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CSI hotel room: Best Western goes high-tech to clean

In response to what it says is travelers’ insistence on cleanliness, Best Western is equipping its housekeeping crews with equipment you’d most likely see on the forensic investigation TV series: black lights to detect biological matter otherwise unseen by the human eye, and ultraviolet light wands to zap it. For possibly the dirtiest object in your room — the TV remote control — there will be disposable wraps.

Best Western says it’s taking the steps partly because research from Booz & Company shows that travelers desire a hotel’s cleanliness over customer service, style and design.

To read the complete article, click here

SEQPHA Seaworld August Breakfast

SEQPHA is holding their monthly breakfast at Seaworld Shoreline restaurant. On Wednesday 8 August at 7.00 am. Members $20.oo and non-Members $25.00. For more information contact Melissa Bent, melissa@corporatedesigns.com.au

Housekeeping presentation to 100 students at Republic Polytechnic Singapore

When Liz was in Singapore recently she took the opportunity to make a 1 hour presentation to the 100 1st year students studying hospitality.

The 18-20 year olds learnt what housekeeping is about as well as some of the new trends and innovations.

About Republic Polytechnic – the campus 

Republic Polytechnic is the fifth polytechnic in Singapore. It was born out of the conviction that the education landscape would benefit from diversity, both in the way the campus is built to enable learning, and the delivery of its curriculum which is geared towards technical education for our young in a vibrant city state with its attendant demands on citizens being entrepreneurial, innovative problem solvers. RP opened its doors to students in 2003, all charged to give a refreshingly new zest to the conventional classroom that many of them were accustomed to. For more information visit www.rp.edu.sg

 

 

Friends of Sala Bai celebrate 10th intake of Sala Bai students completing course with two special events

The completion of this 10th intake represents a significant milestone for Salai Bai and all its friends as it marks the fact that nearly one thousand students have graduated since the school’s inception. Moreover, Sala Bai has achieved the remarkable record of 100% graduate placement in hospitality positions. This accomplishment is even more heartening when we remember that, on average, every Sala Bai graduate supports 10 family members via their income. Thus, through Sala Bai, we can all be proud that the lives of an estimated 10,000 Cambodians has been markedly improved as a result of our support.

To celebrate this amazing achievement we have decided to stage two special events for Sala Bai supporters.

The first, on the 23 August 2012, is an Anniversary Dinner organised again by Maurice Cooper along with the students and staff from the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School. This year will be a special  “10thAnniversary Dinner with a Cambodian Twist”. We ask all again to fully support our “Mountaineers” by attending this wonderfully popular event and hope that some might even venture up from the big smoke. Last year our mountaineers were especially successful with fundraising, contributing nearly 50% of the total Australian pledge of $50,000. Maybe it is the fresh mountain air, or the persistence of Maurice, or simply the creative staging by the students that makes these mountain events so successful. To book a table or just a couple of seats please contact Maurice as soon as possible by email: maurice@bygonebeautys.com.au.

The second event is organised by our “City Slickers”. We will have a special 10th Anniversary Dinner on 16th November 2012 at the Q Station, Manly. As usual, our main focus will be the wine auction, but this year a special dinner with entertainment will provide lots more fun. We can’t verify for certain if the Ghosts of Quarantine Station have been invited to the dinner or not! Max and his team will warmly welcome the Friends of Sala Bai Australia (FSBA) for this exciting event and will also offer special rates for guests who can’t (or don’t want to) drive home after the wine auction and dinner. Panadol will be available at the breakfast buffet!

The Friends of Sala Bai have given $10,000 to Sala Bai as a Special Anniversary Present. This means we need to raise $10,000 more than last year. We therefore hope that if we all dig a little deeper into our pockets, we can achieve our new goals. Can we make it? Yes we can!

We look forward to welcoming you soon in the Mountains and to catch up with you later at Q Station.

Best wishes,

The Consuls of the Friends of Sala Bai, Australia

Sala Bai Hotel school staff and students

Housekeeping’s Unusual Guests

This photo was sent to us by one of our L&A  newsletter readers highlighting one of the more unusual practices of our guests!

Drying squid of the window ledge of this five-star property in Asia ranks up there is one of the most intriguing we have seen in a while!

Let us know if you have any photos to share, anonymously of course. Send your photo’s to Josephine email: Josephine@lycetteandassociates.com and we will upload them on the blog.

Looking forward to your input.

 

Drying squid on the window ledge

 

Very messy room

Ariane Lellmann graduates with MBA

L&A is delighted to announce Ms Ariane Lellmann, our Senior L&A Consultant has just graduated from the University of Technology Sydney with a degree – Master of Business in Management (MBus). Ariane toiled over 3 years, mostly evening classes and working weekends to complete her degree with majors subjects in organisational psychology and leadership.

Ariane loved the experience, finding she learnt so much and she mentioned the topics were super interesting. The challenge was managing her time and maintaining self-discipline to reach her goal. Ariane has taken on a full time roll as Campus Manager of the Blue Mountains Hotel School Sydney campus. Well done Ariane!

 

Workshop: 29 May – The Impact of the Carbon Tax on Housekeeping Operations

L&A presents in conjunction with Steve McGoldrick an informative 2 hour session that will help answer the your questions concerning the Carbon Tax:

  • Getting to grips with widely used terms. What is the carbon tax? greenhouse gases? global warming?
  • Which companies are likely to be passing on a carbon tax after July 12 2012. Attendees will be provided with a list.
  • What will be the impact on the hotel if suppliers are on this list?
  • Is the carbon tax like GST? Will it be shown on supplier invoices?
  • How will suppliers be affected by a carbon tax? This includes large chemical companies and large laundries. As they have to pay the carbon tax will they be passing on higher fees after July 12th 2012?
  • What can Housekeeping Managers do to reduce the effects of the carbon tax?
  • How can a Housekeeping Manager measure their carbon footprint? What’s involved?
  • What practices are likely to change as hotels become more ‘sustainable’?
  • When selecting any product what should Housekeepers be aware of?
  • As the cost of housekeeping represents a significant cost to any hotel – what are the most sustainable ways to be more efficient within Housekeeping?
  • With increased pressure on improving productivity, decreasing room cleaning time and using less chemicals—is quality including hygiene standards going to be affected?
  • Are there any new cleaning standards or certification programmes that may help Housekeeping Managers become more sustainable

Date: Tuesday 29th May from 4.00pm—6.00pm
Venue: Sydney Harbour Marrio

Housekeeping Coaching Skills workshop in Sydney – 17 May 2012

Lycette & Associates will be running a Coaching Skills workshop in Sydney.

The Coaching Skills workshop will be held at the Blue Mountains Hotel School – Sydney Campus, Level 4, 540 Georges Street, Sydney and will run from 9 am to 5 pm on the 17 May 2012

Register Now: http://www.lycetteandassociates.com/housekeeping-courses-training/?coaching-skills-for-housekeeping-supervisors

UKHA voted on new committee

2012-2014 Committee

The UKHA has held their election and have voted on a new UKHA London & SE chairman and committee members. This vote is organised every 2 years. Diane Stronach, Executive Housekeeper of the Savoy Hotel, kindly accepted to be independent judge. She received all votes, which were accessed and counted.

THE RESULT = 2012-2014 – UKHA London & SE vote

  • Regional Chairman – Anne Britton = Re-elected with 100% votes Regional committee (full members)
  • Madeleine Byrne, Arletty Jooron, Liana Sparks re-elected with an average of 97% votes
  • New member voted = Paula Gora with 98% votes
  • Regional committee (Associate Members)
  • Priscilla Ladha: Voting committee member
  • Alan Butcher:     Voting committee member
  • Lorraine Dale:    Special project team member
  • Barbara Hensher : Special project team member

For membership information contact Madeleine Byrne madeleine.byrne@jumeirah.com

 

Khatna’s journey!

Sala Bai is a French NGO hotel school based in Siem Reap, Cambodia, created in 2002 by “Agir Pour Le Cambodge”. Each year the school trains 100 young disadvantaged Cambodians in the four main professions of the hospitality industry: restaurant waiter/waitress, cook, receptionist and housekeeping attendant. During the 12-month training the school covers all training fees (lessons, school supplies, books and uniforms) and daily expenses (accommodation, food, bicycle, insurance and medical expenses) for the students. The training lasts 11 months from September to July. In August, the school is dedicated to helping the students find their first employment position. Sala Bai would like to share a short video with you about one of its Graduates, Khatna.

Khatna’s Journey – A Sala Bai Story directed by Mike Rodgers

View via Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/38017186