Managing Lost and Found in Hotels

The Lost and Found Program caters to a variety of items, ranging from socks to mobile phone chargers, scarves, brushes, and other miscellaneous belongings. This article delves into what concerns should be addressed within the program and what need not be worried about. When formulating the program, simplicity in design is paramount, especially considering the multiple departments involved in its operation. As the Housekeeping Manager, overseeing all lost and found items is crucial.

The cardinal rule departments, such as Housekeeping, Front Office or Engineering, is that any found item must be promptly handed over to the Housekeeping Manager or the on-duty supervisor if the manager is unavailable. There should be no delay in reporting found items; they should not longer in maid carts, leading to confusion about their origin or discovery time.

To facilitate the process, a Lost and Found Tag is filled out for every item, detailing where it was found, the date, time, brief description, and the person who found it. Items are then placed in paper bags with a flat bottom for shelf placement, with the Description Tag stapled to the bag. Bags are arranged chronologically by date for easy retrieval. A logbook kept in the main Housekeeping office records all items and dates, ensuring items not logged are not stored. However, a cross-check with the lost and found office is still necessary.

When a guest requests a lost item, after retrieval and dispatch, the logbook is updated with the date, verification, and dispatch information. It's imperative never to contact a guest after checkout regarding a lost item to uphold data protection and prevent potential embarrassment or misunderstanding.

Lost and found items are typically kept for 90 days before disposal or donation to charity. Guests are never allowed access to the storage, and lost items, such as chargers, are not returned directly to guests. This protocol safeguards both guest privacy and hotel operations.