layout of housekeeping department

Layout of housekeeping department in the hotel:

• Housekeeping department should be in such place which is accessible to all the employees.
• Housekeeping department should be in that area which is at the back side of the hotel,not disturbing any guests.
• Housekeeping department should be in the ground floor which must be able to hold heavy equipments.
• Housekeeping department should be in such place which is away from general traffic.
• Housekeeping department  should be in the convenient place to keep the different equipments used.

Cost, career and studying hospitality/ hotel management in Nepal

As it is renowned that hospitality is the most popular and common study nowadays. It is a most commercialized industry and a sector that everyone is interested to serve.There are many titles and posts in hospitality industry as it is a vast sector of service. The person interested in hospitality must have the motto " I serve." There are numerous hotels all over the world that accept the hospitality degree.
cost:
The cost of studying hospitality management in Nepal is about four lakhs and fourty thousand. This means in 4.5 lakhs, we can gain three years bachelors level in hospitality/ hotel management from reputed university. The average income after completing this course about 50, thousand per month in Nepal after becoming professional in our job. But it depends upon our own desire to struggle and dedication to work. We can earn more than that according to our employment position.
Areas:
Generally we think that BHM means being a manager or a chef. But this is a wrong thinking people have in their mind.There are many areas of work we can choose after our degree like:

Kitchen-posts
Executive chef: It is the topmost post in the kitchen of the hotel. The salary is also very high, ranging from above 1 lakhs in Nepal. It takes nearly 10 years to be a professional esecutive chefs.There are other posts of chefs we have to go through to be an executive chef.
Food and beverage service
It is another department to carry on in the hotel industry.F&B manager is the highest post in this section. the below posts are supervisor, captain, etc.there are many areas of career in food and beverage service.
Front office
Front office is the main section of the hotel as it is the main section to deal with the customers.There are many areas of job in this department. Front office manager, supervisor, Lobby manager, Guest relation assistants, etc. involve in front office operations. The front office must be more tactful, good looking and intelligent as they mostly are connected with the every guests.
Housekeeping
The housekeeping department upkeeps the hotel and public areas in the well manner. The highest post is Accomodation director. Then after Housekeeping managers, supervisors and attendants.
Accounting
This department looks after the financial transactions of the entire hotel.

In the overall view, The BHM graduates are supposed to start their job from the supervisory level but due to competitive market,we must start our duty from the trainee level in Nepal.

Process & procedures of reservation handling in the hotel

There is a systematic process & procedure of reservation handling in the hotel. All the reservation attendants must undergo these procedures to complete the reservation complete.

1. Receive reservation inquiry / request:

Reservation section receives a request for room reservation from various process. The reservation assistant must be capable of quickly determining the clients need and should be ready with reservation form and pencil or pen while getting reservation inquiry. The reservation assistant must obtain the following guest related information:

Guest name, address and telephone number
Date of arrival and departure

Desired room rate and plan

Number of pax

Type of room requested

Method of payment
Any other special request
2. Determining the room availability: After receiving the information about the guest duration of stay next step of reservation procedure is to check the availability of room type requested by the guest referring to the forecast board, reservation chart or through computerized system.
3. Accepting or denying the request: After checking the room availability, if the requested room is available the reservation will be accepted.If the rooms are sold out on the requested date, apologize with the suggestion of any other alternative rooms or hotels.The request is also denied if the guest or travel agencies are black listed.
4. Documenting the reservation details: If the reservation request is accepted, the reservation is taken in the reservation form with all the necessary information.
5. Confirming the reservation: Once the rooms requested by the guest is available and guest agrees to the rates, the reservation is confirmed by the reservation assistant by the advance deposit through various modes and confirmation number is given to the guests as a proof that the room is booked.
6. Maintaining the reservation record: After recording the reservation details in the reservation form, it should be properly filed for the future reference. In case of any changes or cancellation is done, the details must be attached with reservation form and updated.
7. Compiling the reservation report: The details from the reservation are most important. Such details help in forecasting cancellation, no show analyzing the market segment, preparing the history card,etc.

