Hospitality Services

Who it is for. Beginners with no formal certificate, including school leavers, women's groups and persons with disabilities. National Proficiency I is the first level of Ghana's TVET framework.

Why hospitality

• Ghana recorded 1,306,962 international visitors in 2025, earning USD 4.34 billion, and 1.79 million domestic visits.
• The coast of the Western Region, including Akwidaa, Busua, Butre and Cape Three Points, was planned as a seaside tourism area of about 172 km. A 2026 report says many eco-lodges are under-promoted and visitors lack reliable information.
• Ghana's rules for small guesthouses expect trained staff. At least half of the staff of a budget guesthouse must be literate in English and trained at a recognised hospitality training institute.
• Ghana's hospitality training centre HOTCATT in Accra teaches front office, housekeeping, food and beverage and other short courses, and aims to train at least 5,000 people a year.

How the module works

Each unit has learning outcomes, performance criteria, the range and the evidence your assessor needs. You are judged Competent or Not Yet Competent. About 70% of the time is practical.

What you will read in every unit

• Tools and materials, with where to buy them in Ghana.
• Numbered steps in a Practical box. Do them with a partner.
• Mistakes and fixes: what usually goes wrong and what to do.
• Exercise, homework and Check yourself (3 quick questions).

Sample words in Fante

Greetings below are common local practice, from the trainer's own knowledge, not from a printed source. Your trainer will correct the spelling and sound.

Competency standard

Range. The training room, bathroom and dining area. Evidence. Grooming checklist; safety walk record; oral questions.

Why it matters

• Ghana's guesthouse rules say staff must be declared medically fit and examined yearly. Staff who work in the kitchen, pantry or dining area, or who handle food, must be examined by a medical officer every six months.
• Uniforms must be clean, not faded, worn out or stained. White uniforms are changed daily and other colours every two days. Staff wear identity badges.
• Staff are trained once a year in fire action.
• Safe work with chemicals, bending and manual handling is a required skill of a room attendant.

Your grooming routine (every shift)

Hand washing: steps

1. Wet your hands with clean running water (a tap, or a jug and basin held by a partner).
2. Rub in soap. Rub palms, backs of hands, between fingers, thumbs and nails for at least 20 seconds.
3. Rinse until the soap is gone.
4. Dry on a clean towel or paper. Do not wipe your hands on your uniform.
5. Turn off the tap with the towel if you can.

Staying safe while you work

Slips and falls. Put up a wet-floor sign or barricade when you mop, wipe spills at once and clean in a safe order.

Lifting and bending. (Standard practice; trainer demonstrates.)

1. Look at the load. If it is too heavy, ask for help or split it.
2. Stand close with your feet apart.
3. Bend your knees, keep your back straight, and hold the load close to your body.
4. Lift with your legs. Do not twist; turn your feet.
5. Do not carry so much linen that you cannot see the stairs.

Protective clothing. The standard lists overalls, aprons, goggles and masks, waterproof clothing and footwear and headwear. Rubber gloves are used for toilets and chemicals. Never use the same gloves for toilets and for dishes or beds.

Fire. Premises must have firefighting equipment, smoke detectors, safe exits, escape routes and notices, and each staff member must be trained once a year. The Ghana National Fire Service says owners of public accommodation such as hotels and guesthouses must hold a fire certificate. Your trainer, or a fire officer, will show you how to use an extinguisher and the evacuation routine; practise it, because reading is not enough.

First aid. A first-aid kit must be at reception. Learn the basic rule: call for help, stop heavy bleeding with firm pressure, keep the airway clear, and get the person to the clinic. Do not give medicine or treat beyond what you are trained to do. Ask the Ghana Red Cross or St John for a first-aid course.

Protect people: trafficking and child protection

• Under Ghana's Human Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694), a child is a person below 18 years.
• A person who has information about trafficking must inform the police. Failing to do so is an offence with a fine or at least 12 months in prison, or both. The person may also inform the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Department of Social Welfare, the Legal Aid Board or a reputable civil society organisation.
• Exploitation includes forced labour or services, sexual exploitation and slavery-like practices.
• Housekeeping training includes recognising child sexual exploitation and what a workplace does to protect children.
• Common warning signs (ask the police or the Department of Social Welfare for local guidance): a child who seems frightened, who is controlled by an adult, who has no ID, or who is alone with an adult at odd hours.

