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Unit 1. Hotel Structure and Furnishings - Coggle Diagram

- - - - This department handles the business aspects of running a hotel and performs all the activities required to maintain accurate records, determine profit and loss, control costs and plan for the future.
        
        There are four main functions in the accounting department of a modern hotel:
        
        Accurate Accounting:
        
        It is the oldest responsibility of the accounting department. Almost all accounting functions are technical in nature and require specialized training or experience.
        
        Basic Accounting Concepts:
        
        Income, Expenses and Profit:
        
        The main revenues of a hotel are generated by the rooms. They are complemented by other areas such as food and beverage service, telephone charges, valet and laundry services, and so on.
        
        Revenues are received directly from customers or their bosses and indirectly through hotel representatives, travel agents and tour wholesalers.
        
        Operating expenses such as: utilities (electricity, water), payroll, telephone, advertising, among others, must be deducted from gross income to determine profits. This can be summarized as follows:
        Gross income - operating expenses = profit or loss.
        
        It is the responsibility of this department to prepare budgets, handle credit applications, perform bookkeeping, handle payroll, order office supplies and plan for the financial future of the hotel.
    - - As the backbone of the hotel organization, the front desk is the only department, except for the management, which is connected to the rest of the hotel's operational departments. The functions that characterize it are:
        
        Clients or card index
        
        And they are stored in the database, which will allow for mailings and different customer actions, depending on each company (anniversary greetings, Christmas, etc.). Some applications for computers use the data entered in the card for the subsequent completion of the police record.
        
        Magnetic room cards.
        
        Many hotels have magnetic cards to access the room instead of the classic key ring keys. In this way, in addition to the convenience of carrying the room key just like any credit card, security is much greater, since if it is lost, the customer can be given a new card with a different code for the lock, which will have received from the computer the pertinent order to recognize the new code and discard the old one.
        
        Check-out.
        
        At the end of the client's stay in the hotel and, therefore, at his departure, the computer will issue the invoice with the due breakdown of the charges corresponding to the services rendered. The form of payment of the invoice (credit card, cash, check) is recorded in the computer for appropriate control. Once the corresponding payment of the invoice has been made by the client, and after his departure, the computer will mark the room as vacant until the floor department indicates that it is ready for occupancy again.
        
        Room Division.
        
        He is in charge of managing the hotel's rooms, as well as the maintenance and cleaning of the hotel's areas.
        
        In order to carry out its activity, this division is coordinated with the reception and laundry units for the organization and management of:
        
        Control of Clients Entry and Exit.
        
        With this information that will have been provided from reception. The department has absolute control over the state of each room in order to proceed with its maintenance.
        
        Incidents
        
        that may occur in the hotel as a whole and that will require their services.
        
        Lingerie circuit.
        
        The department will request the linen material (sheets, blankets, towels, etc.) necessary to carry out the activity.
        
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    - - He is in charge of the operations of the dining room and the social room of the A and B service, to the rooms (Room Service) and of the banquets. He also performs all activities required to sell, prepare, serve and manage food and beverages.
        
        Part of the department is organized as a restaurant, with divisions for food and beverage preparation and service. Other parts of the department will handle room service and banquet A & B service.
        
        The division of A and B performs four important functions:
        
        - Generate additional profits for the hotel.
        
        Provide A B service to guests.
        
        Provide A and B service to the locality.
        - Control costs.
        
        In most hotels, the profits from operating a dining room and bar are relatively small when compared to room revenue.
    - - Electrical lighting systems.
        
        Plumbing.
        
        Heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
        
        General building maintenance and repairs.
        
        Maintenance of outdoor spaces.
        
        It is supervised by the Maintenance Director who hires a group of mechanics, plumbers, painters, carpenters and carpet and upholstery specialists.
- - - - The structure of this department is made up as follows
        
        The comptroller, or accounting manager, is generally the highest authority in this department. The comptroller reports directly to the hotel's executive director and is responsible for planning and implementing accounting procedures, supervising the department's staff, and preparing financial reports. His two most important responsibilities are revenue analysis and control of operating expenses.
        
