3.1 Key control and key handling procedures 3.2 Mail and message handling 3.3 Paging and luggage handling 3.4 Rules of the house (for guest and staff) & Black list 3.5 Bell Desk and Concierge

2. 3.1 Key control and key handling procedures
3.2 Mail and message handling
3.3 Paging and luggage handling
3.4 Rules of the house (for guest and staff) & Black list
3.5 Bell Desk and Concierge
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3. Key control and Key Handling
Procedures
 Metal room keys are being replaced by electronically coded
key-cards. A keycard, while not actually considered a key, is a
plastic card which stores a digital signature that is used with
electronic access control locks. It is normally a flat,
rectangular piece of plastic and may also serve as an ID card.
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4. Types of Keys used in Hotel -
 Guest Room Key
 Master Key
 Grand Master Key
 Emergency Key
 Floor Master Key
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5. Guest Room Key
These are keys with minimum access, unlocking just the one
room as long as it is not doubled-locked.
When keys are given to guests upon registration , the guest’s
room no. must not be spoken aloud at reception.
GRA’s and others who find keys in unoccupied guestrooms or
elsewhere should place them in their pockets or in the locked
key boxes provided, not on their carts (where they are
accessible to others), and turn them in to their supervisor to
be returned to the front desk.
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6. Master Key
These keys open all guestroom doors that are not double-locked.
Master keys are normally kept in a safety box and should be signed
out each time they are taken & their return noted in a key control
sheet. All keys should stamped ‘do not duplicate’.
Master keys should be colored / labeled in order to be
differentiated with other keys.
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7. Grand Master Key
This key opens all hotel guestrooms and often all housekeeping
storage rooms as well.
This key can be used in emergency situations when it is vital for a
manager to enter some or all areas of the hotel.
It is itself kept under lock and key at the front desk of hotels.
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8. Emergency Key
This key opens all the doors in the property, even those that the
guests have double-locked.
It also double-locks the room against all other keys.
The emergency key should be well-protected & should be stored
in a secure place such as the hotel safe, a safe deposit box, or a
metal cabinet that only the GM or the security officer can access.
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9. Floor Master Key
A GRA is given this key to open the rooms he or she is assigned to
clean the floor.
The floor key opens all rooms on a particular floor that are not
double locked.
If the employee has rooms to clean on more than one floor or area,
he or she may need more than one floor key.
Floor keys typically open the storeroom for that floor too.
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10. Key Control
The control of guestroom keys is one of the cornerstones of
hotel security that guests have a right to expect under
common law.
Key control is the process of reducing guest property theft
& other security related incidents by carefully monitoring
and tracking the use of keys in the hospitality operation.
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11. Coding – Room keys must not have any form of tag that
identifies the hotel. Keys must not have room number on
them. Keys must be identified by a numeric or alphanumeric
code. That code should not, in any way, directly correspond
to the building or room numbers.
Issuing keys – Apart from the basic precautions for all keys,
there is more stringent security for keys with higher access.
Custody of keys – These are precautions to be taken while
the key is with a guest or employee after being issued as per
the correct procedure. Employees should not be allowed to
loan the keys assigned to them to one another. Employees
should handover keys whenever they leave the property, even
for meal breaks. Individuals who have been issued master
keys should be spot-checked from time to time to ensure that
they have them on their person.
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12. Mail and Message Handling
 Message Handling –
Messages are very important for the guest and every care has to be
taken in receiving the message clearly, properly and has to be
delivered in time to the guest. A message is received for a
registered guest of the hotel who is not in the hotel at the time a
person calls on him or would like to leave a message on the phone.
The following procedure is followed to take message on the phone
1. Receive the call
2. Check if the guest whom the caller intends to speak is in the
room, this can be checked by looking for the room keys, now a
days as the guest does not leave the keys at the reception, the call
is connected directly to the room.
3. If there is no response from the room , it means the guest is not in
the room, then proceed and take the message for the guest.
4. The message is taken on a message format.
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13. 5. The following details are noted on the message form— name
of the person calling, the company and mobile number, the
main message to be conveyed, The name of the guest for
whom the message is, room number, date and time of the
message received, finally the staff who receives the message
signs it.
6. The message is written in triplicate.
7. Two copies are tor n from the message booklet – one message
is sent to the guest room, the 2nd is retained at the reception
desk. The 3rd copy lies in the booklet.
8. On seeing the guest returning from outside the message
copy can be handed over to the guest, if it is missed the guest
finds a copy in the room.
