HANDLING GUEST LUGGAGE AT HOTELS WORK OF BELL BOY

1. Handling the Guest Luggage

2. Guest Services / Uniformed
Services
The guest service department or uniformed staff is headed by a
guest services manager who may also happen to be the bell
captain. The staff consists of door attendants and bell persons
and the concierge – although in some hotels the concierge
reports directly to the front office manager. People in these
positions usually receive gratuities or tips from guests for their
services.

3. Door Attendants, Doorman or Door Person
• Door attendants are the hotel’s unofficial greeters.
Because they have so much guest contact, they
need a pleasant, outgoing personality.

4. Responsibilities
• Greet guests at the hotel front door
• Assist in opening / closing automobile doors
• Remove luggage from the trunk
• Hailing taxis
• Keeping the hotel entrance clear of vehicles
• Give guests information about the hotel and the
local area in a courteous and friendly way

5. Bellman or Bell person
• Basic Functions:
• Handles guest’s luggage and
• Escorts guests to their rooms
• Provide information on hotel services and room
amenities
• Maintains the guest luggage storage area

6. Responsibilities:
• Escort guests to elevators and delivers luggage via service
elevator
• Place luggage in guestroom
• Explain room features to guests, offers ice and asks if
pressing is required
• Explain hotel services and food and beverage outlets
• Transfer guest’s luggage when room change is required
• For checkouts, remove luggage from guestroom via
service elevator

7. • Assist concierge staff as needed
• Remain at lobby post when not otherwise occupied
• Relieve door attendant during meal breaks
• Deliver guest messages on an hourly schedule
• Deliver packages, mail, and flowers to guestrooms
• Look after flags as instructed by supervisor
• Enter every service provided in a log book
• Perform other duties as assigned by concierge

8. Routine of a Bell Man
On Guest arrival:
As soon as a taxi (or any other transportation) stops in front of
the hotel / porch, Bell Personal or Door man should open the
passenger door.

Greet the guest: "Welcome to [Your hotel name], I am [your
name] do you need some help with your luggage?"
Help the guest to get out of the taxi (if needed).

Take the luggage from the trunk (ensure with the guest that
nothing is missing).
Ask for guest name: "May I have your name Sir / Madam?"
Tag the luggage.

9. • Escort or guide the guest to the reception area or to the reception floor.
• Inform the guest that you will be taking care of their luggage.
•
• If the reception is located on another area or floor then, Check the PMS
and find out what room has been allocated to the guest.
•
• Write down the room number on to the luggage tag.
• Check with the FO team if the check-in formality is completed.
•
• If the room is ready then place the luggage on the luggage rack in the
room.
• If the room is not ready, then store the luggage in the store room on the
designated arrival shelve and update the Daily luggage register or log
book with the details.
•
• Escort the guest to the room if required and send the luggage by the
staff elevator only.

10. • On Guest Departure:
•
• Collect the luggage from the guest room.
• Try to have a casual conversation with the guest on the way
down: "Mr / Ms. [Guest Name] I hope you enjoyed your stay with
us. Would you need a taxi to airport?"
• If the guest ask the luggage to be stored, tag the luggage
accordingly (guest name, room number, date and time of
collection) and get the guest signature on the - Long term luggage
request form.
• Store the luggage on the designated departure area.
• If the guest is leaving the Hotel immediately after completing the
check-out procedure, then bring the luggage to portico.
• If taxi is waiting then load the luggage to the taxi and request the
guest to verify the loaded luggage.
• Update the departure luggage movement on the DailyLuggage
movement register or log book.

11. Luggage Storage Room:
Luggage room should be always organized and neat.

The luggage room is divided in 3 areas, arrival, departure,
long term storage.

Each luggage has to be tagged using luggage tag (Sl no, Guest
name, date, room no, guest’s signature and time of
collection).

A phone number or email address must be on the long term
storage luggage form.

Long term luggage storage register has to be completed and
signed by the guest.

12. • Following questions need to be asked while keeping in
Items for long storage:
• a) Fragile Items
• Ask the guest if there are any fragile items in their
suitcase,
• If yes, mark “Fragile” on the luggage tag.
•
• b) Perishable
• For items who need to be kept cool (medication,
food…) check with Food and beverage kitchen.
• Record where the items are stored in the luggage
register.
• For long term luggage storage ensure with the guest
that there are no perishable items inside the luggage.

13. Security & Safety
Always keep the luggage room closed and dry.
Do not leave guests alone in the luggage room.
Remind the guest to keep their valuable item with
them (Jewellery, phone, wallet, camera, Ipad etc.)
Log down in the bell desk log book and also on
errand card each luggage handling done (Arrival,
Departure, Stored) etc.

14. • Training Summary questions:
•
• Q1.How to welcome the guest on Arrival?
• Q2.What action to be taken if the allocated room is
not ready?
• Q3.What is the procedure for long term luggage
storage requests?
• Q4.Why it is important to confirm that there is no
perishable items of the stored luggage?
• Q5.What all questions to be asked when storing
items for long term?