Tools and materials for this unit

Common mistakes and fixes

Check yourself

1. How long must you wash your hands with soap?
2. Who must you tell, and who must you NOT confront, if you suspect a child is being trafficked?
3. How often must staff who handle food be examined by a medical officer?

Competency standard

Range. Role plays at reception, in the corridor and at a guest room door. Evidence. Observation; role-play checklist; complaint record.

What good service looks like

The standard for effective customer service asks you to: greet customers in the house way; use words and body language that suit the situation; show sensitivity to cultural and social differences, including modes of greeting and farewell, body language and formality; find out what the guest needs and how urgent it is; serve promptly; keep a friendly relationship; use eye contact and a smile; protect people and get help if there is a threat to safety; and handle complaints by the house policy.

Greeting in Ghana

(Local practice, trainer's knowledge.) Greet first. Use titles such as Madam, Sir, Auntie, Uncle, Doctor or Pastor when you do not know the name. Give and receive things with the right hand or both hands. Learn a few words of the guests' language: for example Akwaaba (welcome) and Medaase (thank you). Do not rush a greeting; a short greeting is part of the service.

Steps for a good welcome

1. Stop what you are doing and look up. Smile.
2. Greet within a few seconds: "Good afternoon, welcome to [name of guesthouse]."
3. Ask how you can help; listen to the whole answer.
4. Repeat the request to make sure you understood.
5. Do it, or tell the guest honestly how long it will take.
6. Check afterwards that the guest is happy.
7. Say thank you and goodbye.

Knocking at a guest room door (example script, house rules differ)

The standard says room attendants enter rooms following the establishment's customer service and security procedures. The exact words belong to the guesthouse, so this is an example.

1. Check the list or the do-not-disturb sign. If the sign is up, do not knock; tell your supervisor later.
2. Knock three times, firmly but gently, and say "Housekeeping."
3. Wait about ten seconds. Knock and say it again.
4. If there is no answer, open the door slowly, say "Housekeeping" once more, and look.
5. If the guest is inside, say "Sorry, may I come back later?" and leave.
6. Leave the door open (propped with your trolley) while you work.
7. Never enter and close the door behind you if the guest is there.

Complaints: four steps

Use these four steps for any guest complaint.

1. Listen to the whole story without interrupting. Give full attention and repeat the main points to check.
2. Apologise sincerely and show you care. Do not make excuses or blame others. Thank the guest for telling you.
3. Act. Replace, correct, add, or pass the matter to the right person. Pass serious cases to your supervisor. Follow up.
4. Record the complaint, who acted and the guest's reply.

Guests can also complain to the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), and many complaints about poor service can lead to a licence being suspended.

Example complaint record

Privacy and guest details

• Ghana's Data Protection Act, 2012 sets rules for people who keep personal data. Whether a small guesthouse must register with the Data Protection Commission, and the fee: not verified. Ask the Commission.
• Safe rules: keep only the details the law asks for (Unit 5), keep the register locked, never read out a guest's room number to a caller who is not the guest, and never share guest details on social media.

Communicating with every guest

• Guests with different languages: use simple words, speak slowly, use pictures and writing. Keep paper and a pen at the desk.
• Deaf or hard-of-hearing guests: face the guest, point, use gestures and written notes, and show the page or the phone screen.
• Blind or low-vision guests: say who you are; describe where things are; offer your arm and ask first before guiding. (Standard practice; trainer demonstrates.)
• Children and older guests: speak kindly, offer help with bags and stairs.

Mistakes and fixes

Check yourself

1. What are the four steps for handling a complaint?
2. A guest room has a do-not-disturb sign. What do you do?
3. Name two safe rules for guest privacy.

Competency standard

Range. One guest room and one bathroom; a vacated room and a stay-over room. Evidence. Observation checklist; room inspection sheet; logbook.

