Key Terms

1. 1
Key Terms – Short Notes ( Housekeeping)
1. Amenity: A service or Item offered to guests or placed guestrooms for
Convenience & Comfort at no Extra Cost.
2. Back of the House: The Functional Areas of the Hotel which Employees
have little or no guest Contact such as the Engineering & Maintenance
department, Laundry room & so on.
3. Back to back: Describes a heavy rate of check-outs & Check-ins on the
same day, so that as soon as a room is made up & a new guest checks into it.
4. Banquet: A Term used to describe Catering for Specific numbers of people
at Specific Times in a Variety of dinning Layouts.
5. Bath Linen: Includes bath Towels, Hand Towels, Face Towels, Washcloths
& Fabric bath mats.
6. Front of the House: The Functional Areas of the hotel in which Employees
have Extensive guest Contact such as Food & Beverage Outlets & Front
Office Areas.
7. Inventory: Stocks of Merchandise, Operating Supplies & Other Items held for
Future use in a Hotel. e.g. Linen, Cleaning Supplies & so on are Important
housekeeping Inventory.
8. King- Size bed: The Largest Size of bed with dimensions of 78 inches >< 80
inches ( Eastern king) or 72 >< 80 inches ( California king).
9. Turn-down Service: A Special Service Provided by the Housekeeping
department in which a Room Attendant enters the guestroom Early in the
Evening to re-stock Supplies, Tidy the room & Turn down the Covers on the
bed in Preparation for the Night.
10. Refurbish: To give a “new “ look to a room by Redecorating, renewing soft
Furnishings & Possibly changing the Carpet & Touching up the Furniture.

2. 2
11.Uniformed Service: Hotels Uniformed Service staff Includes Hotel cab
drivers, Parking Attendants, Door attendants & bell boys. Uniformed Service
Staff meet & Greet Guests & Assist them on their arrival & Departure.
12. Parlour: A Sitting Room usually having a Concealed bed.
13.Deep Cleaning: Intensive or Specialized Cleaning undertaken in
Guestrooms or Public areas often Conducted According to a Special
Schedule or on a Special Project basis.
14. Departure Room: A Room from Which the Guest has departed, Settled the
Account, Returning the Room Keys & left the Hotel. It is also called a Check
out Room or Vacated Room.
15.DND Card: A “ Do not Disturb” Card is hung outside the Room to Inform
Hotel Staff or Visitors that the Occupant does not wish to be Disturbed.
16. Double Locked ( DL): An Occupied Room Which the deadbolt has been
Turned to Prohibit entry from the Corridor. Only a Grandmaster Key or an
Emergency Key can Open it.
17. Floor Pantry: A Service Room Provided on each floor for GRAs to Store
Cleaning agents, Equipment, Guest Supplies, Guestroom linen & Maid’s
Carts.
18. Faucets: Another Term for Taps
19.Job Description: A Job description is a detailed document identifying all
the likely duties of a Job Position as well as Reporting Relationships,
Additional Responsibilities, Working Conditions & Knowhow necessary about
Equipment & Materials.
20. Job Specification: Stipulates the Minimum Qualities & Required by an
Individual to Perform a Particular Job as defined by Job Description.
21.OOO: ‘Out of Order’ is the Status of a Guestroom that is not Rentable
Because it is being Repaired or Redecorated.

3. 3
22.Linen: The Term “Linen” is also used loosely to denote daily Launderable
Articles in the Linen Room. Actual Linen Material (derived from Flax) is less
elastic & more absorbent from Cotton Which is now Typically the Material of
Choice.
23.Occupancy Report: A Report Prepared each night by the Front Office
Which lists the Rooms Occupied that Night & Indicates guests who are
Expected to Check out the Following day.
24. Stay over: A Room Status Indicating a room Occupied by a Guest Who is
not Checked out Today & will Remain at least one more Night.
25.Upholstery: Textiles, Padding, Springs & Other Materials used for
Decorating Furniture & Rendering more Comfortable.
26. Scanty Baggage: A Room Status Indicating a Room Assigned to a Guest
with Small, light & few Pieces of Luggage that Could be carried away without
Indicating a Departure should a Guest walk out with them.
27. Scheduled Maintenance: Activities related to the Upkeep of the Property
which are Indicating through a Formal work order or Similar document.
28. Routine Maintenance: Activities related to the general Upkeep of the
Property that occur on a Regular basis & Require minimal Training or Skill to
Perform.
29.Par stock/ Par Number: A Multiple Standard Quantity of a Particular
Inventory Item that must be on hand to support daily routine housekeeping
Operations.
30. Room Division Manager: Room division manager is the Person who heads
the Department Responsibility for the Allocation of Guestrooms – Including
the Front Office & Housekeeping Department.
31.Room Status Report: A Report that allows the Housekeeping department to
identify the Occupancy or Condition of the Property Room. It is generated
daily Through Two way Communication between Housekeeping & Front Office.

