Amenities to bust the winter blues - How can you ensure that your guests are really enjoying an ultra-comfy and heart-warming stay at your establishment this winter? It’s the small things in life that really count, and once you have covered the essentials of a spotlessly clean room, a comfortable bed, delicious meals, and outstanding service, differentiating your establishment comes down to those little extras that really make a guest’s stay memorable.

Keeping your guests snugly warm - With winter arriving early this year, it is already time to get out the snugly blankets, comfy duvets and electric blankets. Of course, all blankets are not created equally, and just any old duvet will certainly not do. And, when it comes to electric blankets, there are additional safety issues that must be considered.

Brighten up the winter days - Nothing is more inviting than a magnificent display of beautiful, fresh flowers on the reception desk and in the room itself. The options are endless, the cost is manageable and the result is always stunning. The colour, vitality and freshness of a delightful floral arrangement on the reception desk is a wonderful welcome for travel-weary guests, while a bouquet of fresh flowers on the dressing table in each room adds a refreshing welcome and a splash of gorgeous colour.

Floral arrangements do not have to be expensive, as long as the flowers are fresh and well-presented. If contracting a florist to deliver bouquets on a weekly basis is beyond the budget, create your own flower arrangements with flowers from the flower market or even from your establishment’s garden.

Wrap your guests in the wonder of bamboo - Ever heard of bamboo towels? Harnessing the unique properties of one of the most diverse materials on earth, hospitality establishments can now wrap their guests in the ultimate luxury of silky soft towels that are made to last.

A lighter approach - With the winter comes an increase in the demand on our national electricity grid and the related increase in the risk of power failures. Make sure your guests have candles within easy reach, should the power by interrupted, accompanied by a reliable ligther that will never let you down. With five million BIC® lighters sold every day, you can now combine reliability with fashion following the release of the BIC Wrap series including BIC Black and White, Camouflage, Casino, Bling, Graffiti, as well as the Artist and Vintage ranges.

Safety tips for using heaters - With the winter chills settling over South Africa, it is time to bring out the heaters, and with the cost of electricity and the uncertainty of constant supply, many hospitality establishments may opt for gas heaters to keep their guests toasty warm. While gas heaters are no less safe than electric heaters, just as with electric heaters, some safety precautions must be implemented.
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How efficient is your laundry? - With the winter season here, the masses of linen and towels that must be washed every day is likely to increase. Keeping up with the load is a challenge for housekeepers, in which quality is paramount, while costs must be maintained and scare resources must be allocated with precision.

Carpet care: Prevention is better than cure - The carpets in your establishment are an asset, adding to the overall decor, ambience and welcoming atmosphere. Preventative measures to combat soiling and stains, as well as well-planned preventative maintenance will go a long way to maintain the value of this asset.

Housekeeping is essential in risk management - According to Safari and Tourism Brokers (SATIB), providers of specialist risk solutions for the tourism, hospitality and wildlife industries, good housekeeping reduces injuries and accidents, improves morale, reduces fire potential, and can even make operations more efficient.

However, to achieve all of this, the housekeeping team needs to establish daily, weekly and monthly cleaning procedures and ensure they are adhered to at all times. As with all risk management strategies, these procedures should follow an assessment of the potential risks faced, the severity and probability of each risk, and the steps required to reduce the risk.

100% recyclable eco-friendly hangers - While housekeepers should ensure that guests always have sufficient hangers in the closet to keep their travel wardrobe presentable, a new innovation allows housekeepers to do this in an environ-mentally responsible way. Read More...

Organic pest control - Crawling insects can pose serious problems in the hospitality environment, detracting from the perception of cleanliness and posing a health risk to guests. In addition, it is not easy to eliminate these pests safely, without inconvenience to guests or endangering their health. A solution to this problem is  now  available  in  the  form  of Cryonite,  a  100% organic,  environment-friendly  technology  ideal for use in the food and hospitality industry and complementary to  HACCP. Read More...

No rodents this winter! - The onset of autumn and winter often means an increase in rodent activity, which means foraging rats and mice might well become unwelcome guests at your establishment this winter.

Make sure you have taken every precaution against this intrusion, since rodents are not only a health and safety risk, but a guest encounter with one of these unsavoury intruders will certainly negate all other efforts to create a hygienic and pleasant stay.  Read More...