Interview with Lesley Skelt, Head Housekeeper – Coworth Park, Berkshire, UK

I always look forward to presenting you with another industry icon and this time I was able to interview the 2012 UK Housekeeper of the Year, Lesley Skelt. It is interesting to hear someone else’s point of view, of their different experiences and career path, but most of all someone with a passion for housekeeping.

I have known Lesley Skelt since the early 1980’s through our common contact L&A Associate, Janine Hancox. Lesley has a wealth of housekeeping and training experience within 5 star hotel properties in the UK and overseas, including a 2 year period spent with the Royal Household in Jordan. She has worked on hotel openings as a Housekeeper as a People Development Manager and as a General Manager. Lesley is “hands on” and an enthusiastic trainer, she thrives on challenges and works well under pressure. Lesley has just won the Hotel and Caterer Magazine UK Housekeeper of the Year award and her team came first at the recent UK Housekeeping Olympics.

By Liz Lycette

What is your cultural background?

I am British born and bred. I was born in Essex and moved to Bournemouth as a child.

What was your career path to date?

I started as a chambermaid in a B&B at the age of 14. I attended Bournemouth College where I gained an OND in Hotel Management. My first position after graduating was at the Royal Bath Hotel as trainee Housekeeping Supervisor. I was promoted to Floor Supervisor and then moved to The Dorchester in London for 8 years ending up as one of the Assistant Housekeepers overseeing public areas. I then moved to Chewton Glen in Hampshire as Head Housekeeper. During this time I also spent 3 years lecturing at Bournemouth University, Dorset. In early 1993 I set off traveling and ended up for 6 months at the K Club in Barbuda in the Caribbean as Head Housekeeper. On my return to England I took up a role as Head Housekeeper at the Lygon Arms and in 1995 I moved to Jordan in the Middle East and became the Housekeeper for the Royal Palaces for 2 years.  Back in the UK in 1999, I had various roles over the next 10 years with Hotel du Vin & Malmaison Group including opening Head Housekeeper, deputy GM, General Manager and a regional People Development Manager. I then went back to my Dorchester roots and joined Coworth Park in March 2010 before the Hotel opened in September 2010

What was your first role as Executive Housekeeper?

Chewton Glenn in 1987 for 5 ½ years

What challenges did that bring?

I was involved in a lot of staff training to improve the standards of the hotel along with a whole new management team at that time.

What is your current position and Hotel? What are your current job responsibilities at your hotel?

I am the Head Housekeeper at Coworth Park, part of the Dorchester Collection. I am responsible for the rooms, public areas, linen and uniforms.  Coworth Park is a 70-room luxury country house hotel and spa set in 240 acres of picturesque Berkshire parkland. 30 suites and rooms are located in the Mansion House and a further 40 suites and bedrooms in the converted stables and cottages. This of course brings many logistical challenges

How many staff are you responsible for?

I have a team of 42 staff – both full time and part time. 

What would your typical day be like?

I start at 7.30am, check my emails and plan the day ahead. I have a walk through all areas and attend the Hotel operations meeting at 9.00am. My housekeeping meeting is at 10am and then my day varies, I could be ordering uniforms, trying to solve the ongoing problem of cobwebs on the exterior of the buildings, moving boxes, helping strip rooms or taking a supervisors section. Being a country house hotel, my role is very hands on so I am always out and about; I usually finish from 7- 8pm.

What are your top four challenges this week?

1. Taking a storeroom and making it into an area presentable to the guest
2. 45 of our rooms are outside in the grounds – and its snowing!!
3. Dealing with the consequences of a tray of champagne being dropped in the front hall
4. Handling a personality conflict within the team.

How did you choose those managers under you?

Their personality must fit in with the rest of the team. They need to be “doers” with a get up and go attitude. Many of the team haven’t worked in hotels let alone Housekeeping before so that presents some challenges.

How do you manage moving from country to country?

I get to know the people and traditions including those in Muslim countries

How does pre-opening work compare with working in an existing property? What are the top 3 challenges in an opening?

1. Recruitment
2. Finding the right products to suit the establishment
3. Training – especially when you cant get into the Hotel until a week before its open

Going from Europe to the Middle East what are the differences in your management style?

In the Middle East you need to give very clear directions to the staff most of the staff come from the Philippines or Pakistan and are used to being directed. In the UK each person has to be managed individually.

What are your top 3 tips for success in Housekeeping Management?

1. Stamina
2. Sense of humour
3. Getting on with people and learning how to motivate people.

If you had to do it all over again what would you do differently?

I’m glad I went into different areas other than Housekeeping; it gave me a better understanding especially when I was in HR or as a General Manager.  When I was younger I didn’t have as much confidence.

What advice would you give someone starting out in housekeeping?

Get a good pair of shoes and get to know your team. Be ready for anything!

How about your personal life? How do you balance work and home life?

I don’t do this well.

What do you do for fun?

I sleep and spend time with the family and friends. I also enjoy gardening and reading.

How do you think housekeeping management has changed since you started?

Housekeepers now have far more responsibility including budgeting, training and recruitment. We need to be to be more flexible, understand fabrics, floorings and cleaning methods and have a good knowledge of other departments.

Where do you think it is heading?

Housekeepers must educate themselves and become more knowledgeable. They need to be more aware of costs and potential savings. Housekeeping is a tough area, one of the biggest areas in the hotel and needs to be given credit for that.

Coworth Park and Lesley’s team were the overall winners of the inaugural UKHA Housekeeping Olympics 2012

On the 5th October 2012 at the Millennium Copthorne and Chelsea Football Club, UKHA held the  first Housekeeping Olympics competition.  27 hotels participated.

The day was a wonderful demonstration of excitement, competitiveness, enthusiasm and hard work from all who entered.

Each hotel could enter a team of 4 made up of Room Attendants and House Porters

The competition – involved the following:

• Bed making & innovation
• Toilet Ball – an agility contest throwing a toilet roll into a container
• Vacuuming – 1 team member  vacuumed  a marked area covered with confetti
• The Knowledge – a  questionnaire completed by the team.
• Eye for detail – 1 team member in a room had to find as many hidden stickers as possible.

Coworth Park was the overall winner of the whole competition.

Lesley was also named as 2012 Housekeeper of the Year by the Caterer and Hotelkeeper Magazine

Since their launch in 2007, the Hotel Cateys have already become the UK hotel industry’s only truly independent benchmark of operational excellence.

The awards recognise, reward and celebrate the unsung heroes who work tirelessly to support the UK’s hotel sector by delivering an exceptional guest experience day in, day out.

There are 16 award categories, with a separate judging panel for each category.

Each award had to meet specific set criteria, which varied depending on the category. A shortlist from each category was then drawn up and entries were scrutinised by a judging panel. Judges were invited by Caterer and Hotelkeeeper and were made up from those that work in the hotel and hospitality industry.

The Housekeeper of the Year Award was open to all housekeepers who exemplify first-class cleanliness and hygiene in bedroom preparation in either an independent hotel or group hotel. They manage a housekeeping team, and must be committed to the efficient running of the housekeeping department.

Lesley Skelt , Head Housekeeper at Coworth Park won the award in 2012.