Systems used in hotels

There are three systems used in hotels to perform the entire operating of the system like accounting, guest cycle, sales and marketing activities. They are:

1. Non-automated manual system: This is a system which is characterized by the sole uses of hands. In fact, all formats, procedures and different kinds of calculation are done manually. The small hotels and the old hotels used this types of operating systems.
2. Semi-automated or electro mechanical systems: This system gets use of some electro mechanical equipments. In fact, under the semi automated system,each department might have its own computer system under which handles all its operations.
3. Fully automated /computer based system: This is the best system ever used in hotels. In fact, it is characterised by the excessive use of departmental software package program integrated and connected to a mainframe or terminal situated at the front office department.

man using computer system

NATURE OF WORK IN HOTELS

In all hotels, the nature of work is similar.Managers and assistant managers work to ensure that guests visits are pleasent and comfortable.The 5- star hotel may employee hundreds of workers and under the manager there may be assistant managers assigned among different departments responsible among various aspects of operations. Employee in most of the hotels enjoy a comfortable and pleasant nature of work, the office staff works with automated electronic office system which provides best working condition. Hotel works on a 24*7 basis so the employees work on a shift system. Communicating with the various kinds of people would make the work quite interesting but housekeepers and their assistants perform quite streneous duties.

HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM

Hospitality is the relationship between the guest and the service provider in terms of services offered.Hospitality includes reception and entertainment of guests,visitors or stranges in an warm and welcoming way.
Tourism may be described as the activities of tourists and those who cater for them.Tourism is a highly diversified business,with many components ranging from airlines to hotels.Tourism is overall concerned with:

• Providing travel and transport facilities


• Providing food and beverage


• Providing information and assistance


• Providing accomodation


• Providing entertainment/recreation


• Providing souvenirs

DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OF HOTEL

As the different companies need different sections for the smooth functioning, The hotels are also classified into different departments prior to their services and assignment in the hotel.All the departments are equally important in any organization.The different departments of a hotel are categorised into front of the house and back of the house as per their functions.Front of the house means those departments which come to contact with guests and back of the house means the departments which do not come to contact with the guest but help in the management and functioning of the organization.The different departments of a Modern hotel are:

1. FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT: Front Office department is the department which comes directly to guests contact at all times.This department plays an important role of in the image building of the hotel.The guests face in this department at first whenever they enter into the hotel including the time of check-in and check-out.In front office also, there are different sections which perform tasks as per their division like:

• Reservation
• Registration
• Information
• Travel desk
• Lobby
• Business center
• Bell desk
• Telephone operaters desk

1. HOUSE KEEPING DEPARTMENT: This department is for the management of cleanliness of the hotel and public areas,cleanliness of the linens and uniforms etc.
2. MAINTAINANCE & ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT:This department is responsible for the repair and maintainance of the hotel equipments, electricty, plumbing, carpentry, masonry etc.

3. F&B (FOOD AND BEVERAGE) PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT: This department prepares the food and beverage as per the guests order in the hotel. There are different skillful chefs in the hotel for cooking and preparing the dishes.
4. F&B SERVICE DEPARTMENT:This departments means different outlets in the hotels like coffee shops, speciality restaurants, bars etc where food and beverage are served to guests.
5. LAUNDRY DEPARMENT:This departmeant is responsible for the cleaning and maintaining guests and hotel staffs, as well as hotels launderable items in the hotel.
6. HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT: This department is responsible for the hiring and firing of the staff,providing uniforms checking attendance, organizing training and providing the rights of the employees.
7. PURCHASE DEPARTMENT: Purchase department is responsible for the purchase of all the required items in the hotels.
8. SECURITY DEPARTMENT: This department is responsible for the providing the safety and security for all the guests as well as staffs and the hotel premises.The  security guards are responsible for this purpose.

NEPAL, THE MOST WANTED PLACE TO VISIT

Nepal is the most place to visit in all over the country because its Natural beauty, highest mountains, forested plains, hills rivers and diversified cultural heritages where anyone can have recreation. Nepal is a small country with length of 800 km from north-west and width of 90 kms. to 230 kms. covering the total area of just 147,181 sq.kms. However, in small area,Nepal has several destinations and has the ability to make the visitors get entertainment by overlooking mountains such as Everest, Annapurna,several cultures, races,several wildlifes,etc...

As Nepal has its own objectives and importance in the natural beauty,diversified socio-cultural heritages,it has become the most wanted place to visit in the world.

NEPAL TOURISM YEAR 2011

Nepal is a renowned country in the world tourism map because of its natural beauty,high mountains, incomparable cultural heritages,and numerous specialities. However, the development in tourism is certain in number and within the certain areas of country only. The new government has shown the grater interest in the tourism sector of nepal which contributes to economic growth and overall development of the country.

Similarly the well wishers of Nepal, tourism acedemicians,students and celibrities are also approaching to highlight the importance of Tourism year 2011 internally as well as internationally as 'VISIT NEPAL YEAR 2011'.