        In a large hotel, the comptroller may be assisted by a budget controller, a credit manager, a chief accountant, and a payroll manager. The controller of the food and beverage division may also be part of the accounting division.
        
        The main function of the accounting staff is to record charges and payments to guest accounts, and to keep detailed records of monies owed to suppliers (laundry, commercial, glassware vendors, etc.).
    - - This department operates with the following structure:
        
        Front Desk Manager: has overall responsibility for supervising staff, setting departmental goals, and implementing policies and procedures at the front desk. This manager coordinates front desk operations, assigns tasks, and supervises and supports staff members. At regularly scheduled meetings, he evaluates staff performance; discusses operational problems and programs; and ensures that staff members understand and follow hotel policies, as well as operating procedures.
        
        The reservations department also works under the supervision of the front desk manager, who is responsible for planning and implementing goals and policies concerning reservations; preparing reservation statistics reports; and directing the front desk staff regarding daily reservation availability and capacity.
    - - Responsible for receiving, documenting and analyzing all guest reservations. Most reservations are received by telephone, computer or facsimile transmission. The reservations department may work closely with the central reservations office of a chain or referral organization; the central office duplicates the information data into a central computer system.
        
        In a small hotel, the reservations function may be handled by the manager or a front desk employee. In a large establishment, the office may be staffed by several full-time employees, led by a manager. The staff may include telephone operators who answer calls, computer specialists who maintain and update the computer system, and accounting clerks who handle checks and money orders for advance deposits.
        
        Night Auditor: This employee works during the night shift and traditionally performs two functions. First, he/she performs an important accounting function by balancing all the previous day's transactions; second, he/she performs the duties of the front desk clerk. The night auditor's accounting duties include recording room charges and taxes on guest accounts; recording additional charges such as telephones, restaurants, in-room movies, laundry service, etc.; balancing guest payments and charges against the previous day's closing balance; and performing accounting duties for other departments as required.
    - - It is composed of the housekeeper and staff responsible for cleaning the rooms, corridors and public areas.
        
        In a hotel this department may include the following positions:
        
        Executive Housekeeper
        
        Assistant housekeeper
        
        Floor Supervisor
        
        Cloakroom Supervisor
        
        Cloakroom Clerks
        
        Waitresses
        
        Waiters
        
        Service workers
        
        Laundry manager
        
        Laundry workers
        
        An executive housekeeper has overall responsibility for supervising the department's staff, including hiring and training new employees. It is also their duty to ensure that standards of cleanliness, neatness and hygiene are maintained in the rooms and in public areas such as the lobby, elevators and corridors, even during peak periods.
        
        The people responsible for cleaning the rooms are called chambermaids. Each of them has a checklist of tasks to be performed when cleaning each room, and a daily work sheet or to-do book to record the linens - sheets, pillowcases, towels, etc. - that are supplied to each room.
        
        Persons who are responsible for cleaning public areas such as the lobby, corridors and foyers are called housekeepers. In addition, the housekeeping department may hire a group of service workers responsible for distributing room supplies and cleaning supplies, and for minor maintenance, such as replacing light bulbs or stained lampshades.
        
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    - - This apartment consists of 2 areas:
        
        Uniformed personnel (bellhops, valet parking)
        
        Concierge service
        
        Bellhops perform their duties in the eyes of guests and often have more contact with guests than any other department or division.
        
        Although their job may seem simple, they play an important public relations role, beyond the simple task of opening doors, transporting luggage, and valet parking.
        
        In short, they are the first and last to interact with the guest in the hotel.
        
        In this department we have the following personnel:
        
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        Concierge Services: A concierge is an in-house consultant to guests and a coordinator of services offered by the community. Typical concierge responsibilities include greeting and escorting VIPs, coordinating lobby activities, and operating as a general information center about the hotel and community.
        