What the standard says a room attendant does

A competent room attendant:

1. Sets up the trolley: chooses and prepares supplies and equipment, orders enough supplies and loads the trolley safely.
2. Enters the room: works out which rooms need service, and enters by the house security rules.
3. Makes up the beds: strips the bed and mattress, checks pillows and linen for stains and damage, checks whether the guest left valuables, sends stained items to laundry at once and replaces linen to the house standard.
4. Cleans the room: cleans in the right order with the least disturbance to guests; cleans and checks furniture and fittings; replaces supplies; looks for pests; reports faults and damage; reports unusual or suspicious people, items or events; stores guests' left-behind belongings under the lost-property procedure.
5. Cleans and stores the trolley and equipment, checks supplies and hands over to the next shift.

Furniture and fittings on the list include floors, mirrors and glass, wardrobes and luggage rack, desk and chairs, lamps, bedside table, telephone, TV, mini-fridge, air-conditioning controls and the safe.

What a guest room must have (Ghana minimum for a budget guesthouse)

Use this as your inspection list. The regulation is the standard, but what a guest sees is what matters.

On the coast, a mosquito net is not a luxury: the regulation requires insect-proof netting in these rooms. Check that nets have no holes.

Tools and materials: the housekeeping trolley

The standard also lists vacuum cleaner, carpet sweeper, caddy and sewing kit; add what the guesthouse has. Local chemical prices and local suppliers: not verified. Collect three quotes and write them in your logbook.

Colour-coded cloths

The most common trade scheme is red for toilets and washrooms, blue for general areas, green for kitchens and food, and yellow for infection or isolation areas. The colours are not universal and are not a legal requirement in the sources read. The purpose is to stop germs travelling from the toilet to the kitchen.

Our house scheme for this course (a house rule, not a Ghana law):

Pin the scheme on the store door. A cloth stays in its zone for life.

Safe use of chemicals

• Choose the product by the maker's label and your workplace's safety rules; wear protective clothing; barricade the area or put up a sign; dispose of waste and used chemicals according to health, safety and environment rules; store and control chemicals safely; report faults.
• Ghana's own list of registered cleaning chemicals and its labelling and storage rules: not verified. Ask your supplier for the product safety information and ask the Environmental Health Officer.
• Standard safety advice, not cited: read the whole label first; never mix products (bleach with acid toilet cleaners or ammonia products can give off dangerous fumes); keep products in their original labelled containers; never put chemicals into drink bottles; use gloves and open the window; keep chemicals in a locked store away from food and children.

Steps: set up the trolley

1. Wash your hands and put on your uniform and badge.
2. Check the room list with your supervisor: which rooms are check-outs (guest has left) and which are stay-overs.
3. Check your trolley is clean. Load linen on the top shelf, towels and toiletries below, chemicals in a labelled caddy at the bottom and bags on the side.
4. Load enough for each room: sheets, pillow cases, towels, soap, toilet roll, glasses, rubbish bags.
5. Check cloth colours, gloves and a wet-floor sign.
6. Park the trolley across the door of the room you are cleaning so guests cannot walk in and nobody can take it.

Steps: strip and make a bed (standard industry practice; trainer demonstrates)

Strip:

1. Wear gloves. Open the window.
2. Check under the pillows, in the bed and under the bed for guest belongings. If you find valuables, do not put them in your pocket: follow the lost-property log (Unit 4).
3. Take off pillow cases and sheets, rolling them inward so dirt stays in the middle. Do not shake them and do not drop them on the floor.
4. Put stained items into the laundry bag at once, in a separate bag marked "stained".
5. Check the mattress and mattress protector for stains, damp, tears and bed bugs. Report problems.

Make:

1. Put the mattress protector straight.
2. Spread the bottom sheet; centre it; tuck it tight under the head end, then make squared (neat folded) corners at the foot end, then the sides.
3. Spread the top sheet with the wide hem at the head. Tuck at the foot and sides with squared corners. (Some houses use a blanket or a duvet; follow the house standard.)
4. Fold the sheet down at the head about 20 cm to show a clean fold.
5. Put pillow cases on pillows, closed end toward the guest's side; fluff the pillows; place them at the head. (Pillows must be soft and not lumpy.)
6. Spread the bedspread or runner straight, check it is level on both sides.
7. Look at the bed from the door. It should look flat, even and tight.