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14.  Mail handling –
Handling of mail is as important as serving a guest. The guest
who visit commercial hotels generally carry on with the
business activity where ever they are, hence Hotels also
should also support the guests in carrying on their work
during their stay . mails can be received for the guest in two
different instances.
(a) Before the guest arrives : A mail may be received by the
hotel for an expected guest. This will be known by the staff
by checking the reservations. Hence any mail/parcel received
for a guest who is expected to check in is received and stored
safely and it is delivered to the guest on his arrival at the
hotel during check in.
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15. (b) During the guest stay : During the guest’s stay in the hotel
if a mail/parcel is received for the guest the following
procedure is followed.
 Receive the parcel
 Enter the details of the parcel in the parcel register.
 Stamp the parcel as received, the date and time of receiving
the parcel are entered on it.
 The parcel along with the register are carried to the guest
room by the bell boy.
 The parcel is delivered to the guest and a signature of
acknowledgement is taken.
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16. Paging and Luggage Handling
 Paging –
 It is used to locate a guest in a hotel. Guest may require this paging
service during their stay in the hotel.
 Some times a guest is expecting a guest visiting him/her or a phone call,
but the guest does not want to wait in the room, he may be some where
in the hotel ( restaurant, bar, swimming pool etc), in such cases he
leaves a message with the reception on the same.
 When a visitor calls upon such guest or a phone is received for the guest,
the bell boy moves around in all the public areas wit the paging board.
Paging board consists of a stand with a board and bell . the entire
equipment is loaded on a trolley which has wheels and can be just
moved around.
 The name of the gust to be located is written on the board and the
ringing of the bell will draw the attention of the guest and on
approaching the bell boy will escort the guest to the visitor or the phone
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17.  Luggage Handling –
Many guests arrive at the hotel with heavy baggage or several
pieces of luggage. Guests receive help from the bell
attendants. Bell attendants provide baggage service between
the Lobby area and the guest room.
1. Bell boy returns to the bell desk with errand card and hands
it over to the bell captain.
2. Hotel tags are prepared and fixed by the bell boy in the
presence of the guest to identify the luggage and avid
confusion or mistakes.
3. Bell boy escorts the guest to the room with the luggage.
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18. 4. Places luggage on the luggage trolley or as directed by the guest.
5. Returns to the bell desk and punches time of return on the errand card.
The details on the errand card are filled up by the bell captain. He also
makes entries of the details into his control sheet on the bell boys
return. The errand card contains details such as the description and the
number of pieces of baggage, the time at which the bell boy left the
counter, time of return etc.
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19. Rules of the house (for guest and staff)
 Hotel rules / House rules are management policy or
agreements between the guest and the hotel. Usually, these
policies are mentioned on the guest registration card which
is signed by the guest at the time of check-in.
 In Addition to this, a copy of rules and regulation is also kept
in all guest rooms for guest to read and understand the
management policies. This can also include the local
government policies which have to be followed by the guest.
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20. 1. Tariff - The tariff is for the room only and is exclusive of any government taxes applicable
Meals and other services are available at extra cost. To know your room tariff, please
contact the Duty Manager, guest registration forms must be signed on arrivals.
2. Settlement Of Bills - Bills must be settled on presentation, personal cheques are not
accepted.
3. Company's Lien On Guest's Luggage And Belongings - In the case of default in the
payment of dues by a guest, the management shall have the linen on their luggage and
belongings, and be entitled to detain the same and to sell or auction such property at any
time without reference to the guest. The net sale proceeds will be appropriate towards
the amount due by the guest without prejudice to the management's rights to adopt such
further recovery proceedings as my be required.
4. Check-in - Please present your ID card, Passport or Temporary Residence Card upon
Check-in. By Law visitors must present personal documents for hotel records. These
documents will be returned upon departure.
5. Departure - Check out time is ( mention your checkout time here ) please inform
the reception if you wish to retain your room beyond this time. The extension will be
given depending on the availability. If the room is available, the normal tariff will be
charged. On failure of the guest to vacate the room on expiry or period the management
shall have the right to remove the guest and his/her belongings from the
room occupied by the Guest.
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21. 6. Luggage Storage - Subject to availability of the storage space,
the guest can store luggage in the luggage room, at the guest's sole
risk as to loss or damage from any cause, Luggage may not be
stored for a period of over 30 days.
