Of course keeping your accommodation property clean and in good repair is important to you. But have you ever realised how important it is to your guests?

What do you think is the most important consideration for people when booking a hotel? Price? Location? Pictures of the rooms? Those are considerations, sure, but according to a landmark study conducted by what is now Michigan State University’s School of Hospitality Business in 1987, and confirmed many times since, “the primary reason for a guest returning or not returning to a hotel is cleanliness.”

Professor Venkat Rajagopal of the Pacific International Hotel Management School in New Plymouth cited the famous study conducted for the Dial Corporation by Dr. Bonnie Knutson, which found that “56.2% of the guests who stayed in the economy hotels did not return back because the room was not clean. On the other hand 93.6% of the guests who stayed in the luxury hotels would like to return back to the hotel because the room was clean.”

A 2010 study from Diversey conducted across the European Union found “almost 70% of hotel guests have said that cleanliness and hygiene are the most important factors when making recommendations to friends and colleagues,” especially “the cleanliness and appearance of bedrooms and bathrooms.”

How to accomplish that?

Make sure you have clear procedures and strict schedules for cleaning staff to follow. Checklists are useful here, as is a genuine effort from supervising staff, with tangible rewards and penalties for (non)compliance.

Staff should be clear on what is expected of them, and should expect consequences and rewards depending on their performance. You are responsible for coaching and training your staff to your standards. Routines should also be explained and reinforced at regular intervals.

Every once in a while, hire a professional cleaning service. They’ll pay attention to details your staff may be overlooking.

As cleanliness is the #1 thing that brings your guests back, it’s worth the time and effort.