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Hotel room attendants: duties, requirements, pay and applying safely

Written by KarirAman editorial team Approved by Kaiser Khan (editor), Updated

Hotel housekeeping staff clean and prepare rooms and public areas. Cruise ship agents who charge fees outside the placement contract are suspect.

Summary

Medium scam risk
  • Housekeeping is not a licensed profession; the hotel SKKNI (Ministerial Decree 125/2024) is the reference for hotel skills testing.
  • Indonesians working on foreign cruise ships are migrant workers (PMI) and may be placed only by BP2MI, a licensed agency or a company placing its own crew.
  • In Japan, interior building cleaning is a separate Specified Skilled Worker field with its own skills and language tests.
  • Cruise-ship uniform or training fees paid in cash to an individual are a warning sign.
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On this page
  1. What does hotel housekeeping do?
  2. What do you need to become a room attendant in Indonesia?
  3. What does a typical room attendant job description look like?
  4. How much do housekeepers earn in Indonesia?
  5. Which education routes lead to housekeeping work?
  6. Can you work as a room attendant abroad?
  7. What are working conditions and rights like for room attendants?
  8. What does a housekeeping career path look like?
  9. What interview questions might you be asked for room attendant jobs?
  10. Which job scams target room attendant applicants?
  11. Where can you find safe housekeeping vacancies and how should you apply?
  12. Which careers are similar?

What does hotel housekeeping do?

Room attendants keep hotel rooms and public areas clean and ready: they clean rooms, change linen, make beds, restock guest supplies, report damage and handle laundry. The work is part of the hotel competency standard set by Ministerial Decree 125/2024 on the hotel SKKNI. On cruise ships, similar work is done in passenger cabins.

  • Clean guest rooms, bathrooms and public areas to standard and in the set order.
  • Change linen, make beds and set up rooms before guests arrive.
  • Restock guest supplies and record minibar or other usage.
  • Report damage, repair needs and items left behind by guests.
  • Take laundry and linen to and from the laundry department.
  • Use cleaning chemicals and protective equipment safely.
  • Record room status and coordinate with the front office.

What do you need to become a room attendant in Indonesia?

Housekeeping is not a licensed profession, so no licence is required. Ads usually ask for a senior high or vocational school diploma, willingness to work shifts, attention to detail and the ability to do physical work. A competency certificate from a BNSP-licensed body helps prove your skills; under Government Regulation 10/2018 the test follows the SKKNI. For cruise ships, Government Regulation 22/2022 requires seafarer documents such as a seafarer's book and skills certificates.

What does a typical room attendant job description look like?

Housekeeping ads usually ask for the ability to clean rooms to standard, care, honesty with guests' belongings and willingness to work shifts. Laundry and linen attendants wash and prepare linen at hotels, hospitals or neighbourhood laundries. At villas, especially in Bali, villa butlers handle cleaning and also serve guests. Age, appearance or marital-status requirements unrelated to the work deserve questioning, because Minister of Manpower Circular M/6/HK.04/V/2025 bars discrimination on any basis in recruitment.

General example, not a vacancy

We wrote this description ourselves from what job ads usually ask for. It is not a vacancy from any company.

Commonly requested requirements

  • A senior high or vocational school (SMA/SMK) diploma; a hospitality major is a plus.
  • Healthy and able to do physical work such as lifting linen and pushing trolleys.
  • Willing to work shifts, including weekends and public holidays.
  • Careful, honest and respectful of guests' belongings and privacy.
  • For cruise ships: a passport, seafarer's book and seafarer skills certificates.

Skills

Attention to detail, Time management, Cleaning and sanitation, Honesty, Teamwork, Basic English, Workplace safety.

Ministry of Manpower Circular M/6/HK.04/V/2025 bars employers from discriminating on any basis in recruitment. An age requirement is allowed only where the nature of the job genuinely affects ability and it does not remove the chance of work, and the same applies to workers with disabilities. Law 13/2003 Articles 5 and 6 guarantee equal opportunity and treatment without discrimination. JDIH Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan JDIH BPK RI (peraturan.bpk.go.id)

How much do housekeepers earn in Indonesia?

