Changes in housekeeping services in local hotels
Many hotels across the country have recently moved away from daily housekeeping services. Some hotels now give you the option to opt-in for daily housekeeping services.
On Hilton's website, it mentions its new housekeeping services: "Guests are invited to tailor their housekeeping services to their comfort level. To schedule, simply call the front desk."
"They offered to clean every day if you want them to. We don't always have them do that because the room's fine, but they offer," said Cindy Howarth, a tourist from San Diego staying in the Hilton Palm Springs. "I just say either I'm not interested in getting it done that day or I'll say yes, please come clean my room.”
The general manager of the Hilton Palm Springs, Aftab Dada, said housekeeping in the hotel has changed. It’s now a service you opt-in for. He said it’s mainly because of COVID-19 safety guidelines and the shortage of workers.
“We give all the opportunity to our customers on check-in [to opt-in for housekeeping services] and they've been extremely flexible and accommodating," said Dada.
Splash House is on its last weekend. The Renaissance and The Saguaro are two of the hotels hosting the event. Both don’t offer housekeeping automatically every day. You have to request it. Even though the Hilton isn’t hosting Splash House, Dada said it has seen more guests because of it, especially on slower days like sundays
More guests than normal does make it harder to keep up with the demand for housekeeping.
“Definitely, the challenges are multiplied. However, like I said, we are making it and we are trying to do the best experience of service that we can provide, that our customers expect from us," said Dada.
For now, housekeeping services in most hotels are optional. It might go back to automatic daily housekeeping or it might just be a new normal we’ll see in hotels.