Linen change rule: a clean sheet, top sheet and pillow case for every new guest, and every second day for a stay of two days or more.

Steps: clean a vacated bedroom (standard practice; the order of cleaning is the same everywhere)

Rule: work from the top to the bottom, from the back of the room to the door, and from clean to dirty.

1. Knock and enter (Unit 2). Prop the door. Switch on lights; open the curtains and windows.
2. Remove rubbish, glasses, plates and dishes. Empty bins and put in a new bag.
3. Strip the bed (above). Do not make it yet.
4. Dust high things first: cobwebs, ceiling fan blades (safe step ladder only), light fittings, picture frames.
5. Wipe the headboard, bedside tables, lamps, desk, chair, wardrobe doors and luggage rack with the blue cloth, using a little all-purpose cleaner on the cloth, not sprayed on electric items.
6. Wipe the mirror and glass with a dry cloth or glass cleaner and squeegee until streak-free.
7. Wipe the telephone, TV remote, air-conditioner remote, light switches and door handles. These are the most touched surfaces. (Wipe with disinfectant on the cloth.)
8. Check the mini-fridge, safe, and wardrobe (empty hangers: at least four). Check the mosquito net.
9. Clean the bathroom (below) now, then come back.
10. Make the bed (above).
11. Sweep, then mop the floor, working back towards the door so you do not walk on the wet floor. Put the wet-floor sign out.
12. Replace supplies: drinking water and glass, a fresh hand and bath towel, soap, toilet roll and any minibar items.
13. Check everything: switch lights, taps, TV and air-conditioner work. Report problems and damaged items; record damaged items.
14. Last look from the door. Switch off lights, close windows and doors, lock if house rule.
15. Tick the room on the housekeeping sheet.

For a stay-over room (guest is staying another night): make the bed, take away rubbish, replace towels the guest left on the floor, wipe the bathroom, mop and restock. Do not touch the guest's bags, papers or valuables. Do not move personal items except to clean under them, and put them back exactly. Change linen every second day for stays of two nights or more.

The standard says nothing about how many minutes a room should take (not verified). Aim for quality first, then speed. Time yourself in practice and write the times in your logbook.

Steps: clean a bathroom (standard practice; trainer confirms)

Rule: top to bottom, dry to wet, clean to dirty, toilet last. Use the colour code: yellow for basin and shower, red for toilet.

1. Put on rubber gloves, apron and mask. Open the window. Put up the wet-floor sign.
2. Remove used towels and rubbish; empty the covered sanitary bin and line it with a new bag.
3. Apply toilet cleaner under the rim of the bowl and leave it to work (read the label for the time).
4. Dust or wipe high things: vents, lights, mirror (glass cleaner).
5. Spray the shower area and tiles with the right cleaner. Leave for the time on the label.
6. Clean the basin and taps with the yellow cloth; rinse; wipe dry. Wipe the soap dish and shelf.
7. Scrub and rinse the shower floor and walls; clean the drain of hair; wipe the shower curtain.
8. Wipe door handles and the light switch with disinfectant on the red-free yellow cloth.
9. Go to the toilet. Scrub the bowl with the brush; flush; wipe the seat, lid, flush button and outside of the bowl with the red cloth only; wipe the floor around the base.
10. Rinse brush; leave it standing in a clean holder.
11. Mop the floor from the far end towards the door with a clean mop head.
12. Replace: towels hung straight, soap, toilet roll (fold the first sheet into a point if the house standard wants it), covered lined bin, air freshener.
13. Take off gloves, wash your hands.

Mistakes and fixes

Public areas, lost property and suspicious items

• Corridors, lobby and stairs must be well lit and clear; pests controlled; rubbish bins covered; common toilets clearly marked. Wet floors must have a sign or barricade.
• Rubbish is removed daily and bins are covered; guest rooms are subject to pest control measures.
• Left-behind belongings are collected and stored by the lost-and-found procedure. A sample log is in Unit 4.
• Report anything suspicious: a person in the wrong place, an unattended bag, signs of a break-in, signs of trafficking.