We do not show a housekeeping-specific pay figure yet, for hotels or cruise ships, because no data meets our standard: verified vacancies with a large enough sample or an official pay scale. The table below shows only the data that exists. As a floor in Indonesia, PP 36/2021 Article 24 applies the minimum wage, which is the 2026 minimum wage (UMK) of the regency or city, to workers with less than one year of service.

Room Attendant: available pay data (as of 8 October 2026)
Data Figure Notes
Pay range in KarirAman verified vacancies Not enough data yet (n < 30)
Average net wage of employees, Accommodation and food service activities (BPS Sakernas May 2026) IDR 2,639,594 reference for the Accommodation and food service activities sector, not specific to this career; net (after deductions) Badan Pusat Statistik
Minimum wage (UMP/UMK) as the floor IDR 2,317,601 to IDR 5,729,876 Lowest 2026 UMP IDR 2,317,601 (West Java), highest IDR 5,729,876 (Jakarta) Micro and small businesses are exempt from the minimum wage rules; pay there is set by agreement and still has a legal floor. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)

Check your city's minimum wage (2026) Work out your take-home pay How we handle salary data

Which education routes lead to housekeeping work?

The usual route is a vocational school (SMK) hospitality or accommodation major, or housekeeping training at a government vocational training centre (BLK or BPVP) for senior high school graduates. You can then take a competency test at a BNSP-licensed body under Government Regulation 10/2018. For cruise ships you also need seafarer skills certificates and a seafarer's book, which Government Regulation 22/2022 says is issued by the transport ministry.

Can you work as a room attendant abroad?

Yes, through official routes. Government Regulation 22/2022 treats crew on foreign-flagged merchant ships, including cruise ships, as migrant workers placed through BP2MI, a licensed agency (P3MI) or a company placing its own crew. In Japan, the Immigration Services Agency set a Specified Skilled Worker building cleaning field for cleaning building interiors, with that field's skills test plus JFT-Basic A2.2 or JLPT N4.

What are working conditions and rights like for room attendants?

Room attendants work shifts with physical tasks and cleaning chemicals, so protective equipment and safety training matter. Contracts may be fixed-term or permanent. Law 24/2011 Article 15 requires employers to register workers with BPJS social security, and the minimum wage is the floor for workers with under one year of service. Housekeeping in a private home counts as domestic work protected by Law 2/2026.

Legal status: the Labour Protection Law was approved by the DPR and the Government on 6 October 2026 but has not been promulgated and its text is not public. Until it takes effect, the rules on this page apply.

Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat RI (emedia); Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan RI

What does a housekeeping career path look like?

Room attendants can become senior attendants, then floor supervisors, assistant executive housekeepers and executive housekeepers, or move into laundry and public areas. Competency tests at BNSP-licensed bodies based on the hotel SKKNI (Decree 125/2024) help prove growing skills. Hotel experience is also a foundation for applying to cabin roles on cruise ships through a licensed agency.

What interview questions might you be asked for room attendant jobs?

Interview questions for room attendant jobs often cover food hygiene and safety, working through busy periods, handling guest complaints, shift work, and teamwork. Each example below comes with why it is asked and how to answer it. The Ministry of Manpower warns that an instant chat interview without formal confirmation is one sign of a fake job.

Republika (official statement via media)

General examples written by KarirAman, not questions from any particular company. How to practise: read the question, answer it out loud, then open the guidance to compare.

Questions for this field

What do you do when orders pile up at peak time?

Why they ask: Rush hours test calm and teamwork.

How to answer: Explain how you order the queue, talk to your team and keep to standards while working fast.

How do you handle a guest who complains about an order or a room?

Why they ask: Good complaint handling can turn an unhappy guest into a loyal one.

How to answer: Describe listening, apologising, fixing it quickly within the rules and telling your supervisor.

Can you work shifts, including weekends and public holidays?

Why they ask: Food and hospitality businesses open long hours.

How to answer: Answer honestly about your availability, then ask about the rota, rest days and how overtime is recorded, and get it in writing.

Tell me about working in a kitchen or service team.

Why they ask: Kitchens and service run on tight coordination.

How to answer: Name your role, how the team shared tasks and one example where good coordination saved an order or an event.

How do you prepare a room to standard in limited time?

Why they ask: Hotels depend on rooms being ready on time.

