While spending a week at the five-star, 453-key Halekulani in Honolulu, Hawaii, we found time to interview several senior staffers. This is one of those interviews, and a very important one given the housekeeping department’s other name the ‘heart of the house.’ Without room attendants, you don’t have a hotel. Period.
Hence, the role of the executive housekeeper is mission-critical in terms of leading the team that will represent the core engine for the hotel’s guestrooms. We met with Audrey Goh, Executive Housekeeper at Halekulani, on a Sunday morning. She has been in this position with the property since 1991, and before that, working in a similar position for the opening team at Regent Hongkong, Mandarin Singapore, Grand Kempinski in Dallas, and Bel-Aire Hotel in Los Angeles.
It was a rare opportunity to chat in a relaxed setting, squirreled away in the corner of a closed lounge area. This did not stop a similarly casual (off-duty) member of her team enjoying Brunch from coming by and introducing Audrey to his visiting two-year-old granddaughter. It was clear to us that something special was going on. After all, this was a Sunday morning.
Audrey stands maybe 5’ but packs a punch far above her stature. Previously, we interviewed several of her 160-plus team of housekeepers and were anticipating someone who commanded a room just by her presence. Instead, Audrey was gracious, passionate, humble, caring, and unassuming. Her presence immediately warmed us. Here’s what she had to say about what makes for a great housekeeping department at a luxury hotel.
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Audrey, how is business?
I’m pleased with our team’s performance. We continuously monitor performance, noting any guest service or property issues. Housekeepers are the leading edge of the service team. We are closest to the guests, like our family/’ohana’ and take this role seriously.
Let’s dig in. How have things changed since the pandemic?
The pandemic resulted in the loss of 50 team members. Many retired, others felt uncomfortable working in housekeeping, and some moved to other professions. This prompted us to broaden our search for replacements in some unique ways.
Explain.
Starting as a housekeeper at Halekulani can be challenging due to the physical demands and the high standards of perfection expected. We prioritize hiring individuals who demonstrate pride in their work, commitment to their tasks, and a genuine heart. Many team members have limited English proficiency, and for some, this is their first hospitality position, so they may not be familiar with the “art of service.” Therefore, we support their success by training them to improve their English language skills and taking the time to assist them in understanding our high standards. Their motivation to learn and meet these requirements is commendable.
Changing bed linens and cleaning is hard work. How do you inspire your team to deliver?
We are a family. We all work together and share in our successes and, in fact, our lives. Because of this familial bond, we understand and empathize with each other. We reinforce our work as the most essential part of the hotel’s success. We report reviews that reinforce our results. Often, I am the cheerleader and congratulate our team for dealing with issues intimate to our guests most confidentially and professionally.
Halekulani has been a luxury property longer than any other hotel in Honolulu. Now, others share this premier status. Does this mean working at Halekulani has lost some of its lustre?
We are proud that other hotels strive for the same perfection level in guest service. If we can learn from them, we certainly will. There is a cadre amongst the housekeeping fraternity. They all know someone who works on another property and what goes on in all of them. There are no secrets among housekeepers!
How does this knowledge of other hotels’ activities affect wages?
Let’s face it. If Hotel A has higher hourly rates than us, I will hear about it quickly. Our wage rates are tight with competitive properties. We rarely lose a team member because of wages. Our close-knit family is such that we monitor and respond as necessary. I won’t detail specifics here, but wage rates are tracked continuously.
Do you ever tire of your job? Have you ever considered retiring?
Let me re-phrase your question: Can a mother retire from her family? The JOY of work is to be able to see the teams be successful in not only their career but also that of their children. Our Housekeepers work hard, most have two jobs to support their family and see the fruition of their overall success. Every day is a new day for all of us!
Together, Adam and Larry Mogelonsky are the principals at Hotel Mogel Consulting Ltd., an asset management and hotel development consultancy. Their experience encompasses properties around the world, both branded and independent in the luxury and boutique categories. Their writing includes eight books: “Total Hotel Mogel” (2024), “In Vino Veritas: A Guide for Hoteliers and Restaurateurs to Sell More Wine” (2022), “More Hotel Mogel” (2020), “The Hotel Mogel” (2018), “The Llama is Inn” (2017), “Hotel Llama” (2015), “Llamas Rule” (2013) and “Are You an Ostrich or a Llama?” (2012). You can reach them at adam@hotelmogel.com to discuss business challenges or for speaking engagements.
