HA401 : The
Class : Operations
: Guest Services : Services
Guest Services
Resorts provide a larger range of services to their guests, some large and
some small. These services are provided by a larger and more diversely trained
staff and are often available 24 hours. Some resorts like the Phoenician in
Phoenix make it a point to not refuse any guest request. This might require
a lot of extra work and flexibility, but if the guest is willing to pay, the
resort will accommodate these requests.
Many of these services are related to the climate and culture of the resort
destination. We will discuss them more detail in the Recreation and Activities
section. Below we will discuss the added services provide by the rooms department.
- Turn down service – This service is one of the hallmarks of
a resort. It is an added service that personalizes and highlights the guests
stay. Turndown service is provided by the housekeeping department and includes
some or all of the following services:
- Turning down the bed by turning back the bedspread. Fluffing the pillows,
and opening the sheets on one side to prepare the guest for sleep
- Placing mints, cookies or other snacks on the pillow
- Replacing the towels with new ones
- Emptying trash and tidying up the rooms
- Turning on the lights to a low level and turning on the radio to a casual,
relaxing station.
The idea is to create a relaxing intimate atmosphere for the guest. This is
performed between 6:00 – 9:00 pm each night and the guest has the option
to decline this service.
- Triple sheeting – Resorts may or may not provide this service.
It involves adding a third sheet between the blanket and bedspread. The idea
is to protect the guest from the rough maybe not so clean blanket by having
the guest only feel sheets – one on the bottom, one under the blanket
and one over the blanket. It requires a lot of extra work for the housekeeping
and is the mark of a world class resort.
- Expanded concierge services – Concierges are expected to provide
a larger range of services to resort guests. These can be inside the resort
or in the resort destination. There are often several concierge clerks working
at the same time to provide the necessary assistance to guests.
- Individual tour and travel planning – This service involves
planning a specific travel experience for a resort guest. It could include
scheduling day trips or making lodging accommodations at another hotel as
part of a two or three day excursion. Examples would be a guest at a Phoenix
resort taking a day trip to Sedona for some jeep tours or shopping, or an
overnight trip to the Grand Canyon.
- Cultural and historical services – Resort employees are expected
to know about local cultural and historical activities that are of interest
to resort guests. This can include festivals and ceremonies, local places
to dine or dance, and the best places to shop for authentic arts and crafts.
These are examples of some amenities and services that can be expected when
staying at a resort. There are many other amenities and services that resorts
provide that show creativity, culture, climate or personalization. These extra
and unique services can be a pleasant surprise and add to the "Memorable Experience"
provided by the resort.
Once you have completed this module you should:
Go on to Topic 2: Food and Beverage
or
Go back to Topic 1: Rooms and Guest Services
E-mail Lloyd Shelton at Lloyd.Shelton@nau.edu
or call (928) 527-7518
