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Operating Standard No. 47 · Housekeeping

The Door Standard

Five steps for entering a guest room without surprising anyone inside. Most privacy complaints begin at a door that was knocked on correctly, once.

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Who
Room attendants, turndown attendants and supervisors
When
Every time you enter an occupied room, day or evening
You need
Room status on the handheld or PMS, your name badge, the DND log
Measured by
  • Status checked before every knock
  • Two knocks, two announcements, two waits
  • DND rooms phoned at 14:00, never entered

5 steps

  1. 01

    Check status

    Before you touch the door, read the room status on your handheld and look for the Do Not Disturb sign or light. If either says DND, write the time on your sheet and move on to the next room.

    Say this

    “412 DND 10:40. Skipped, check again at 12:00.”

    Common mistake Trusting the morning list. The guest switched the DND light on ten minutes ago, and the list doesn’t know.

  2. 02

    Knock and announce

    Knock three times with your knuckles, never with a key, and say “Housekeeping” clearly. Wait 10 seconds. Knock and announce again, then wait another 10 seconds before you use your key.

    Say this

    “Housekeeping.” Ten seconds. Three knocks. “Housekeeping.”

    Common mistake Knocking and opening in one movement. The guest hears the knock and the lock at the same moment.

  3. 03

    Open and announce

    Open the door about 15 centimetres, announce yourself again and listen. If nobody answers, open it fully, set the door stop and park your trolley across the doorway, facing the corridor.

    Say this

    “Good morning, Housekeeping. May I come in?”

    Common mistake Announcing into a dark room and walking straight in. A sleeping guest hears nothing until you are beside the bed.

  4. 04

    Guest inside

    If the guest is in, stay at the door. Greet them by name, apologise once, offer to come back and agree a time. Clean around a guest only if they ask, and then ask what they would like done first.

    Say this

    “Good morning, Mrs Laurent. I’m sorry to disturb you. Would 2pm suit you better for the room?”

    Common mistake Asking “Can I clean now?” A guest in a dressing gown says yes because saying no feels rude.

  5. 05

    DND routine

    At 14:00 the supervisor phones every room still on DND to offer service at a time the guest chooses. If nobody answers, slide a card under the door and log the call and the card on the DND sheet.

    Say this

    “We didn’t want to disturb you. Dial 5 at any time and we will prepare your room whenever suits you.”

    Common mistake Knocking on a DND door to ask about service. The sign was the guest’s answer; a phone call is the only question allowed.

The desk card

What You Find at the Door

Six situations every room attendant meets within a month. Agree the answer in advance so nobody decides it alone at the door with a key in hand.

What you findWhat you doWhat you say
DND sign or light onLog the time, skip, check again at 12:00Nothing. Do not knock.
Guest opens the doorStay outside and agree a time“Would 2pm suit you better?”
Guest asleep, no DNDLeave at once, close quietly, log itNothing. Tell the supervisor.
Chain or latch onClose the door, log it, phone later“I’m sorry. I’ll come back later.”
Guest returns mid-serviceStop and offer to finish or return“Shall I finish in five minutes, or come back?”
DND still on at 14:00Supervisor phones; card if no answer“Dial 5 whenever suits you.”

Read one row at each morning briefing for six days and ask who met it last. On day seven the supervisor stops each attendant in the corridor and asks one row from memory.

The Standards Library.

No. 48 · Housekeeping

The Belongings Standard

Five steps for cleaning around a guest’s things so the room looks cared for and nothing looks searched. Papers squared by a stranger feel like being watched.

Read the standard

No. 49 · Housekeeping

The Turndown Standard

Five steps that change a room from day to night in 15 minutes. Guests remember the one detail chosen for them, and rarely the chocolate on the pillow.

Read the standard