        At some properties, the concierge also functions as an in-house travel and tour agency and arranges everything from theater tickets to sightseeing expeditions. This department contains the following personnel.
        
        Hospitality Supervisor
        
        Hospitality Agents
    - - The department is managed by a maintenance manager, who supervises a group of engineering and maintenance specialists. The positions into which this department is divided are: head of maintenance, secretary, plumber, electrician, electrician, hostess, boiler operator, air conditioning operator, gardener (may also be hired as required), carpenter, mason.
        
        Food and beverage department. This department is traditionally divided into: food and beverage purchasing, food production or preparation, food services, beverage services, banquet and catering. The person responsible for this area is the hotel's Food and Beverage Director.
- - - - Áreas Comunes: El área común de un hotel es aquella en la cual es huésped hace el primer contacto con el personal del hotel (Front of the House), generalmente está en la planta baja (lobby).
        
        Lobby or Lobby: It is the living area in a hotel. Some hotels even have a bar in the lobby. In it you will find the following furniture: armchairs, small tables, information desk, telephones, lamps, decorations.
        
        Gigt Shops: These are small stores generally located in the lobby area, where retail items are sold to the public, such as: cameras and photographic rolls, curios, medicines, personal items. In them we will find the following furniture: chairs, tables, magazine racks, shelves, furniture with compartments, tables, cash registers, adding machines..
        
        Reception: This is the area where the admission of new guests takes place. Here we will find the following furnishings: counter, file cabinet, computer, typewriter, key cabinet, chairs, cash register, safe, desks, fax, adding machines, cash drawer, and other materials (stationery, letterhead envelopes, pencils, pens, erasers, pencil sharpeners, staplers and staples, white sheets, hotel matches, telephone directory).
        
        Cafeteria / Restaurant: Main dining room of the hotel. The cafeteria serves buffet. In them you will find the following furnishings: tables, chairs, hostess podium, telephones, credenzas, wine cellar (wine cellar), cash register, salad cabinet, computers, refrigerator, adding machine.
        
        Service Station: furniture (in some cases mobile) located inside the service area of the cafeteria or restaurant in which utensils and articles that are necessary for the waiter to offer the best service to the client are placed, e.g. napkins, cups, glasses, plates, cups, etc. In it we will find the following furnishings: Bain Marie, coffee maker, sink, refrigerator, ice maker, espresso machine, serving tray (tray), individual bread toaster, coffee jug, tea jug, donkey (furniture on top of which the tray is placed), glassware, among others.
        
        Conference and Event Rooms: These are rooms for holding social, political, private, etc. events. Among the furniture that can be found here are tables, film projector, computer, data show, projector table, board, microphone, etcetera.
        
        Bar / Discotheque: Commercial establishment destined exclusively to offer the service of entertainment and amusement with area or dance floor, music and sale of national and foreign drinks, by means of remunerated payment. The furniture that can be found here is the following: armchairs, tables, bars, chairs, scrubbers, dance floor, disk jockey booth, liquor deposit, cooler, cash register, credit system machine, ice machine, dishwasher, glassware, etcetera.
      - Recreation Area: These are destined to the recreation of the guest. Here you can find: swimming pool area, tennis court, gym. All these areas have the furniture and equipment to develop the different activities.
        
        Rooms: any room offered by the hotel. You can have the following: bed (there are several types), air conditioning, color TV, stereo, telephone, chest of drawers, lamp, armchairs, bedside table, etcetera.
      - Service Area: These are areas not exposed to the public in which functions and activities are carried out for the client: laundry, kitchen, etcetera.
        
        Pastry / Bakery: In it you can find the following: industrial-conventional oven and griddle, stove, etcetera.
- - - - The cold materials or those that provoke the sensation of coldness are marble, concrete, volcanic stone and granite tiles, which are elegant and serious.
        
        In warm weather, they induce a feeling of freshness and well-being. On the contrary, the materials considered warm or that provoke a warm sensation are wood, carpet, brick, clay, etcetera.