Hilton does away with daily housekeeping for most U.S. hotels: Travel Weekly

Hilton has made daily housekeeping optional across most of its brands in the U.S. Effective this week, daily housekeeping will be performed only upon request.

Luxury brands Waldorf Astoria, Conrad and LXR are exempt from the new policy. Housekeeping services also will be done automatically on the fifth day of any extended stay at a U.S. hotel.

“Our guests have told us that they have varying levels of comfort with someone entering their rooms after they have checked in,” said Hilton in a statement. “We encourage our guests to call the front desk to request room cleaning, and our team members stand ready to assist with extra towels or amenities.”

Meanwhile, Hilton properties in Europe, the Middle East and Africa are currently “operating housekeeping as requested,” while hotels in the Asia-Pacific region are still providing daily housekeeping, according to a Hilton spokeswoman.

Though on-demand housekeeping services have become commonplace during the pandemic, Hilton is one of the first major hospitality players to make it companywide policy. 

The shift away from daily housekeeping has emerged as a flash point in the industry, with some hospitality union groups arguing that less frequent room cleanings create more challenging work for housekeepers while threatening their job security.