with communication

Another way to improve efficiency during busy season is facilitating open and frequent communication between staff, as well as communication with guests. Investing in technology to help everyone stay in touch with each other reduces the likelihood of miscommunication and allows for quick responses to requests throughout the property. Technology can also create a better connection between staff and guests, such as applications that allow online check-in and check-out, housekeeping requests via text, or online satisfaction surveys.

4. Give your property a mini-makeover

Much of preparing for busy season can – and should – occur during the slower months of the year. This is a perfect time to take care of property renovations, maintenance, and improvements. Cater to guests’ technological needs with USB-port supported clocks and radios, spruce up lobby and guest room furniture, and stock up on more efficient cleaning supplies.

Be ready for busy season and get the most out of your year!

Learn the importance of changing ironing boards seasonally

4 ways to improve guest stays

August 29, 2019
successful guest stay

Guest satisfaction is the ultimate goal of any hotel, and satisfied guests lead to positive reviews, increased customer loyalty, and continued success as a brand. Luckily, there are some simple ways to ensure your guests have the best stay – and that your business grows.

1. Be tech savvy

The first step to having happy guests is investing in a well-designed and mobile-friendly website. Guests’ experiences with your website will shape their opinion of your brand, so creating a platform that makes it easy to book rooms and includes the answers to all of their questions will foster a positive relationship for a positive stay. Also consider including a place where customers can leave feedback or opt in to receive a newsletter – all features guests will appreciate.

2. Foster satisfaction through food

The way to many people’s hearts is through food, so having unique and accessible culinary options are sure to score points. If budget allows, consider including complimentary breakfast every morning. Choose selections from a local bakery, regional cheeses, and locally sourced produce. Supporting local businesses is a great way to show guests you care – and it’s also a great way to make guests feel immersed in local culture.

3. Promote events and local activities

While it’s important to make guests feel at home in your guest rooms, travelers are also looking for things to do and memories to make. Keep brochures for local businesses, family friendly activities, and unique places for a night out easily accessible in the lobby or with a concierge. By promoting the area around your property, you invite travelers to choose you as their home away from home.

4. Pamper and personalize

It’s the little things that make a difference in any hotel experience, for large chain hotels as well as independent properties. Creating a simple and seamless process of booking, check-in and check-out, and housekeeping requests will ensure guests are never frustrated. Don’t be afraid to spend a little extra on items like premium mattresses, plush towels, and exclusive amenities to make guests feel pampered.

By adding extra touches and going above and beyond with your service, you’ll ensure guests will want to come back – and share their love of your property with future guests. 

Learn how to create the perfect poolside experience

3 small ways your property can make a big environmental impact

July 31, 2019

Sustainability has become a priority for hotels in recent years – not only because of its importance, but also because travelers are demanding it. According to the Booking.com 2019 Sustainable Travel Report, almost two thirds of U.S. travelers intend to stay at least once in an eco-friendly or green accommodation when looking at the year ahead.

Yet becoming more eco-friendly can be a long, complicated and costly process, especially for larger hotel chains. However, there are some easy changes properties can make to go green.

1. Replace plastic straws with paper ones

Many organizations are taking steps to remove plastic straws from their properties and replace them with paper ones. In fact, some cities and states across the country have started implementing their own plastic straw bans, which can impact the hotels that do business there. To make a change like this one more attainable, start slowly and set a long-term goal for their removal.

2. Encourage recycling

Recycling is a practice that has been around for a long time, yet not all properties have fully embraced it. Start by simply adding recycling receptacles to common areas, making it easy for guests to recycle. Also, encourage employees to be more eco-friendly by giving them a quick training on what can and can’t be recycled.

3. Use compostable can liners

Even if you succeed in setting up a recycling program at your property, it won’t mean as much if your can liners aren’t compostable. Consider investing in the Pitt Plastics BioStar compostable can liner, which is made with a Star Sealed compostable plastic that can help keep your facility eco-friendly and support your mission to protect the environment. The liners are made with 1.0 millimeter fiber content that prevents leaks and ensures durability, and are perforated with 150 bags per case to keep supplies well stocked. They come in a variety of sizes to fit your needs, including:

While it may not be easy to completely overhaul your current practices and replace them with greener ones, by making these small changes, you’ll help the environment and also attract sustainable-minded guests.

