What it means
A turnover prepares a unit between guests. It includes departure cleaning and may require inspection, replenishment, maintenance and access checks. “The guest left,” “cleaning finished” and “the unit is ready” describe different milestones.
Why it matters
Connecting these states prevents directing an arriving guest into a unit that still needs work. Arrival time and unresolved incidents matter as much as the cleaning estimate. The handover should retain who confirms final readiness.
An example in practice
Departure is scheduled for 11:00 and the next arrival for 15:00. Cleaning is estimated at 90 minutes, but the cleaner discovers a leak. Finishing the beds and bathroom does not resolve the leak. Readiness remains pending until repair and inspection are verified or another solution is agreed.
A mistake to avoid
Automatically marking a unit ready at checkout time treats a schedule as proof. It does not confirm departure, entry by the team or inspection. Another mistake is treating a combo as one undifferentiated task without identifying its component units.
Put it into practice
- Confirm departure and assign the unit, responsible person and target time.
- Separate finished work from inspection and final readiness.
- Escalate incidents affecting arrival and update the next shift.
A common question
Does a long stay need a daily turnover?
No. It may include agreed interim services, which differ from departure cleaning. Record the service type so supplies and access can be planned without interpreting every cleaning visit as a guest change.