Hygiene in the Hotel Industry: Key Areas, Tips, and Checklists

Maintaining high standards is a priority for any hospitality business. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, cleanliness, safety, and hygiene standards have become even more of a priority.

Hotels and resorts can accept negative feedback or online reviews in areas like service delays. However, it’s not acceptable to receive negative reviews or compromise on cleanliness, safety, or hospitality hygiene standards.

What is Hotel Hygiene?

Hygiene in hotels typically involves a set of protocols designed to maintain cleanliness and prevent the spread of germs and diseases throughout the establishment. This includes areas such as guest rooms, common areas, food services, and personal hygiene.

Besides mentioning the cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitization procedures, these protocols also dictate the frequency, method, equipment, and products that must be used for each task. The hospitality hygiene protocols are designed based on the guidelines and recommendations of the relevant health authorities and industry standards, and they must be updated regularly.

Importance of Hygiene in the Hotel Industry

Hygiene in hospitality matters, as it directly impacts the guest experience. As per the AHLA’s 2025 report, cleanliness in the guest rooms and at the overall property is the key driver of guest satisfaction.

Guests expect a clean and safe environment. Failure to meet these expectations can attract negative reviews. Considering over 81% of travelers read reviews before booking their stays, poor ratings can affect your hotel’s bottom line and also damage its reputation. In some cases, they can even lead to penalties and lawsuits.

Moreover, poor hygiene practices can lead to outbreaks of illnesses, which can have serious consequences for guests and staff.

According to Mike Walmsley, a hospitality consultant and instructor, safety and hygiene should be a part of the establishment’s culture and how it operates in the business. Apart from catering to the regulatory requirements, hygiene protocols must ‘make sense’ to the people following them:

With a tool like GoAudits, you can do exactly that. Our hospitality audit software allows you to convert your hygiene protocols into an actionable list of items in the form of checklists.

You can track individual checklist items and monitor performance over time to understand where your staff needs to focus more. You can set cleanliness KPIs and track their effectiveness through frequent audits and inspections.

Designating a Hygiene Manager and Local Hygiene Officers in Hotels

Everyone in the hotel has a great responsibility to follow the proper cleanliness and hygiene standards. However, adopting proper measures and ensuring consistent adherence for all staff requires having a dedicated person in charge. 

If designating a Hygiene Manager was a luxury in the past, post-pandemic, it has become a must to ensure that all safety and hygiene practices and measurements are implemented and followed through. Moreover, all department heads should have a designated Hygiene Officer in their department to ensure the best compliance.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Hygiene Manager in Hotels

The roles and responsibilities of a hotel hygiene manager include overseeing:

• Personal hygiene
• Food hygiene
• Housekeeping practices
• Overall safety of the hotel

They must also have experience in training, inspections, corrective and preventive actions, and record-keeping for the above-mentioned job roles. In detail, this is what is included in the roles and responsibilities of a hotel hygiene manager:

1. Develop and Enforce Hospitality Hygiene Standards: Prepare and implement comprehensive hygiene SOPs and cleaning schedules across all hotel/ catering areas.
2. Staff Training & Oversight: Conduct food safety and hygiene training for all relevant staff, monitoring their personal hygiene and work habits.
3. Daily Hygiene Inspections: Conduct regular inspections of all food production, storage, and service areas.
4. Audit & Compliance Management: Perform internal and supplier audits to ensure adherence to food safety regulations and standards, overseeing corrective actions.
5. Pest & Waste Control: Implement and manage effective pest control and waste disposal systems.
6. Structural and Maintenance Coordination: Identify structural hygiene deficiencies and coordinate preventive/ corrective maintenance with engineering.
7. Food Safety Monitoring: Review microbiological results and manage the food traceability system for product safety.
8. Management Communication: Keep top management informed of high-risk areas concerning foodborne illness.

What are the Key Areas of Hotel Hygiene and Sanitation?

Clean and hygienic facilities can turn an average experience into an exceptional one and drive more business. Here are the key areas that you must focus on when creating your hospitality hygiene program, along with tips and free resources:

Guest Rooms

Room cleanliness is the most important factor that impacts guest experience. During our research, we stumbled upon Reddit posts discussing how small things in rooms affect a guest’s stay. Here’s a thread showing how particular guests are when it comes to hygiene in hotel rooms:

Here are some tips that you can implement in guest rooms at your hotel to offer the best guest experience:

• Replace or sanitize all items from the room that could have been touched by the guest, such as pens, notepads, and complimentary magazines.
• Use high-quality, washable duvet covers and fully encased, washable mattress protectors on all beds.
• Apply hospital-grade disinfectants to all high-touch surfaces.
• Provide all in-room amenities in individual, sealed packaging.
• Place a seal at the door after the final housekeeping inspection so that nobody can access the room prior to guest arrival.