Say goodbye to bed bugs with this pro tip

July 3, 2019
mattress protection

Bed bugs are some of the most difficult and expensive pests to get rid of – and they are a real problem for properties. Since 2006, The Bedbug Registry has reported over 20,000 bed bug incidents covering 12,000 locations. That’s why investing in bed bug prevention should be a top priority for hotels.  

The toughest protection against bed bugs

If you want to prevent bed bugs from infiltrating your property, consider investing in high-quality mattress protection, like the CleanRest PRO Max encasement. This innovative product protects against bed bugs, spills, mold and dust mites – and it’s machine washable.

Here are just some of the reasons why CleanRest PRO Max is a great choice for protecting your guests – and your reputation:

A better night’s sleep: CleanRest PRO Max has a clever design with four sides of waterproofing (top, bottom, left, and right sides), which make this encasement perfect for the flippable mattress. The purpose of this waterproof design is to allow warmed air to escape the mattress encasement at the head and foot of the bed to regulate the mattress temperature. It’s important to know that waterproof fabrics are not air permeable, meaning, air cannot pass through. Other mattress encasement brands with six sides of waterproofing (every panel) will trap warm air, which increases the mattress temperature and makes for a hot and sweaty sleep.

All being said, CleanRest PRO Max is perfectly designed for maximum protection while supporting a cool, comfortable night’s sleep.

Easy installation: The encasement’s air permeable fabric at the head and foot makes the product easy to install. Your housekeepers won’t need to wrestle with the encasement to push the air out as they attempt to install it – saving time and energy.

Extra protection: CleanRest offers an extra layer of protection against bed bugs with patented Zip-N-Click closure. Zip-N-Click is the only fully integrated and self-locking zipper device that defends the zipper pull area from escaping or invading bed bugs. No Velcro or zip ties are needed to keep this encasement closed. The encasement is fully zippered, making it easy to install, and it’s fully protected with double stitched zipper tape.

To learn more about CleanRest encasements, visit the new americanhotel.com.

Discover a better way to sanitize

March 25, 2019

It’s true. In just 20 minutes, the number of microbes on a surface can double. That’s why it’s important to have a coordinated and consistent plan of attack.

Traditional sanitization and disinfection products may clean and/or disinfect, but they don’t necessarily keep working after initial contact. This leaves surfaces vulnerable to re-contamination in a matter of seconds after the application is applied.

Well, P&G Professional has taken action to deliver a powerful solution. By partnering with Microban®– the global leader in antimicrobial, odor control, and surface modification technologies – P&G has introduced three new sanitization/disinfection products to address the re-contamination of surfaces.

P&G Professional believes that investing in a cleaning and sanitization program is a pillar of delivering a great guest experience. It partners with professionals who aim to make every experience count.

Microban 24-hour sanitizers deliver new benefits that include:

  • After the product is initially sprayed, has needed contact time, and is wiped away, a residual semi-permanent polymer is left behind to protect the surface from 99.9% of organisms.
  • Microban technology works long beyond the initial contact – it protects the surface from organism growth for up to 24 hours.  In fact, it is the ONLY professional use product that can make this claim.

What makes Microban apart from traditional disinfectants?

Microban 24 provides continuous antibacterial sanitizing for up to 24 hours. It is the ONLY product for professional use that makes this claim!

Available now

The new Microban® ready-to-use lineup consists of three items to clean, disinfect/sanitize, and deodorize:

All three products have a light citrus scent and sanitize in as little as 10 seconds, killing 99.9% of organisms and keeping surfaces sanitized between cleanings for up to 24 hours.

With Microban, you have the ability to clean, disinfect, and protect against key organisms. Please click here for more information on task areas and usage.

