HOUSEKEEPING MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND STANDARDS OF SELECTED HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS OF ILOCOS SUR, PHILIPPINES

The standards of hotel and restaurant services encourage tourists and investors to stay in the country. This research assessed the housekeeping management practices and standards of hotels in Ilocos Sur in terms of cleanliness, orderliness, sanitation and safety, facilities/equipment, materials control and effective maintenance and the problems encountered in the housekeeping department. A validated researcher-made questionnaire was used to gather the data triangulated by interview and ocular inspection. Weighted means, frequency distribution, percentage and rank were used to analyze the data gathered. Housekeeping management practices were rated "very good." Cleanliness was rated "outstanding" while all the other standards were rated "very good." Problems affecting the housekeeping department of the hotels and restaurants were evaluated as "slightly serious." Hotels in Ilocos Sur are clean, safe, secure, and comfortable but some lack modern equipment and facilities. They subscribe to standards set by PD 856 and other regulations. Hotels are encouraged to recruit appropriately trained workforce and orientation and re-orientation must be part of their housekeeping management programs. Hotels must continue to upgrade their facilities to meet the demand of the fast changing technologies and taste of customers in this highly competitive world