Public Areas

Beyond the guest rooms, the cleanliness of a hotel’s public spaces leaves a lasting impression, shaping how guests feel about the entire property. Any overlooked spot can quickly become a point of concern, signaling a lack of attention to detail.

To keep these high-traffic areas spotless and inviting, focus on these key practices:

• Regularly disinfect all high-touch surfaces like elevator buttons, handrails, doorknobs, and public restroom fixtures throughout the day.
• Maintain strict cleaning schedules for all public restrooms, checking and restocking them frequently.
• Clean all flooring, whether carpet or hard surface, and pay immediate attention to spills or dirt.

Use these free templates to ensure property cleanliness in your hotel:

• Hotel Public Area Cleaning Checklist
• Hotel Lobby Cleaning Checklist
• Hallway Cleaning Checklist

Recreational Facilities

Guests go to pools, gyms, and spas to relax and rejuvenate. A dirty gym machine or a questionable-looking pool can quickly turn a leisure activity into a negative experience. The expectation here is absolute cleanliness, as these areas involve direct contact with equipment and water. 

For pristine recreational facilities, consider these practices:

• Clean and sanitize all gym equipment at frequent intervals throughout the day.
• Maintain strict chemical balance and filtration for all pools and hot tubs.
• Disinfect all changing rooms, showers, and locker areas multiple times.

Back of House Operations

While not seen by guests, the hygiene in back-of-house areas affects the guest experience and the hotel’s overall operation. Additionally, kitchens, laundry facilities, storage areas, and staff common rooms are breeding grounds for issues if not properly managed.

To deliver that truly fresh and comfortable feel, stick to these fundamentals:

• Implement stringent cleaning and sanitation protocols for all food preparation and storage areas.
• Regularly clean and maintain laundry facilities, ensuring proper handling and storage of clean and soiled linens.
• Keep all waste disposal areas clean and organized, with trash removed frequently.
• Make sure staff common areas and restrooms are cleaned daily.

What is Personal Hygiene in the Hospitality Industry and Why Is It Important?

Personal hygiene is the practice of maintaining cleanliness and grooming oneself to prevent the spread of germs and illnesses. It is more important in the hotel industry, where staff are often in close contact with guests and are likely to spread diseases.

Hotel staff working in food and beverage service are susceptible to spreading germs and viruses while handling food. Thus, they must implement good hygiene practices, like washing hands frequently and wearing protective clothing, to prevent disease outbreaks.

Secondly, personal hygiene affects the establishment’s reputation. A dirty or unkempt appearance of staff members can create a negative impression on guests and deter them from returning or recommending a hotel.

Good Personal Hygiene Practices in the Hospitality Industry

Here are the key personal hygiene practices for hotel staff:

• Handwashing Protocols: Staff must rigorously wash their hands before and after handling food, after using the restroom, and after touching any contaminated surfaces. This involves wetting, soaping for 20 seconds, thoroughly rinsing, and proper drying.
• Uniform and Grooming Policies: Set clear policies for clean uniforms, personal grooming (like hair restraints and trimmed nails), and the consistent and correct use of PPE for tasks like food handling or cleaning.
• Training on Hygiene Protocols: Provide mandatory initial hygiene training for all new hires, covering all relevant hotel SOPs and hazard response procedures. Conduct regular refresher training sessions, especially when new protocols are introduced. Explore our guide on how to train your hotel staff to learn more.
• Guidelines for Staff Illness: A sick employee can act as a vector for diseases. Therefore, make sure you have proper testing protocols in place. Once an employee is detected ill, they must be sent home immediately.

This is how a popular hotel chain uses the GoAudits hotel inspection app to identify sick employees:

Employees are asked to complete a short questionnaire via iPads at the entrance. That ensures that they are not currently experiencing any symptoms. There is also a QR code for a mobile version of the test.

Regional Talent Development Manager of a 5-Star Hotel

Why Food Hygiene in Hotels Matters

A hotel’s reputation and the protection of its guests depend on the establishment’s food hygiene standards. With the potential of attracting negative reviews and lawsuits, hotels must pay special attention to their food hygiene practices, ensuring guests and staff are safeguarded from foodborne diseases.

In addition to just following them, it’s also important to showcase your food hygiene practices. As Dylan Beaumont, General Manager at Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, explained, visible dedication to meticulous Global Food Safety Standards provides guests with confidence and relief in the product you offer:

HACCP Food Hygiene Standard

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is an internationally recognized, systematic, and preventive approach to food safety. It proactively identifies, evaluates, and controls potential biological, chemical, or physical hazards at every stage of the food process, from raw material sourcing and handling to preparation, cooking, and serving.