How to answer: Explain your order of work with a checklist, reporting damage and handing in guests' lost items through the proper procedure.

Common questions that also come up (12 questions)

  • Tell me about yourself.

    Answer in about a minute: where you are now in work or study, two experiences that matter for this job, then why you applied. Personal matters such as family status are not needed.

  • Why did you apply to this company?

    Mention one or two real things you learned from the company's official website, such as its business or services, and link them to your skills.

  • Why are you interested in this role?

    Pick two tasks from the job advert, describe similar things you have done, and say which part you most want to grow in.

  • What are your strengths?

    Name one or two strengths and give short proof: the situation, what you did and the result.

  • What is your weakness?

    Choose a real weakness that is not central to the job, then explain what you are doing to improve it.

  • Tell me about a problem at work or school that you solved.

    Use the STAR pattern: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Focus on what you yourself did and what you learned.

  • How do you work in a team, including when people disagree?

    Give a real example of listening, explaining your view politely and finding a solution everyone accepted.

  • How do you handle pressure or tight deadlines?

    Explain how you set priorities, such as a task list or checking with your supervisor, and give one example of the outcome.

  • Where do you see yourself in two or three years?

    Mention the skills you want to master and the responsibility you hope to take on, without promising things you cannot know.

  • What salary do you expect?

    First research the pay range for the role and the local minimum wage where you would work. Give a range, then ask whether the figure is gross or net and which allowances apply.

  • When can you start?

    Give a realistic date. If you are still employed, mention the notice period in your current contract so you do not break it.

  • Do you have any questions for us?

    Ask about the contract type, working hours, base pay and allowances, the next selection step and when results are announced. Ask for the offer in writing.

Warning signs in interviews (6)

  • The interview happens only by WhatsApp or Telegram chat with no formal invitation, or you are pushed to be interviewed on the spot.

    What to do: Ask for a written invitation from a company-domain e-mail address, then match the contact with the official website you look up yourself.

    Republika (official statement via media)Kompas TV (official statement via media)detikFinance

  • You are asked to pay for a test, a psychological test, a medical check-up, training or a uniform, or to book tickets and a hotel through an appointed agent with a promise of reimbursement.

    What to do: Do not transfer anything. The Ministry of Manpower says legitimate recruitment does not charge applicants.

    Kompas TV (official statement via media)Republika (official statement via media)Koran Jakarta (official statement via media)PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BCA)

  • The interview is held in a hotel room, a private house or another closed place that is not an office, or the location keeps changing. An invitation to stay overnight, or any sexual demand, as a condition for being hired or for renewing a contract is also a warning sign.

    What to do: Ask for the interview at the office or a public place, tell someone close to you where you are, and leave if you feel unsafe. Sexual demands can be reported to the police or the local manpower office (Disnaker). If you are in danger, call the police.

    Koran Jakarta (official statement via media)detikBali (detik.com) (official statement via media)Medcom.id (official statement via media)

  • You are asked for a photo of your KTP or family card, a selfie holding your ID, your bank account number, an OTP code, a PIN or a password before any written job offer.

    What to do: Do not send them. OJK says never to give an OTP, PIN or password to anyone, and identity data can be misused for illegal online loans.

    Kompas TV (official statement via media)Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (Sekretariat Satgas PASTI)Koran Jakarta (official statement via media)

  • The interview invitation arrives as an app file (APK) or a link that asks you to install an app.

    What to do: Do not open it. OJK and Kominfo warn that fake APK files can read SMS messages with OTP codes and then drain bank accounts.

    CNN Indonesia (official statement via media)

  • After the interview you are asked to hand over your original diploma or other original personal documents as a guarantee for the job.

    What to do: Ministry of Manpower Circular M/5/HK.04.00/V/2025 bars employers from requiring or holding original diplomas and personal documents as a guarantee for the job. The only exception is a diploma or competency certificate from education or training paid for by the employer under a written employment agreement, and the employer must keep it safe and compensate you if it is damaged or lost. Otherwise, show them for checking, then take them home.

    Dinas Tenaga Kerja Kota Batam (meneruskan SE Menteri Ketenagakerjaan RI)

In danger or held at an interview location? Call the police:

See all interview questions Build an ATS CV Write a cover letter

Which job scams target room attendant applicants?

