Cleanliness counts: why hotel hygiene can make (or break) the guest experience

Jamie Woodhall, UK Technical & Innovations Manager at Initial Washroom Hygiene

In a job interview and when meeting a partner’s parents for the first time, make the right first impression, and you can start to relax.

But for hotels, a guest’s first impression, and their second, third, and fourth, are just as important. From crossing the threshold of reception on their way to check in, to when they check out, guests will notice the cleanliness of the spaces they encounter.  This will inevitably impact how they rate their overall experience.

Anyone who has watched B&B owners on Channel Four’s ‘Four In A Bed’ don their white gloves to check for dust, or home in on a single rogue hair, will not be surprised that 78 per cent of hotel guests consider cleanliness the most important factor when choosing where to stay. In a highly competitive hospitality market, where online reviews make it easier than ever to share a poor experience, maintaining high standards of hygiene directly impacts a venue’s reputation, recommendations and repeat bookings.

Cleanliness is also about much more than keeping up appearances. Effective hygiene practices can help reduce the risk of illness and support hotels in meeting their health and safety and food hygiene responsibilities. For operators, creating an environment that feels clean, comfortable and safe should be a fundamental part of delivering a positive guest experience.

Look beyond the obvious

Hotel housekeeping teams will no doubt pride themselves on blitzing through bedrooms and bathrooms. And high-traffic areas like receptions, lifts, gyms and communal washrooms will likely be subject to a consistent cleaning schedule.

But holistic hygiene demands a focus on less obvious individual touchpoints where contamination can build up too. Door handles, lift buttons, remote controls, touch screens and other frequently handled items will be touched repeatedly by different people between cleans, so they need extra attention.

Regular inspections can help hotels identify potential gaps in their cleaning regime and ensure standards remain consistent across different areas and shifts. Crucially, hygiene should be seen as a shared responsibility across the hotel rather than simply a task for housekeeping teams.

Don’t overlook the washroom experience

Washrooms can have an outsized influence on perceptions of cleanliness. A poorly maintained facility or a missing essential can quickly undermine the positive impression created elsewhere in a hotel.

Keeping soap, toilet paper and other basic hygiene products consistently stocked is therefore essential. Research from Initial Washroom Hygiene found that a third of women would refuse to use a public washroom if essentials such as soap or toilet paper were unavailable. The same research found that 86 per cent of women surveyed felt the quality of the washroom consumables provided was important.

For hotels, this means thinking beyond whether products are simply present. Well-maintained facilities, reliable supplies and good-quality consumables can all help demonstrate attention to detail and reassure guests that their comfort and wellbeing are being taken seriously.

Small details can make a difference

Guests expect a hotel stay to offer something beyond their everyday experience, whether they are travelling for work or leisure. Hygiene can play an important part in delivering that sense of care.

Providing hand sanitiser in convenient locations, making washrooms easy to find and ensuring communal areas remain fresh and well presented are relatively simple measures, but together they can reinforce the message that cleanliness is a priority.

Hotels should also make it easy for guests to raise concerns and respond quickly when they do. Acting on feedback not only allows an immediate hygiene issue to be addressed, but can also help operators identify recurring problems and improve their procedures over the longer term.

Making hygiene the ‘unseen superpower’

Ultimately, guests shouldn’t even have to think about good hotel hygiene. When standards are high, cleanliness becomes part of a seamless experience: a spotless room, a well-maintained washroom, clean communal spaces and the reassurance that everything has been properly looked after.

But when those standards slip, hygiene can quickly become one of the most memorable parts of a stay for all the wrong reasons.

By embedding good hygiene practices across their operations, paying attention to frequently overlooked touchpoints and ensuring the basics are consistently delivered, hotels can help protect guest wellbeing while building the trust and confidence that encourages customers to return.