Call for entries from County Down hotels now open.
The Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF) has launched its annual competition to find the best Housekeeping teams in Northern Ireland. The awards which are celebrating their tenth year, recognise and celebrate the contribution that cleanliness plays in sustaining Northern Ireland’s thriving hospitality industry.
NIHF President Stephen Meldrum said: “The competition seeks to raise the profile of housekeeping, recognise best practice in the sector and reward those who make an outstanding contribution to the hotel industry. One of the most important parts of any guest’s stay is the standard of housekeeping and this department is often overlooked, despite its crucial role within a hotel.
“Housekeeping’s contribution is critical to the successful day to day running of our businesses. The Federation is keen to highlight the excellent job that these teams do and reward the best in the business. We are delighted to have support from a range of industry partners for this initiative and we would urge all hotels to take part in this year’s competition.”
Front Row L-R: Mal Metrustry (Ecolab), Janice Gault (NIHF CEO), Alan Blaney (Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality) and Back Row L-R: Kevin O’Neill (King Koil Beds) and Stephen Meldrum (NIHF President).
Stephen added: “We have come a long way since 2010 when we launched the search to find the best housekeeping team with a small lunch in the Wellington Park Hotel. We had just 19 entrants and the winners were from the Tower Hotel in Derry-Londonderry, which is now The Maldron.
“Last year we had a record number of entries and the awards now have four categories. This reflects the significant growth that there has been in the industry over the last decade and the scale of the contribution that housekeeping has to play. I would encourage all managers to submit an application and recognise the vital role that their staff make.”
The 2020 competition to find Northern Ireland’s best housekeepers will take place in the Europa Hotel, Belfast where entrants will undergo an assessment of their skills focusing on the key tasks in housekeeping. They will also gain an insight into their role in the visitor experience and join in some enjoyable exercises relating to their jobs. The winners will be announced at an awards dinner in the Hilton Hotel, Templepatrick on the 11th March 2020 hosted by celebrity compere, Stephen Clements.
The competition has been supported by Tourism Northern Ireland with category support from Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality, Ecolab and LinenCare and beds supplied by King Koil beds.
Further details can be obtained from the NIHF office on 028 9077 6635 or by visiting the website:
