Room attendant in a Romanian hotel: your first week
What you will do in your first days as a room attendant (housekeeping) in Romania, the rules the housekeeper checks, and the mistakes new staff make most often.
By Viorel Păun, The Butler Hospitality Collection
In short: in the first week the housekeeper (your supervisor) checks three things: do you clean in the right order, do you keep clean and dirty linen apart, and do you respect the guest. Speed comes later.
Day 1: the trolley and the floor
- You get your uniform, your floor and your list of rooms.
- You learn how to fill the trolley: clean linen in one place, dirty linen and rubbish in separate, marked bags.
- You learn the room status words: VC (vacant clean, ready to sell), OD (occupied dirty, to clean), OOO (out of order).
Days 2–3: the cleaning order
- Air the room first.
- Clean from top to bottom, and from the inside of the room to the door.
- Use the colour code: red cloths only for the toilet.
- Disinfect door handles, light switches and the TV remote every time.
- Make the bed with no creases and tucked corners.
Days 4–5: speed and checks
Now the housekeeper checks your rooms. A room is ready only when it is clean, tidy, fully stocked and smells fresh. One missing towel can bring a complaint.
Check yourself: the free room attendant test in English has 10 questions on cleaning, linen, chemicals and hygiene, with an explanation after each answer.
Rules about guests
- DND sign (Do Not Disturb): do not knock, do not go in. Come back later.
- Before you enter an occupied room: knock, say “Housekeeping”, wait.
- Do not touch or read the guest’s things.
- Money, jewellery or any item left behind: hand it in at once and record it.
Mistakes new room attendants make
- Shaking dirty linen. It spreads dust and bacteria. Put it straight into the bag.
- Mixing cleaning chemicals. Some mixes give off toxic gas. Use each product as the label says.
- Using the same cloth for the toilet and the sink.
- Leaving the trolley in the middle of the corridor.
Useful Romanian words
| Romanian | English |
|---|---|
| Bună ziua | Good day |
| Curățenie | Cleaning |
| Prosoape | Towels |
| Lenjerie | Bed linen |
| Mulțumesc | Thank you |
After the first month
If you want to show your skills to a new employer, the full room attendant assessment in English ends with The Butler certificate, with a QR code they can check on their phone.
Frequently asked questions
How many rooms does a room attendant clean in a day?
It depends on the hotel and the type of room. Your housekeeper will tell you the number for your floor.
What is the difference between a check-out room and a stay-over room?
A check-out room gets a full clean and new linen for the next guest. A stay-over room gets a daily refresh: bed, towels, bin and surfaces.
The Butler certificate is issued by The Butler Collection SRL to everyone who passes the assessment. It is not a Romanian state qualification (ANC) certificate. This page does not give advice about visas or work permits; ask your licensed recruitment agency or the Romanian authorities.