Sustainability Beyond Manufacturing Martex®

March 11, 2019


Green Bedding & Towels from WestPoint Hospitality™

As part of American Hotel’s commitment to helping you meet your business sustainability goals, we offer a broad selection of environmentally sensitive Living Green products from a host of distinguished suppliers, like WestPoint Hospitality and its premier Martex brand.

Martex Green products are engineered to perform to the highest standards and boast an extended lifecycle without compromising the quality of the guest experience. WestPoint Hospitality utilizes earth-friendly fibers and certified sustainable processing techniques to create these products, which require less water, energy, and less chemical production and maintenance.

All Martex Green fabrics feature DryFast® technology, a proprietary process that makes an incredible performance impact on any cotton or cotton-blended fabric. It reduces drying time and increases stain resistance which ultimately reduces the carbon footprint. In addition, the fabrics are Oeko-Tex certified for textile purity and safety.

Martex Green Bedding

This eco-friendly collection is made of certified organic cotton and blended with recycled polyester. Flat and fitted sheets are equipped with TrueFit colored hem threads for easy size identification. Duvets, pillow shams, mattress pads, blankets, bedskirts, and pillows are also available. Shop Martex Green bedding now.

Martex Green Towels

These responsibly manufactured, cloud-soft towels feature single-ply, ring-spun organic cotton loops for superior absorbency, and  the 75% organic cotton/25% recycled polyester under-weave enhances the towels’ durability. Martex Green Towels are Fresh & Ready™ – cured in hot water and ready to use from the package without initial laundering, which reduces money and energy costs. Shop Martex Green towels now.

Shop all Martex Green products now and save thru March 24.

Embrace the cleaning power of cordless

February 18, 2019

With increasing competition, rising labor costs and pressure on capital expenditures, hotels are expected to provide a better guest experience with the same or fewer resources. And, as expectations rise, guests are looking toward the experience of others to help inform their choice of where to stay – in fact, 77.9% of consumers think online reviews are extremely or very important for deciding where to stay.1

On a more granular level, a recent survey of hotel decision makers revealed cleanliness was rated higher than any other factor likely to influence guest experience. 2 One way to meet your guests’ expectations of cleanliness, despite all of the labor and cost pressures, is by increasing the productivity of your core cleaning tasks – starting with vacuuming.

Cut the cord and clean 5x faster

Your team can clean up to five times faster with the Hoover Commercial HUSHTONE™ Cordless Upright.3 Unlike traditional corded uprights, the HUSHTONE™ Cordless Upright powered by M-PWR™ 40V technology helps increase productivity while minimizing risk of exposed cords, which is especially important considering falls, slips, and trips accounted for 32% of non-fatal workplace injuries involving days away from work in hotels.4

When you consider that 57% of hotel executives surveyed noticed a decrease in bookings after a negative online guest review,2 it’s vital that every property put its best face forward. With its cordless collection, Hoover offers you a solution designed to discreetly enhance the way you clean – and, in turn, improve the way your property presents to others.

  1. net https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4078144.html
  2. The Power of the Online Review: Mining feedback for impactful guest experience investments. Rentokil-Steritech │Ambius
  3. *In a Class A office building compared to a corded upright vacuum based on ISSA’s 612 Cleaning Times & Tasks (2014), according to a time and motion study conducted by the American Institute for Cleaning Sciences, available at HooverCommercial.com.
  4. National Safety Council; BLS, 2016

Curating, and the luxury experience

April 5, 2016

You have no doubt noticed that the term “curate” has carved its place in the lexicon of the luxury world. Considering all that curating can encompass today – from designing an entire property to organizing extravagant adventures – it’s no wonder the word has found a comfortable home in this growing market.

Taking a broad perspective, curating in luxury is the strategic and creative process of understanding your audience and fashioning a truly distinct and ever-evolving end-to-end experience. Grasping the three primary aspects of this far-reaching practice can help properties refine their own approach.

Distinguish your property from the outset

When you think about it, the act of curating actually begins with the guest. With vivid profiles of the finest hotels in the world just a click away, guests are able to pinpoint a property that suits their desires. Recognizing this reality, it’s important that luxury hotels continually assess the strength of their online presence.