4. 4
32. Room Status Discrepancy: A Situation in the Housekeeping Department’s
description of Room’s Status differs from the Room Status information with
the front Office.
33.Water Closet: Sanitary Fitting Consisting of the Toilet bowl & the Cistern.
34.Water Closet Cistern (WC): A Reservoir to hold the Right amount of water
required to Flush the Toilet & It is also called Waste Water Preventer (WWP)
____________ After 02 Chapters___________ Now 03,04,05 Chapters___
35.Apprentice: A worker who enters into an Agreement with an employer
(Authority) to learn a Skilled Trade Through a special Training Programme,
Combining Practical Training with related off-the Job Technical Instruction.
36.Buddy: In the buddy System of Scheduling a new GRA is Paired with another
experienced GRA in Servicing a Guestroom. This Experienced GRA is Referred to
as a “Buddy”
37. Chamois Leather: Chamois leather is used mainly in Cleaning & Polishing. This
leather is used wet for cleaning Windows & Mirrors & also used dry as a Polishing
‘Cloth’ for Silver. Originally Skins of Chamois goat were used but now they are
usually Skivers, split Skins of Sheep or Simulated leather.
38.Cleaning Supplies: Cleaning agents & small cleaning equipment that are used
in cleaning the guest rooms & Public areas in a Hotel
39.Contingency Plan: Planning done for Uncertain Events
40.Critical Incidents: A measure of a worker’s Performance in Term of certain
Events or Episodes that Occur in the Performance of the Job.
41.Cross-Training: Cross – Training Involves Training employees to work in
Departments other than Their Specialty in Period of Staff Shortage.
42.Fringe Benefits: These benefits are given to Staff, Supplementing their
Salaries. The Management of an Organization is not legally bound to give these.
Examples – Medical Allowance & leave Travel Allowance.
43. FTE: Full-Time Employees
44.GRA: Guestroom Attendant
45.Graveyard Shift : Night Shift

5. 5
46. Guest Supplies: These Items are Placed in the guest room free of cost for the
use & comfort of guests.
47.Hand Caddy: A Portable Container for Storing & Transporting cleaning Supplies,
Carried on a Room maid’s Cart.
48. House Telephone: Kept in the Lobby for Visitors to call up Guests in Hotel
Rooms.
49.Job Analysis: Process of determining what Knowledge each Employee needs
What Tasks each Position needs to Perform & the Standards which the
Employees must Perform the Tasks.
50.Job Assignment: Job Assignment is a List of Tasks to be Performed by an
Individual Guestroom attendant in a Specific area or Section of Rooms on a
Specific day as an Individual Assignment.
51.Lobby: Area Provided near the Reception as a Common meeting Point for all
guests.
52.Lounge: A Place in a Hotel Where guests can sit back & Relax. It is a Public Area
Suitable furnished for Relaxation.
53.OPL: On-Premises Laundry an In-house area in the Hotel where Linen &
Uniforms are washed, dry cleaned & Pressed.
54.Organization Chart: A Schematic Representation of the relationships between
Positions within an Organization, Showing where each position fits into the
Overall Organization & illustrating the divisions of Responsibility & lines of
Authority.
55.Orientation: Orientation or Induction is the guided adjustment of a new
employee to the organization, the work environment & the Job. The Process
communicates the Organization’s basic Philosophy, Policies, Rules & Procedures.
56.Performance Appraisal: The Process by which an employee Periodically
evaluated by his/her manager to access Job Performance & to discuss steps the
Employee can take to Improve job Skills & Performance.
57.Room Attendant’s Cart: A lightweight wheeled Vehicle used by room
attendants for Transporting cleaning Supplies, guest amenities, linen &
Equipment needed to complete a block of cleaning assignments.
58.PTE: Part – Time Employee

6. 6
59.Sanibin: These are small metal or Plastic Containers with lids kept in Toilets for
the Collection of Soiled Sanitary Towels. [ Wet Towels) / one kind of garbage]
60.SOP ( Standard Operating Procedure): A document of Standing nature that
Specifies a certain method of Operating or Specific Procedure for the
accomplishment of a Task. SOP’s can be developed for all Important
housekeeping activities & Tasks.
61.Vanity Area: A Unit Comprising a wash basin & mirror , Surrounded by flat area
where Soap, dental Kits, Shaving Kits & Tooth glasses are kept.
62.Vanity Unit : A Unit Comprising a wash basin & Mirror Surrounded by a flat
area Where Soap, Dental Kit, Shaving Kit & Tooth Glasses are kept.
63.Window Squeegee: Small Manual Cleaning equipment with a handle, rod &
rubber blade & it acts just as a windshield wiper in clearing away excess water
from windows while washing.
64.Contract: A Contract is an Agreement between Two parties Negotiating a
business deal.
65.Outsourcing: A Conscious business decision to move Internal work to an
External Provider.
66.Buff : To Smoothe the Floor with a low – Speed floor Polishing machine.
67.Cleaning Supplies : Cleaning agents & small pieces of cleaning equipments
that are used in cleaning the guestrooms & Public Areas in a hotel.
68.Damp-dust : A method of Cleaning where the item to be cleaned is wiped with
a damp cloth.
69. Exhaust Vent : Opening for Ventilation, sometimes fixed with an Exhaust fan
to facilitate influx of fresh air.
70.Faucets : Taps
71.Fixtures : Hardware Items Present in guestrooms that cannot be moved or
difficult to move as a whole since they are fixed in Position. e.g. Wash basins,
baths & Lighting fixtures.
72. Lint – free : Refers to fabric that does not shed ‘lint’ or Small fibres
73.Guest loan Items : For Guest supplies not normally found in a guestroom, but
available upon request – for example hair dryers & Ironing boards.