Room inspection sheet (use for practice; supervisor signs)

Check yourself

1. In what order do you clean a room: top to bottom or bottom to top? And what goes last in a bathroom?
2. Why must you never mix cleaning chemicals?
3. How often must a sheet and pillow case be changed in a stay of three days?

Competency standard

Range. Hand washing and, where available, machine washing. Evidence. Observation; laundry record; linen count.

What the standard says

The laundry unit lists: collect guest clothes and house items as the policy says; sort and count by the cleaning process and urgency; check for stains and treat them correctly; choose the method from textile care labels, fibre, dye fastness, how dirty it is and wash instructions; run equipment and use chemicals as the maker says; record and report any damage; check quality after washing; press and finish; record and deliver.

Reading care labels

(Common international care symbols; not cited from a Ghana source. If a symbol is unclear, ask the trainer, wash a small hidden part first or send for dry cleaning.)

Tools and materials

Steps: wash by hand (standard practice; trainer demonstrates)

1. Collect. Wear gloves. Carry dirty linen in a bag; never hold it against your uniform. Do not drop linen on the floor.
2. Sort and count. Sort white from coloured; towels from sheets; heavily soiled from lightly soiled; guest clothes from house linen. Count and write the numbers on the laundry record.
3. Check for stains and damage. Look at each item in good light. Treat stains: rinse cold water for food and blood; use stain remover as the label says; do not use hot water on blood.
4. Pre-soak very dirty items in a basin of water and washing powder for the time on the pack.
5. Wash. Use clean water and the amount of powder the pack says. Wash whites first and coloured last. Rub, rinse until the water is clear.
6. Bleach only white cotton and only as the label says; rinse very well.
7. Dry. Shake out, hang straight in the sun and wind. Never dry on the ground. Dry fully: damp linen smells and grows mould.
8. Iron to the fabric heat setting (test on a hidden corner). Check quality: no stains, no holes, no smell.
9. Fold to the house standard and store on shelves, clean linen away from dirty bags and chemicals.
10. Record and report damage and losses.

Steps: using a washing machine

1. Sort and check as above; empty pockets; close zips.
2. Load no more than the machine's limit; overloading cleans poorly and breaks the machine.
3. Choose the programme from the care label and the maker's guide; add powder as the maker says.
4. Run; remove at once; do not leave wet linen in the drum.
5. Dry and iron as above. Clean the filter and drum on schedule.

Linen stock and rotation

For each room keep enough sets so that one set is on the bed, one is in the laundry, and one is ready in the cupboard. This "three sets per room" guide is common practice and not from a cited source. For a six-room guesthouse that is 18 sets.

Lost property log (example)

The standard says guests' left-behind belongings are stored under the lost-property procedure. Ghana has no fixed retention period that we found (not verified). A simple log:

Never open bags. Two people (one is a supervisor) record valuables together.

Linen faults and fixes

Check yourself

1. Why do you sort white and coloured linen?
2. Where should wet linen never be left?
3. What do you do when you find a guest's phone charger in a room?

Competency standard

Range. A paper register and a booking diary; optionally a spreadsheet. Evidence. Role-play; completed register entries; bill and receipt.

Rules for the front desk in Ghana

For a budget guesthouse, the front office must be staffed 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, and be clearly labelled. Rates and house rules must be displayed at reception and in rooms. A first-aid kit must be at reception.

Tools and materials

Steps: take a reservation

(The standard lists what a reservation needs. The words are our own.)

1. Greet and say your name and the guesthouse name. Ask "How can I help?"
2. Ask the dates, the number of guests and the room type.
3. Check the booking diary. If the room is free, offer it and say the price. If not, offer another room or date or a waiting list.
4. Take the details: full name, phone number (and WhatsApp), arrival time, special requests (for example ground-floor room, extra bed, early check-in).
5. Say the booking back: dates, room, rate, deposit and cancellation rule.
6. Take a deposit if the house policy asks for one; write it down and give a receipt.
7. Write it in the booking diary in pencil or pen. Confirm by WhatsApp or text if the guest agrees.
8. Tell housekeeping about special requests so the room is ready before arrival.
9. For a cancellation or change, update the diary and record it.