Applying HACCP principles allows hotels and restaurants to systematically pinpoint risks, monitor procedures, and define corrective actions in case of noncompliance. Explore our complete guide on HACCP audits to learn more about its types, principles, and certifications.

Here are free HACCP templates to audit food services and ensure food safety compliance:

• HACCP Plan Self-Assessment Checklist
• HACCP Food Safety Checklist
• HACCP Audit Checklist
• HACCP-Based SOPs

Essential Day-to-Day Food Hygiene Practices

Here are key practices for food hygiene and sanitation in the hospitality industry that you must implement:

• Safe Food Handling: Staff must adhere to strict protocols for washing hands, wearing gloves, and handling raw and cooked ingredients separately to prevent cross-contamination.
• Critical Temperature Control: Foods must be stored, cooked, and reheated at precise temperatures to inhibit bacterial growth and destroy pathogens.
• Rigorous Cleaning and Sanitization Schedules: All kitchen surfaces, equipment, and utensils must be regularly cleaned and sanitized to eliminate bacteria.
• Allergen Management and Communication: Clear procedures are needed to identify, separate, and communicate common food allergens.
• Effective Pest Control Strategies: It is vital to keep kitchens and food storage areas free from rodents and insects.
• QR Codes to Access the Menus: It reduces physical contact points, contributing to overall hygiene while offering convenient access to dining options.

Best Practices for Implementing Robust Hotel Hygiene Protocols

Now that we have seen the areas that you need to focus on to improve hospitality hygiene, let’s look at some tips and best practices that can further solidify your efforts:

Develop Clear SOPs for Cleaning and Housekeeping

Everyone in the housekeeping team knows that they need to ensure the property remains clean 24×7. However, the level of cleanliness expected from them can sometimes remain unclear. As a hotelier or manager, translate these expectations into simple, actionable steps.

Create housekeeping SOPs in the form of checklists, listing down every step of the cleaning process. Use hotel audit software like GoAudits to make housekeeping SOP checklists that can be easily accessed by your staff on their mobile devices to complete their housekeeping tasks.

Establish Frequent Cleaning and Disinfection Schedules

A strategic approach to when and how frequently surfaces are disinfected is crucial. High-traffic areas and commonly touched objects accumulate germs quickly, necessitating a more rigorous schedule.

Developing detailed timetables for cleaning and disinfection across all hotel zones ensures that no area is overlooked and that hygiene standards are consistently maintained throughout the day.

Implement an Inspection App to Quantify and Track Hotel Hygiene Standards

The hotel management also needs to provide the right tools and resources to the employees to implement and follow the proper standards, including cleanliness, safety, and hygiene guidelines. Manually tracking these complex protocols can be time-consuming and prone to human error, making consistent adherence a challenge.

A leading 5-star hospitality group successfully leveraged GoAudits, with their talent manager noting its impact. They found that the GoAudits hotel inspection app not only helped in auditing and streamlining cleanliness, safety, and hygiene standards across their properties but also enabled them to quantify these standards. This approach turned all feedback into performance metrics, helping them achieve the highest compliance scores in line with international hotel standards.

Perform Regular Audits and Inspections

While daily cleaning is essential, periodic, comprehensive inspections are indispensable for identifying systemic issues and gaps in hygiene protocols. These scheduled checks go beyond routine oversight, digging deeper into compliance with SOPs, staff adherence, and the effectiveness of cleaning products and equipment.

Regular audits provide management with critical insights, pinpointing areas that need improvement and making sure the hotel consistently meets and exceeds both internal benchmarks and external health regulations.

Improve Hygiene Standards With Performance-based Recognition for Associates

Motivating staff is key to consistent, high hotel standards. Recognizing employee achievements in cleanliness not only boosts individual morale but also encourages a collective commitment towards it.

Digital inspection tools, like GoAudits, play a crucial role here. With its dynamic dashboards, it is a very powerful tool to spot the commonly missed standards for a specific employee, department, or even a hotel. This helps to set a suitable action plan in order to rectify performance and processes where needed. 

Recognize your highest performing associates based on the audit results and follow-up. Using the app enables you to initiate and create a fun and competitive environment within your property, for example, by establishing inter-department competitions on audit results.

For us, GoAudits has been a phenomenal resource to develop a performance-based recognition program for associates and departments. These and other measures, as well as frequent hygiene inspections with GoAudits, have become part of our ways of working and are here to stay in the medium to long term.

Regional Talent Development Manager, 5-Star Hotel