Of course, guests can also enhance their experience well in advance of their travels. For this reason, most luxury hotels recognize the need to improve their online platform with offerings and opportunities that stretch well beyond their property. After all, luxury is about pampering guests and delivering on the unexpected.

Deliver an experience that tantalizes and transforms

Taking a lagniappe approach – delivering on that special something extra – is paramount to giving guests an extraordinary experience. For example, partner with a local cultural institution to provide an exclusive treat or prepare a unique adventure that celebrates the landscape. And, always, make sure your staff is ready to act on impulses and inspiration.

The truth is, luxury means different things to different people. A staff that embodies the personality of a property should have the dexterity to both recognize and smoothly adapt to diverse guest expectations.

Dress your property with products that impress

Indeed, the staff is instrumental in setting the tone and style of a luxury hotel. Yet, we know the foundation of an unforgettable luxury experience revolves around its architecture and décor – as well as the high-end hospitality products that define its care and comfort.

Plush Frette robes. Invigorating amenities from Christian Lacroix. Beautifully soft Sferra sheets. Rich but requisite items like these add extravagance and exhilaration to the fine details of a guest stay. It is these items that experientially speak to the guests a luxury property hopes to attract.

This aspect of luxury curating is what inspired American Hotel Register Company to launch The Gallery. By introducing an evolving collection of high-end items and world-class brands to the marketplace, The Gallery directly acknowledges and addresses the art of creating and sustaining a distinct luxury experience.

In fact, customers of The Gallery are matched with a personal Luxury Concierge with the skill and experience to shepherd their property through each important stage.

At its core, the art of curating is about understanding your guests and anticipating both their needs and desires. By being thoughtful and thorough, the finest hotels do more than live up to expectations; they continually expand the possibilities of luxury.

•  •  •

The Gallery by American Hotel is a curated collection of luxurious linens, bathrobes, bath amenities, guest room accessories, electronics and more. More than an elegant showcase, The Gallery offers luxury customers a personalized approach to product development, sourcing and selection. To learn more about The Gallery, visit americanhotel.com/thegallery or call 844.292.2510.

Take the plunge with pool towels that stay in service longer

March 30, 2016

If you work at or manage a property with a swimming pool, you know it’s important to plan ahead for high season and give your guests a simply swimming experience.

Beyond the “heavy lifting” of cleaning and maintenance, however, one of the extras guests most appreciate is the availability of nice, soft towels at poolside. If your property doesn’t currently provide them, consider doing so, if for no other reason than it’s a nice thing to do for your guests (of course, from a business standpoint, the use of pool towels can extend the life of your in-room towels as well). If your property already provides pool towels as an amenity, now is the time to take a look at your current inventory for fading and wear, and refresh your stock.

Whatever your situation, it pays to check out soft and ultra-durable Fibertone™ Pool Towels from 1888 Mills®. Fibertone towels are designed to last longer than the average pool towel and stay looking great year after year. The patented Fibertone color process produces vibrant color that will not fade in the sun, will not bleed or transfer onto other surfaces (including your expensive white linens), and is completely bleach-safe.

The Fibertone color process

The talented 1888 Mills craftsmen start with long-wearing polyester, which is solution dyed and extruded, then ring-spun with cotton fibers to produce a hearty blend of consistent color. The vibrant shades remain stable item after item, batch after batch, and year after year. The use of polyester also increases the towels’ durability, makes them virtually lint-free and allows faster drying when compared to all-cotton towels.

Weaving a Better World® with 1888 Mills

From humble beginnings, 1888 Mills has grown to be an industry leader in home and commercial textile manufacturing and a valued supplier partner to American Hotel Register Company. They strive to remember this country’s deep heritage of textile manufacturing while continuously searching for new ways to drive future innovation and global collaboration.

Dive into savings

To learn more about this innovative line or place an order, visit us online at americanhotel.com.

Order before April 17, 2016, and you’ll save 35% off Fibertone pool towels.