7. 7
74.Nightstand : A nightstand is a small stand or Cabinet designed to stand beside
a bed or elsewhere in a bedroom, as a place to put anything to be required
during the night also called Night Table. *****
75.Operating Supplies : The Items essential to carry out day–to–day
Housekeeping Operations. These Includes Guest & Cleaning Supplies.
76.Room Sections : A group of 15-16 guestrooms reasonably Contiguous to each
other.
________________________________________________________________
77. Banquet Function Prospectus (BFP): This documents gives prior Intimation
of various Conferences & parties to be held in the hotel & Chalks out the
Responsibilities all support departments, Including Housekeeping , are expected
to take on for the same
78. Briefing: A briefing session is held for all the employees at the beginning of a
work shift, usually presided over by the HOD to facilitate two-way
communication between the Management & the Staff.
79. BUP: ‘Brush up’ – very light servicing given to a room that has been given a full
service earlier in the day when it was Occupied but which is now Vacated.
80. Check- in: Arrival & Registration of a guest at the Hotel.
81. Check-out Room: A room from Which the guest has left is coded as C/O.
82. Debriefing: A debriefing session or meeting is held at the end of a shift by
managerial staff to discuss problems, share ideas & evolve solutions.
83. DND Card: A ‘do not disturb’ card Which may be hung outside the guestroom
by the guest to Inform Staff & Visitors that the occupant does not wish to be
disturbed.
84.Floor Master Keys: Floor Master Keys open all guestrooms on a particular floor
that are not double locked. A GRA is given this key to service rooms on a
particular floor.
85. Floor pantry: A Service room Provided on each floor for GRAs to store
cleaning agents, equipments, guest supplies, guest room linen & room
attendants Carts.
86. Gate Pass: An Authorization given to an Employee to take guest or Hotel
Property out of the hotel.

8. 8
87. Housekeeping Control Desk: The Nerve center of the entire Housekeeping
department for the dissemination of Information & Communication & from the
department. Sometimes Referred as housekeeping Central.
88. Housekeeping Room Status Report: A Report generated by the
housekeeping department that Indicated the Current Housekeeping Status of
each guestroom, based on a Physical check.
89. Linen Chute *: A Passage in the form of a Tunnel for sending soiled linen
from the floor pantries of all floors to a central place near the Laundry where it
can be collected by the Laundry Staff.
90. Log book***: An Important Register in the housekeeping department, that
Instructions & messages for Staff on the next shift are Written down by
Employees working on the Previous shift.
91. Scanty Baggage***: A Room Status Indicating a room that is Occupied by a
guest with small, light luggage that could be carried away in his / her hand
without obviously indicating a guest departure, should the guest walk out with it.
92. Stayover Room: A room Occupied by a guest who is not Checking out Today
& will Remain at least one more night.
93.Turn-down Service: A Special service Provided by the Housekeeping
department in Which a Room attendant enters the guest room early in the
Evening to Restock supplies, tidy the room & turn down the covers on the bed in
Preparation for the night.
94.Walk- in: A guest who appears at the Hotel in Person & Requests a Room
without holding a prior Reservation.
95. Work Order Form: A work order form is made out by the housekeeping
department when any scheduled maintenance work is to be carried out in
guestrooms or public areas. Send to the Maintenance department.
96. Make-up: Servicing of the Room While a guest is Registered in the room
97.‘on Change’ Room: A room in need of housekeeping services before it can be
Registered to an arriving guest.
98. Open Section: A group of Rooms that is not part of a Room section for
Cleaning Purposes.

9. 9
99. Room Section: A Group of 13-20 guestrooms as close together as possible
that is Allotted for Cleaning & servicing to one GRA on an eight hour shift.
100. Room Status Discrepancy: A Situation Which the housekeeping
departments Description of a room’s Status differs from the room Status
Information at the Front desk If don’t match the Status.
101. Room Attendant’s Cart: A Lightweight Wheeled Vehicle used by room
attendants for Transporting cleaning supplies, guest amenities, linen &
equipment needed to complete a block of cleaning assignment.
102. Room Rack: An array of Metal file pockets designed to hold room rack slips
arranged by room number. The room rack summarizes the Current Status of all
rooms in the Hotel.