
As usual, it was a great pleasure and excitement to be part of The Hotel Show Dubai and execute the Housekeepers League of Champions in their 4th edition this year. It was especially exciting as we had a break last year, due to obvious reasons.
This year’s Housekeepers Leagues of Champions saw 24 teams from all over the UAE competing with each other in a knock-out on the first day.
There was so much excitement and hype around our exhibition stall, which was set up as two identical guest rooms, back-to-back
It is unbelievable how much great talent is present at our hotels, and it is only a testament to the great hospitality we offer here in the UAE. The finest of teams came up to show case their ability to produce a spic and span guest room in only 6 minutes.
What is required to win the competition is not only speed but the skills and knowledge on how to apply the right chemical to surfaces and the technique on how to execute the job. The judges pinned down everything from right and wrong.
There was a room attendant spotting the carpet, but the vigorous rubbing did not impress the judges. While dabbing the stain was the right method of cleaning, points are only given to the team who did it right.
Day two was a bit more complicated during the first round. The remaining 12 teams had a total of 8 minutes to complete the rooms. This time, we added that all touch points needed to be clearly addressed and that presentation of amenities was of utmost importance.
The semi-final only saw 6 teams to compete, neck-to-neck, and the finalists fought for place two and three.
It was a great competition, and the winners became clearly the stars of the day. All participants received a certificate on the spot for participating at the competition. The winner took home trophies, handed over by Ideal Standard who sponsored the setup of the bath rooms.
Diversey Gulf sponsored the prizes for the three winning teams. They took home Taski aero vacuum machines for their teams and essentials such as Oxivir wipes and sanitizers.
The judges had a huge task to complete by monitoring the team’s performance and to decide who stays for the next round and who has to go home. It often was neck on neck and twice there was a tie.
Day three was reserved for panel discussions among the UAE Professional Housekeepers, along with experts from various sections of the hospitality and cleaning industry.
In total we had 5 panels with more than 15 speakers. The panel discussions offered us insights to the latest technologies in the world of cleaning, recruitment and retention, the changing perception of cleaning, the benefits and pitfalls of outsourcing as well as anticipating new hygiene requirements
Overall, it is a great experience to meet and network once again with so many hospitality professionals after a year of pausing due to the ongoing pandemic.
We are looking forward to The Hotel Show 2022 in May next year.