How To Improve Hospitality Hygiene

Creating the right environment and brand experience for your guests is essential. A poor experience could be damaging to your business, impacting customer loyalty and making guests less likely to return.

Clean and hygienic facilities, communal areas and bathrooms play a key role in turning an average stay into a great one, and are some of the most important factors when recommending a hotel to friends and colleagues.

Entrances (receptions/concierge):

A hotel's entrance is one of the most visible and important areas, critical to creating the right first impression. From the moment a guest walks through the door, they expect a level of style and quality in keeping with your brand.

Create the right ambience to make your hotel stand out by introducing custom scents to deliver a memorable experience and enhance the perception of your brand
Quality floor care solutions will protect your floor and keep dirt and dust away while maintaining your brand image
Ensure a regular cleaning routine with a focus on high-footfall areas as hygiene is one of the most important factors when recommending a hotel.

Guest rooms:

Good hygiene is more than just surface-clean. Clean the dirt you can see but also consider what is invisible to the naked eye: germs can easily be transferred from the bathroom to the rest of the hotel suite, putting the health of guests at risk.

Ensure that cleaning staff are aware of the risks of cross-contamination. Gloves used for cleaning the toilet should be thrown away and replaced before employees touch any other surfaces or objects.
High usage items such as remote controls, light switches, drinking glasses and headboards should be cleaned thoroughly and often to limit the spread of bacteria.

Bathrooms:

The importance of a good bathroom experience should never be underestimated. A good bathroom experience could influence a hotel guest's overall attitude towards your brand for the better, enhancing their perception of the business, quality of service and standard of hygiene it offers guests.

Ensure adequate facilities are in place for washing and drying of hands and sanitary waste disposal.
No-touch solutions help minimise contact and reduce the transmission of germs.
Provide toilet seat cleaners to limit the number of germs spread from the ‘sneeze effect’.
Install air fresheners or air purifiers to maintain a pleasant smelling bathroom.

Kitchens and dining areas:

Cross-contamination and the spread of bacteria in kitchens can easily occur if proper hygiene practices are not in place.

Train staff on correct handwashing procedures and glove usage policies to minimise the spread of germs from hands to food and surfaces.
Ensure adequate hand washing and drying facilities are provided; well-stocked soap and paper towels, and waste bins. No-touch solutions will help reduce the risk of germs spreading.
Disinfect work surfaces regularly to ensure cross-contamination is reduced.

Leisure centre (gym/spa/pool areas):

Unhygienic conditions in public spaces such as the gym can lead to the rapid spread of disease, including respiratory conditions and intestinal disorders. Micro-organisms in sweat, urine, saliva and faecal matter thrive in poor sanitation and outbreaks can have an unpleasant impact on guests and your brand’s reputation.

Ensure adequate hand washing and drying facilities are provided in the changing areas, with well stocked soap, paper towels or electric hand dryers and waste bins. No-touch solutions will help reduce the risk of germs spreading.
Placing hand and surface sanitisers in key locations will help minimise the risk of cross-contamination amongst hotel amenity users.
Bad odours give the perception of an unclean environment, scenting solutions can help counteract malodours.

Conference rooms/business centres:

With a high level of human interaction and heavy usage, conference rooms and business centres in hotels create a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. A clean meeting environment creates a pleasant guest experience and reflects well on your brand.

Provision of hand and surface sanitisers will help protect guests within this environment.
Key locations which should be sanitised include communal desks, remote controls, door handles and telephones.