Channels: telephone, face to face, WhatsApp, booking sites and walk-ins. The standard lists telephone, email, face to face and internet; add WhatsApp, Booking sites and walk-ins for Akwidaa. A paper diary or simple spreadsheet is a good free start.

Steps: check in a guest

1. Stand, smile, greet and welcome. Ask for the name and whether the guest has a booking.
2. Find the booking, or check for a free room for a walk-in guest.
3. Say the rate and house rules. Check the rate matches what the guest was told.
4. Ask the guest to show a Government-issued identity card, or a passport for a foreign guest. Check that the picture matches the face. No source says a Ghana Card is the only accepted ID; the Ghana Card, passport, driver's licence and voter card are examples. What your guesthouse accepts is the operator's policy.
5. Fill in the guest register. Ghana's rules (L.I. 2239, regulation 22) say the register must show, for each guest: name; gender; occupation; date and place of birth; particulars of the Government-issued identification card (passport number, place and date of issue for non-residents); nationality; country and address of residence; number travelling together; port of arrival and next destination outside Ghana (non-residents); how the guest pays; purpose of visit (non-residents); mode of travel; date and time of check-in; room number; and departure time.
6. Each guest also fills in a registration card; the operator submits these to the GTA.
7. Take payment or a deposit by the house policy and give a receipt.
8. Give the key, show the way, say breakfast and check-out times, Wi-Fi if any, and where the fire exit is. Offer help with bags.
9. Tell housekeeping the room is occupied.

Steps: during the stay

1. Answer requests quickly (extra towel, water, a taxi). Write them down.
2. Room change: record the old room, the new room and why; tell housekeeping.
3. Extension of stay: check availability, update the register and bill.
4. Complaints: follow the four steps in Unit 2.
5. Keep messages and take them to the guest.

Steps: check out and take payment

1. Check the departure list the evening before.
2. Greet the guest and ask "How was your stay?"
3. Ask housekeeping to inspect the room: lost property, minibar, damage.
4. Prepare the bill: nights × rate, plus meals, laundry and other extras. Show it and explain each line.
5. Subtract deposits already paid.
6. Take the payment (see below).
7. Give a receipt: date, guest name, room, amounts, how paid, your signature.
8. Collect the key; record check-out time on the register.
9. Help with luggage and transport if asked. Thank the guest and invite a review.

Taking payments, including mobile money

• Forms to accept: cash, mobile money, bank transfer and card where a card machine exists. Always give a receipt, keep a float, count and bank daily, and match totals at the end of the day.
• For mobile money: the merchant fee rate from MTN or other networks: not verified; vendor blogs disagree (about 0.5% to 1.75%). Get the written fee schedule from the network before you set your prices.
• Safe steps for a mobile money payment (standard practice):
  1. Show the guest the business wallet number or merchant code clearly.
  2. Wait for the credit alert on the business phone or merchant app. Do not accept only a screenshot from the guest.
  3. Check the amount and the name.
  4. Write the transaction ID on the receipt and in the cash book.
  5. Never reveal your PIN to anyone and never approve a "reverse payment" request from a stranger.

The 3-part cash book (a very simple daily record)

At the end of the day: add up cash in, MoMo in and money out. Cash in the drawer should equal the opening float plus cash in minus money out. If it does not, count again before you go home. Never "borrow" from the till.

Mistakes and fixes

Check yourself

1. Name five details the guest register must show.
2. Why should you wait for the credit alert before accepting mobile money?
3. What does the front desk do the evening before check-outs?

Competency standard

Range. Breakfast, lunch and drinks service in the training dining area. Evidence. Observation; order slip; oral questions.

Food hygiene for service staff

• WHO's five keys to safer food: keep clean; separate raw and cooked; cook thoroughly; keep food at safe temperatures; use safe water and raw materials.
• Staff in kitchen, pantry or dining area, or who handle food, must be examined by a medical officer every six months, and reports sent to the GTA.
• Local assemblies issue a food handler health certificate, renewed yearly, which must be shown on request. In Accra, screening includes tests for TB and typhoid. Which office does this in Ahanta West or Nzema East, and the fee: not verified. In Sekondi-Takoradi an older certificate form asked for attendants certified in good health.
• Check with the Environmental Health Officer and the Food and Drugs Authority for what applies to a guesthouse kitchen.