7. Guest's Belongings - Guests are particularly requested to lock
the door of their rooms when going out going to bed. For the
convenience of the Guest, electronic safety lockers are provided in
the room to store any valuables. The Management will not in any
way whatsoever be responsible for any loss / or damage to the
Guest's belongings or any other property from either the hotel
room or the locker or any other part of the hotel for any cause
whatsoever including theft of pilferage.
8. Pets -Mention your policy for Pets ( allowed or not- allowed ) /
(Allow us to make separate arrangements. )
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22. 9. Hazardous Goods - Bringing goods and/or storing of raw or exposed cinema
films, or any other article of a combustible or hazardous nature and/or
prohibited goods and/or goods of objectionable nature is prohibited. The Guest
shall be solely liable and responsible to the management, its other guests,
invitees visitors, agents and servants for all loss financial or otherwise and
damage that may be caused by such articles or as a result of the guests' own
negligence and non-observance of any / instructions. Gambling, contraband,
prostitution, weapons, explosives, flammable objects, poisons, drugs, animals
and pungent food are strictly prohibited on hotel premises.
10. Damage to Property - The guest will be held responsible for any loss or
damage to the hotel property caused by themselves, their guests or any person
for whom they are responsible.
11. Management's Rights - It is agreed that the guest will conduct him/ herself in
a respectable manner and will not cause any nuisance or annoyance within the
hotel premise. The Management has the right to request any guest to vacate
his/her room or other areas of the hotel forthwith, Without previous notice and
without assigning any reason whatsoever, and the guest shall be bound to
vacate when requested to do so. In case of the default, the Management has the
right to remove the Guest luggage and belongings from the room occupied by
him/her.
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23. 12. Relation between Management and Guest - Nothing hereinabove
shall continue or be deemed to constitute, or create any tenancy or sub-
tenancy, or any other right to interact in the hotel premises or any part of
portion thereof, in favor of any Guest or resident or visitor, and the
Management shall always be deemed to be in full and absolute
possession of the whole of the hotel premises.
13. Government rules and regulations and application of laws -Guest
are requested to observe, abide by confirm to and be bound by all
applicable acts and laws and Government rules and regulations in force
from time to time.
14. Photographs and Video's - Using photographs and video's taken in
the hotel for commercial or public purposes is illegal. Those who do so
will be subject to prosecution.
NOTE : The management reserves to itself the right to add to, or alter or
amend any of the above terms, conditions and rules which are a part and
an abstract of the lodging act.
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24. Blacklist
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28. Bell Desk and Concierge
Bell desk -
 Responsible for baggage handling at guest arrival or departure time.
 It consists of group of uniformed staff for guest services.
 This section is maintained separately in large hotels only.
The main tasks for the bell desk are -
 Coordinate the movement of guest baggage: This becomes very
challenging as the volume of bags during a typical day is very large for
most busy hotel.
 Distributes newspaper, etc to the occupied rooms, business centers,
coffee shops etc.
 Sell postal stamps
 Maintain essential medicines and first aid kits in coordination with a
medical practitioner at the hotel.
 Manage the left luggage procedure.
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29. CONCIERGE –
 Traditionally the duty of the concierge (“castle doorkeeper”)
was to ensure that the guests are properly placed in rooms
for the night.
 The concierge would accompany the royals to provide
security, guidance, and lodging duties.
 The modern hotel management has adopted this concept in
the modern concierge who provides such personalized
services as providing tickets for movies in a theater,
sightseeing, or table reservations at city restaurants. He is
supposed to know everything about the city and happenings
at the city.
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30. The main functions of concierge section are:
(a) To maintain an alphabetical guest index.
(b) To receive messages for resident guests.
(c) Handling guest mail, packages etc.
(d) Paging for guests.
(e) Providing relevant and accurate information to the guests
and answering queries about whereabouts of in house
facilities or any event that is happening in the city.
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31.  Concierge Section provides information about the hotel, its
services and amenities, city, town, country, travel and transport,
banks etc. They can also handle the guest luggage and bags if the
hotel does not have the bell desk section. The receiving and
distribution of mail and message, packets, news papers and
magazines in the early mornings to guest room are also attended
to. In addition, it may also handle the hiring of the car and
booking of air tickets and other transportation facilities if there is
no travel desk in the hotel.
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32. P r e p a r e d b y –
S y e d R a n a S a f i u d d i n
A s s i s t a n t P r o f e s s o r,
M G M - I H M ,
M G M U n i v e r s i t y , A u r a n g a b a d .