Everything you wanted to know about what happens behind all those closed doors

Today’s program will explain some of the things that happen behind the scenes in the hotel business

You get to the hotel ahead of your designated check-in time and you are surprised to find you can’t check in. WHY NOT?

The hotel may have been sold out the night before and check out time is at 11:00am. Housekeeping needs to get in each room and clean it. That takes time.

Have you ever seen the DO NOT Disturb sign on the door all day long? The guest has probably checked out and left it on the door. Housekeeping will not even knock on the door if the sign is there. This delays that room getting cleaned. If there is a room vacant and clean, the hotel will get you in it.

Maintenance of Rooms Hotels will schedule a number of rooms or even wings of a property for maintenance during the year. The hotel budgets capital improvements each month for upkeep and upgrades. These funds are given to the properties by the ownership each year and the property forecast the amount needed each month.

Why can you get per diem some dates and not other dates? How does a hotel decide this? Supply and demand, remember the hotel needs to stay profitable to stay open. Over compressed dates or high need dates, properties can charge higher rates, just like airlines.

The hotel does not usually want to contract meeting space (the name of the meeting room) with groups because there is always potential for the hotel to add another group. The hotel will always want to maximize their space but will ensure the group is comfortable.

 In regard to strategically placing groups hotels want to make sure that the room to space is in proportion as well.  Rooms are where the hotel gains profit, food and beverage is not. It is better for the hotel when a group wants guestrooms, proportionate meeting space and proportionate food and beverage.

 Hotels will also look at patterns. In downtown Denver the “peak pattern” is on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  All of these factors play into the proposal that a hotel will send out.

Why does a hotel have to have final numbers given 3 days in advance? Hotels keep a limited supply of food on hand. Fresh food is a “must”. Three days prior allows enough time to order in the food for your event.

Does the hotel prepare meals over the guaranteed number? On the average 3 to 5 percent, but this is only preparing the food, for example, the menu is steak and seafood duet plated dinner, 3 to 5 percent is ready BUT not cooked. If needed it will be cooked and served at the time of the function.

We know there will be some vegetarians, vegans, food allergies, gluten free needs that the kitchen will find needed during an event. A percentage of these are prepped and ready to be prepared as needed.

Look around a meeting room, a banquet room, everything you see requires upkeep. Chairs, tables, linens, cloth napkins, uniforms for the banquet staff, chafing dishes, china and so on. The service charge goes toward the upkeep along with a small portion for gratuity to the banquet staff.

Depends on the style and size.Usually rooms are set up the night before so that banquet staff is not rushed.Once a room is set up a manager will inspect the rooms. If a room needs to be turned right away, staff is brought in to do the work.

Why is it more expensive to have a banquet event rather than using the hotel restaurant? Labor, think of a restaurant that serves 200, the tables, are always set, the kitchen is close by, they keep large amounts of food and the wait staff is there. A banquet is more labor intensive, food must be ordered and the room must be set up and taken down after the event.

On average 1 server is assigned for every 30 guests. 1 bartender is assigned per 120 guests, but if it is a drinking crowd more will be assigned. Some hotels depending on their rating will have more staff for less attendees. A 3 diamond, 3 star rating will have 1 server for attendees, 1 bartender per 75 attendees.

Some hotels make money off recycled goods but the profits usually go back into improvements. Laundry savings – If a guest stays multiple nights and will use the same towel, sheets etc. during their stay, the hotel will save money on labor, water, soap, etc. This is the part of the Green Movement in Hotels.

 Questions ????  The Back of the House Tour will now begin.  Course designed by Mark Richardson, Kimberly Forte, CGMP and Chele Clark, CGMP, Rocky Mountain Chapter.