The Pool Attendant Standard
Five steps for the pool deck, from the water test to the last towel. Guests notice a reserved lounger nobody uses long before they notice the water.
- Who
- Pool attendants, lifeguards and the spa supervisor
- When
- Opening to close, with water tests and deck rounds on a schedule
- You need
- Water test kit, pool log, towels, lounger plan, safety equipment
- Measured by
- Water tested and logged before opening
- Guest set up within 2 minutes of arrival
- Held loungers cleared after 30 minutes
5 steps
01
Test and set
Before opening, test chlorine and pH, or check engineering’s test, and log it with the water temperature. Skim the surface, check signs and rescue equipment, and line up loungers with folded towels.
Say this
“07:00 pool. Chlorine 1.5, pH 7.4, water 28 °C. Ring buoy and hook in place. Signed: Karim.”
Common mistake Opening because the water looks clear. Clear water says nothing about chlorine, and the log is what an inspector asks for.
02
Set them up
Within two minutes of a guest arriving, offer a lounger, lay two towels on it, set the parasol and bring water. Ask whether they want sun or shade, and if children are with them, where they will swim.
Say this
“Good morning, Mrs Haddad. Sun or shade today? I’ll bring your towels and some cold water.”
Common mistake Handing towels over at a desk and pointing. The guest carries them, picks a lounger and sets it up alone.
03
Hold loungers fairly
A towel or a book holds a lounger for 30 minutes at most. After that, leave a polite card, take the items to the pool desk with a note, and free the lounger. Apply the rule to every guest the same way.
Say this
“Your lounger was held from 09:00, so your things are safe at the pool desk. Please ask for Karim.”
Common mistake Clearing a lounger without a card. The guest comes back to find their book gone and a stranger in their place.
04
Watch the water
Whoever watches the water does nothing else: no towel runs, no drink orders. Scan the whole pool every 30 seconds, and check that every child under the house age limit has an adult at the poolside.
Say this
“Excuse me, would you stay by the pool while your son swims? It’s our rule for children under twelve.”
Common mistake The lifeguard takes drink orders when the bar is busy. For those minutes, nobody is watching the water.
05
Turn the deck
Every 30 minutes, collect used towels, reset empty loungers, wipe tables and refill water. Half an hour before closing, tell guests in person and offer a dry towel. Never stack loungers near a guest.
Say this
“Mr Okafor, the pool closes at seven. Would you like a dry towel before you go?”
Common mistake Stacking loungers around the last guests. They leave feeling the pool closed half an hour early.
Who Does What at the Pool
Two jobs that must never merge: serving the deck and watching the water. Fill the gaps on your rota before the season, not on the day.
Brief one row a day at the morning pool huddle. The supervisor checks the rota against this card every week and walks the deck once a day to see that whoever watches the water is doing nothing else.
The Standards Library.
No. 97 · Spa & Wellness
The Spa Booking Standard
Five steps from enquiry to written confirmation. Most treatment-day problems, from a late start to a pregnancy nobody knew about, begin with a booking.
No. 98 · Spa & Wellness
The Spa Arrival Standard
Five steps from the spa door to the therapist. A first-time guest nobody shows round spends the calm they came for working out how the lockers lock.