Tools and materials

Steps: prepare for service (the standard lists these jobs; sequence is our own)

1. Wash hands; put on a clean apron.
2. Stock the service station: clean plates, glasses, cutlery, napkins, condiments, trays.
3. Fill water jugs with safe water; wipe bottle necks and condiments.
4. Set each table to the house standard: cloth or mat, cutlery on the correct side, napkin folded, clean glass (polished with a dry cloth).
5. Check lights, floor dry, chairs, and the comfort of the room (fan or AC).
6. Check the menu and tell the kitchen what is finished.

Steps: welcome, order, serve

1. Welcome the guest at once, even if busy ("Good morning, I will be with you in a moment").
2. Seat the guest. Offer water and a napkin.
3. Give the menu. Explain any special.
4. Take the whole order, including special requests and dietary needs, such as allergies, no pork or no pepper. Write it down.
5. Repeat it back to the guest.
6. Send it to the kitchen promptly. Keep the table number on the slip.
7. Collect the food as soon as it is ready. Check the presentation: clean plate rim, correct dish, hot food hot.
8. Serve to the guest who ordered. Say the name of the dish. Serve from the guest's left side and clear from the right if the house standard asks. (A common standard; trainer confirms.)
9. Do a 3-minute check: return after a few minutes and ask "Is everything all right?"
10. Give extra care to children and guests with special needs.
11. Clear plates when everyone is finished, with minimum disturbance and hygienically.

Steps: drinks service

1. Serve drinks at the right temperature: cold drinks cold, hot drinks hot.
2. Hold glasses by the stem or the base, not the rim; never touch the inside.
3. Open bottles at the table, pour carefully, put the bottle on the table or take it away as the house rule says.
4. Tea and coffee: warm the cup with hot water first, offer sugar and milk on the side.
5. Pick up drinks quickly from the bar and keep the tray flat with the heavy things in the centre.
6. Do not serve glasses with chips or cracks.

This module covers beer, soft drinks, water, juice, tea and coffee only; wine and cocktail service were not covered here. Ghana's own law on alcohol sale and the legal age: not found; say "no sales to children; check local by-laws" and ask your trainer and the Assembly.

Guests who have had too much

Watch for changes in behaviour, loud voices and fast ordering. Slow the service politely. Offer water, food and a seat. Call your supervisor. Do not argue or touch a guest who is lying on the floor; keep watch and call security or medical help. Help arrange transport or a room. Take special care with anyone who seems under age.

Steps: payment and close

1. Bring the bill on a plate or folder when asked. Check each line against the order slip.
2. Take payment as in Unit 5, give change and a receipt.
3. Clear the table; remove the cloth; wipe the table with the green cloth and clean water or a food-safe cleaner.
4. Reset the table for the next guest.
5. At the end of service wash dishes, wipe the station, empty bins, and mop the floor.

Mistakes and fixes

Check yourself

1. Name WHO's five keys to safer food.
2. After taking an order, what do you do before you walk away?
3. What do you do if a guest has had too much to drink and falls on the floor?

Competency standard

Range. The trainee's own plan. Evidence. Costing sheet; one-page plan; marketing sample.

Jobs and pay: what is known

• The 2026 daily minimum wage is GH¢21.77, which is about GH¢587.79 for 27 working days.
• A pay website lists receptionists at GH¢2,113 to GH¢3,811 a month for the middle 80%, from fewer than 20 replies. Another lists service-industry housekeepers at GH¢1,812 to GH¢4,586 a month. Advertised entry-level hospitality jobs have shown GH¢500 to GH¢900 a month.
• These ranges are wide. They are mostly city, not rural coast. Pay for the Akwidaa area: not verified. Ask three local employers and write it in your logbook.