One trick aimed at housekeeping staff is a cruise-ship offer with uniform, training or medical fees paid in cash. Ministerial Regulation P2MI 17/2025 says any cost a migrant worker may be charged must be itemised in the placement agreement. Also watch for recruiters who are not licensed agencies, departures without a sea employment agreement, and hotel vacancies that ask for money before hiring.

Warning signs in room attendant job ads

  • A cruise-ship agent asks for uniform or training fees that are not itemised in the placement agreement, especially by transfer to a personal account.Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
  • The crew recruiter is not BP2MI, not a licensed agency (P3MI) and not a company placing its own crew.
  • You are told to board without a sea employment agreement (PKL) endorsed by the harbour master.Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
  • A 'housekeeping' vacancy turns out to be work in a private home, and the agent cuts your wages or charges you a fee.JDIH BPK RI
  • A hotel or recruiter asks for a registration, training or uniform fee before hiring you.Republika (official statement via media)
  • The recruiter claims to represent a large hotel and asks for bank or other sensitive personal details before any formal interview.Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (Sekretariat Satgas PASTI)

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Where can you find safe housekeeping vacancies and how should you apply?

Look for hotel housekeeping vacancies on hotels' official careers pages and on the Ministry of Manpower's Karirhub portal. For cruise ships and jobs abroad, check the agency's licence and the job order on SISKOP2MI, and make sure you receive a placement agreement and a sea employment agreement you can read before departure. Never hand your original passport to a recruiter or pay fees outside official documents.

No verified vacancies for this role yet

We only list vacancies we have checked. In the meantime, look for jobs on these official channels.

Which careers are similar?

See other careers in Hospitality and tourism

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between hotel housekeeping and domestic work?

Hotel housekeeping staff work for a company and are covered by general labour law. Domestic workers (PRT) work for a private household and are covered by Law 2/2026, whose scope includes cleaning the home (Article 10). If you are placed through a domestic-worker placement company, that company may not cut your wages or charge you any fee (Article 28).

How do you get cruise ship housekeeping work safely?

Government Regulation 22/2022 treats Indonesians working on foreign-flagged merchant ships as migrant workers (PMI). Placement must go through BP2MI, a licensed agency (P3MI) or a company placing its own crew, or you can go independently after reporting to the local manpower office or LTSA. Prepare a passport, seafarer's book, sea employment agreement (PKL), social security proof, health certificate, work visa and seafarer skills certificates.

Can housekeeping staff work in Japan?

Yes, through the Specified Skilled Worker scheme. Japan's Immigration Services Agency set a building cleaning field for cleaning building interiors, with that field's skills test plus JFT-Basic A2.2 or JLPT N4. The accommodation field covers front office and guest service, and room cleaning is not listed on its official page. Always check which field the job order names.

Can an agency charge me a training fee before I join a cruise ship?

Law 18/2017 Article 30(1) says migrant workers may not be charged placement costs. Ministerial Regulation P2MI 17/2025 makes placement costs the employer's responsibility, and the only costs you may be charged are those written and itemised in the placement agreement (Perjanjian Penempatan). Any request for money outside that document, in cash or to a personal account, is a red flag.

Do hotel room attendants work shifts?

Usually yes, because hotels take guests every day, so rooms and public areas are cleaned in shifts that include weekends and public holidays. The work is physical, such as pushing trolleys and lifting linen. Make sure your schedule, days off and overtime calculation are written in your employment agreement, and read KarirAman's overtime guide.

What is the difference between housekeeping and a room attendant?

Housekeeping is the department that keeps the whole hotel clean and tidy, while a room attendant is the position within it that cleans and prepares guest rooms. The housekeeping department also includes public area attendants, laundry and linen staff, and floor supervisors who check the work.

Who wrote and reviewed this page?

Written by KarirAman editorial team Published Updated

Prepared with AI assistance. Checked against official sources and approved for publication by Kaiser Khan (editor). Approval date: .

Sources

The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.

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How to cite

KarirAman (2026). Hotel room attendants: duties, requirements, pay and applying safely. Updated 8 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/careers/room-attendant/

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Change log
  • : Titles and headings now match common searches; added laundry and villa butler work, how housekeeping differs from room attendants, and links to domestic worker and kitchen steward roles.