To mark Housekeeping Appreciation Week (September 14-20, 2025), HM spoke to some of the top performers in this critical hotel department to find out a bit more about their role.
Bivek Poudyal has worked with Luxxe Outsourced Hotel Services for six years, joining as an Executive Housekeeper and steadily moved into leadership roles – first as Operations Manager and now as General Manager, overseeing multiple states (ACT, VIC, SA & WA).
“Managing across four states means no two days are ever the same,” Poudyal said.
“Each region has its own clients, teams, and challenges. Balancing that while ensuring consistent service can be demanding—but I see challenges as opportunities. They push me to think differently, find solutions, and keep improving.”
One myth about the job that Poudyal is keen to debunk is that outsourced housekeeping is “just cleaning rooms.”
“It is so much more. We manage large teams, ensure compliance, deliver brand standards, and drive guest satisfaction at scale. It is highly skilled, fast-paced, and critical to hotel operations – without it, nothing else really works.
Sarah Singh, Housekeeping Manager at Sheraton Melbourne, has been part of ahs hospitality for nearly 17 and a half years.
“What I love most about my role is building and supporting the team, which truly feels like a second home,” she says.
“We spend so much time together, guiding, mentoring, and helping one another grow.
Singh says technology has made a dramatic difference to housekeeping teams by saving time and reducing paperwork.
“Rostering systems like Tanda allow us to publish rosters directly to staff, who can then clock in and out digitally,” she says.
“It also streamlines payroll approvals. Sign-online systems make onboarding and compliance much smoother, with records stored digitally and accessible across properties.
“Overall, technology has improved efficiency freed up time, and made processes clearer for both managers and staff.”
Lingling Jiang joined Holiday Inn Sydney Airport as a room attendant 15 years ago, later being promoted to supervisor and senior supervisor before joining FBM in January 2025.
Now Jiang serves as FBM Housekeeping Manager for Veriu Central.
“I enjoy the team culture and being able to build a strong team around me. I have support from both the hotels and FBM leadership,” Jiang says.
“My job is more than just rostering and timesheets. Housekeeping managers are hands-on leaders, always up on the floors supporting the team and doing whatever is necessary to ensure guests are happy.”
Aurora Perez, Luxxe General Manager – NSW & QLD, says “every hour brings something different”.
“I thrive on solving problems—whether improving operations, ensuring client satisfaction, or managing diverse teams. I especially love working with dedicated managers, seeing the impact of their work on guest experiences, and celebrating the growth of our teams,” she says.
The most challenging aspect? “The unpredictability. Changing guest expectations, staffing shortages, maintenance issues, and ageing hotel products often create challenges outside our control,” she says.
“Unexpected demand can also stretch resources. The key is staying agile and finding solutions quickly.”