Small business ideas

Choose a location

Look at five things:

1. Who passes? Beaches, surf spots, the road, lorry stations, a nearby school or clinic.
2. Water, power, drainage and rubbish. A guesthouse cannot run without them.
3. Safety and security. Day and night security is part of the rules.
4. Access. Is the road passable in the rainy season? Visitors on the Western Region coast lack reliable information on feeder roads, transport, tides and seasonal access, so a business that publishes this has an edge.
5. Environmental sensitivity. Rules ask for an environmental impact assessment for a facility with forty rooms or in an eco-sensitive area. Ask the Environmental Protection Agency before you build near the coast or forest.

Before you open: which offices?

This module does not teach the full licensing. In short:

• The GTA (Ghana Tourism Authority) registers and licenses accommodation. Ghana's categories include category B (budget hotels, guesthouses, motels) and category C (home stay). Fees: not verified; ask the GTA Western Regional office.
• Documents the GTA asks for under the 2016 rules include proof of ownership or tenancy, building permit, plans, environmental health report, police clearance certificate, fire safety certificate, business registration and TIN. For short-stay rentals a newer online route has been reported, with a six-month provisional licence; whether a small guesthouse uses it: not verified.
• The Fire Service: a fire certificate.
• The assembly: expect a local operating certificate too.
• Tax and levy: a 1% levy is reported in older sources; the current rate: not verified. Ask the GTA.
• Do not use the words "tourist", "visitor" or "traveller" in a business name without GTA permission.

Market yourself and a guesthouse

1. Google Business Profile (free). Hotel guides say: claim your listing; verify it by phone, email, postcard or video; use your real name and address; choose your main category carefully; add good photos; reply to every review quickly; ask happy guests to leave a review at checkout.
2. Booking sites. Booking.com charges a commission, typically about 15% (range 10% to 25% in third-party guides), set in your agreement. Read the contract and do the sums before you join.
3. WhatsApp Business (free app): use a greeting message, quick replies and a catalogue of rooms. Do not keep ID photos in chats. (The app's features: not verified here; check the app.)
4. Facebook and a printed card: the same photos, rates and house rules everywhere. Rates and house rules must also be shown at reception and in rooms.
5. Honest photos and words. Show the real room and real price. Add a short "how to get here" and the tide and road notes for your area.
6. Reviews: answer every review, good or bad, politely and quickly.

Accessibility and inclusion

• Ghana's Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715) says the owner or occupier of a place the public can enter must provide facilities that make it accessible for persons with disabilities, and service providers must make services accessible. Reports say enforcement is weak.
• In the Ghana hotel rules, one percent of rooms fitted for persons with disabilities is a rule for star-classified hotels. It is not written for guesthouses, but the Act's general duty applies, and a small guesthouse can start with simple steps.
• Good practice: pre-printed notes and maps and a pad and pen for Deaf guests; a visual door signal; include guests with disabilities in the fire plan; train staff in disability awareness.

Suggested adjustments for a small coastal guesthouse (suggestions, not from a Ghana source; costs not verified):

Work for persons with disabilities. Many hospitality tasks are workable with adjustments. Ask each worker what helps; do not assume.

Check yourself

1. Name two free ways to be found online.
2. Who do you ask about licensing a guesthouse, and about a fire certificate?
3. Name two adjustments that help a Deaf guest.

1. Name three things you do before work to be clean and safe.
2. Who must you tell if you suspect a child is being trafficked, and what must you not do?
3. What are the four steps for handling a guest complaint?
4. In what order do you clean a room, and what is last in a bathroom?
5. Why do you never mix cleaning chemicals?
6. How often must the sheets and pillow cases be changed for a stay of three nights?
7. What is the colour code for the toilet cloth and the dining area cloth in our house scheme?
8. Name five details of a guest register entry.
9. Why wait for the mobile money alert?
10. Name WHO's five keys to safer food.
11. Name one rule in Ghana's guesthouse regulations for staff health or fire.
12. Name two free ways to market a guesthouse and one adjustment for a guest with a disability.

Best next reads: the next two levels of this series; the Hub's Workplace Safety and Money Skills manuals; WHO's Five Keys to Safer Food.

What this module does not cover: supervising a housekeeping team, night audit, running a licensed guesthouse, GTA licensing in detail, wine and cocktail service, first aid beyond the basics, and advanced accounting (see Levels 2 and 3).

Every source used in this manual is listed, with links, in the Teacher Copy.