Cleaning Tips

What Is Turndown Service?

Last updated on Aug 15, 2022
Kevin Singhel

Turndown service is a service offered in the hospitality industry that involves readying a guest's room for the night. The service is performed in the evening while guests are out for dinner or another activity, allowing them to easily go to bed when they return to their room. Offering guests a turndown service promotes a luxurious and comforting environment, allowing guests to feel at home. Below, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about turndown service and show you how to implement the service into your establishment.

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What Does Turndown Service Mean?

The term turndown service refers to a specific procedure done to ready a guest’s room at night. The practice is a several-step process that involves cleaning and readying multiple areas of the room. Although turndown service may vary from location to location, here is what a typical turndown service looks like:

  • Turn Down the Bed- Ready the bed by removing excess pillows and folding both the duvet and top sheet down.
  • Clean the Room - Remove loose items such as trays and empty bottles from the room.
  • Replace Towels - Change out used hotel towels with new dry towels.
  • Place Turndown Amenities - Many turndown services leave behind a small amenity such as a chocolate or breakfast menu for guests to enjoy.
  • Close Curtains and Turn off Lights - All curtains and blinds in the room should be closed, and all lights except a bedside lamp should be turned off.

Hotel Turndown Service

Turndown service is often seen as a key component of luxury hotels. Usually, high-end hotels and resorts with several stars are the only types of hotels that offer turndown service, meaning you won’t find it at every hotel you stay at. Hotel turndown service enhances the feeling of grandeur, combining with various other amenities to complete a luxurious experience for guests.

Vacation Rental Turndown Service

Although turndown service is typically reserved for hotels, there are some vacation rental turndown services offered by hosts. Similar to how it's completed in a hotel, vacation rental turndown service involves readying a guest’s bedroom for the night. Turndown service in a vacation rental can offer a unique feeling of luxury that not a lot of other rentals offer.

Guests that utilize vacation rentals over hotels often have different consumer behaviors than those who stay at hotels. Vacation rental guests usually aren’t looking for the peak of luxury, meaning adding turndown service to your vacation rental may not have a huge effect. Additionally, maintaining turndown service when you don’t have a full housekeeping staff can be difficult and time-consuming, so be sure to consider how adding turn down service will affect the profitability of your vacation rental.

Advantages of Turndown Service

Providing turndown service to guests provides a slew of benefits for your business and your guests. Additionally, turndown service is optional and guests can opt out by placing a do-not-disturb card on their room door. Those that do utilize your turndown service will find many helpful positives. Here are some commonly cited advantages that guests who use turndown may enjoy:

  • Convenience - Guests will feel like your location is a convenient place to stay, as turndown service handles some of their nightly chores.
  • Luxury - Turndown service is often considered a luxury, so adding turndown service to your business can make your location seem more luxurious.
  • Comfort - Guests will feel much more comfortable and refreshed in your location with fresh towels, a clean room, and amenities.
  • Visibility - Leaving amenities such as menus or brochures for your hotel's other services can increase visibility and entice guests to try all your offerings.

Turndown Service Ideas

Many hotels leave behind unique amenities when finished with their turn-down service. These amenities are left as little gifts for guests, aiming to boost their mood and overall enjoyment of your location. These amenities let guests know you’re thinking of them and are willing to go above and beyond to provide excellent service. Here are some of the most common turndown service ideas hotels and resorts employ:

  • Menus and Brochures - Advertise the services and foods your establishment offers to encourage guests to try them out.
  • Mints and Candies - Small items like mints and candies can be left on pillows to give guests a sweet surprise.
  • Personalized Notes - Let your guests know you care by leaving a letter/note, detailing what they can expect while staying at your location and where they can turn to if they ever need anything.
  • Toiletries - Offering take-home variations of toiletries like shampoo, soap, and conditioner can allow guests to bring a part of your hotel home with them.

What Is a Turndown Attendant?

A turndown attendant is a staff member that specializes in providing turndown service in rooms. The responsibilities of turndown attendants involve performing routine housekeeping tasks, replacing towels, and distributing amenities. When hiring a turndown attendant, prior knowledge or experience with housekeeping is recommended. Strong communication skills and the ability to work without supervision are also good qualities in a turndown attendant. These qualities allow the attendant to independently clean rooms and interact with guests in a positive manner when necessary.

Turndown Service vs Housekeeping

Turndown service and housekeeping are often used interchangeably, but they are not always referring to the same thing. Turndown service refers to the act of preparing a guest’s room for the night and is done in the evening while the guests are enjoying dinner or some other night activity. Housekeeping is an overarching term that includes turndown service but also encompasses other aspects such as laundry and preparing rooms for customers just checking in. Unlike turndown service, other housekeeping activities are done throughout the day, not just in the evening.

Implementing turndown service into your business is a great way to add an element of grandeur for guests to enjoy. When utilized, turndown service can instill a high level of comfort, giving them everything they need to end the day on a happy note. Whether you operate a luxury hotel or run a vacation rental business, adding turndown service could be the thing you need to turn your establishment into a luxurious location.

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