Situated in the heart of the West End, The Langham, London was built in 1865 as Europe’s first “Grand Hotel” and remains one of the world’s most treasured establishments.
From the moment guests step inside its breath-taking lobby, they are met with spectacular marble columns, magnificent chandeliers, and glorious décor throughout, which must be maintained to the highest order.
Act-Clean proudly won the night-cleaning contract for both front and back-of-house at the five-star property eight years ago and continues to delight in the partnership today.
Critical to the successful running of this alliance is a dependable and highly trained Act-Clean team that dovetails seamlessly with The Langham’s own specialist housekeeping department.
For Procurement Manager David McAuley, the partnership with Act-Clean gives him peace of mind. “We’ve worked with Act-Clean for a number of years and the team has been embedded for a long time. Ann and her broader team are able to accommodate any last-minute changes or requirements and this flexibility is essential for our partnership.”
It’s a view shared by The Langham Back of House Manager, Aaron Yeboah, who says that having an organisation like Act-Clean working at the hotel allows him to delegate a significant portion of the evening workload to the Act-Clean manager to oversee, with the confidence that the tasks will be completed proficiently. After all, Act-Clean are able to draw on their experience working across London, benefiting from latest thinking, best practice and current products and technology. |
Aaron Yeboah, Back of House Manager, The Langham
Sylvie Tsiampis, Executive Housekeeper at The Langham, has worked with the Act-Clean team since she joined the hotel in 2018, and also appreciates that outsourcing to Act-Clean means she can rely on Ann to run the night team. More than that, she says “Ann and her team are great to work with”.
There are many interesting and individual tasks to be completed overnight, for example the preservation of the iconic parquet floors of The Langham’s quintessential British tavern, The Wigmore, a surface that can only be oiled at night, and ensuring The Langham Club executive lounge is immaculate for its many global, regular guests who have access to the space early in the morning and often for breakfast.
In addition, every night the kitchens are disassembled, cleaned meticulously to ensure they are ready for the chefs at the start of each morning – it’s not only essential to maintain high standards for food hygiene and health and safety, but pristine kitchens are also great for morale and a sense of pride.
It is clear to see that the Act-Clean team take a huge amount of satisfaction in the work they do, and they enjoy being part of a hard-working team.
Ann Odia, Site Manager, Act-Clean
As Samuel Adjabeng, Front of House Cleaner at Act-Clean, says: “I enjoy my job, particularly working with good people”, while Abbas Haruna, Back of House Cleaner at Act-Clean adds: “I find the immediate impact of my work satisfying and I enjoy being part of a supportive team.”
Led by experienced Act-Clean Site Manager Ann Odia, the Act-Clean team works diligently to maintain the hotel’s exceptional standards. The foundation of the team is built on great training, which is regularly refreshed and managed by Ann to ensure the safety of each individual.
Equally important as competency is the dedication of the team, the pride they take in their work and the admiration they have for the hotel itself, and all these things set them apart. This is personified by Supervisor William Aboagye who has worked with Act-Clean since 2007. William still marvels at the “stunning décor and the ambience it brings” and he takes joy in succeeding in his role every day.
Key to the partnership, says Ann, is mutual respect and effective communication, adding that The Langham offers support and collaborates with her team to achieve the common goal of a perfectly clean environment.
Osas Osemwenkhae, Front of House Cleaner, Act-Clean
Rozalie Ladicova, Back of House Cleaner, Act-Clean
David says The Langham chose Act-Clean over other cleaning companies for several reasons. “Gillian and the team provide tailored cleaning solutions and took the time to understand our requirements. Their reliability and consistency are crucial – they always meet their scheduled commitments, without fail, allowing us to focus on our core business.”
Added to that, David says that working with Act-Clean chief operating officer Gillian Thomson has also had tremendous advantages. “Gillian’s extensive network and understanding of the hospitality industry has been invaluable,” he says. “Her involvement with organisations such as the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts as well as being an ambassador for Hospitality Action means that she brings a wealth of experience and insight to our partnership.” |
Gillian Thomson, Director, Act-Clean and David McAuley, Procurement Manager, The Langham
For Gillian, The Langham represents the very best in client partnerships. “We understand the variable nature of hotel business. We are always delighted to mobilise our team to make sure we’re in the right place at the right time to make things beautiful for our client’s guests.
Flexibility is key. We will always be responsive when there are special projects, and we understand these can happen quickly because The Langham is always evolving the guest experience. We’re honoured to work there.”
If you’d like to find out how Act-Clean’s dedicated team can benefit your hotel, restaurant or private members club give us a call on 020 7793 0500 or email info@act-clean.com
Just some of the Act-Clean team who maintain the cleanliness of the front and back of house spaces at The Langham every night: From left: Abbas, Peter, William, Jeffery, Ann, Rozalie, Rosemary, Samuel and Osas.
Words by Amanda Afiya, photography by Kim Gray.