Guests trust you with personal details: names, room numbers, phone numbers, payment details and allergies. Confidentiality means sharing these only with colleagues who need them. Data protection rules differ between countries, so follow your venue's policy and local law. Discretion covers what you see and hear too.
Why it matters
Telling a stranger someone's room number can put a guest in danger. Privacy mistakes also damage trust and can break the law.
Key ideas
Need to know
The kitchen needs to know about an allergy; the bar does not need a guest's home address.
Never confirm guests
Do not tell callers or visitors whether someone is staying or dining with you.
Secure information
Lock screens, keep lists out of sight and never write card details on paper.
Step by step
- 1
Keep screens and printed lists out of guests' view.
- 2
Write room numbers down instead of saying them aloud.
- 3
Follow identity checks before giving out keys.
- 4
Let guests tap or insert their own cards.
- 5
Report lost documents or data leaks immediately.
Do
- Speak quietly about bookings, bills and special requests.
- Log out when you leave the till or desk.
- Respect a guest's wish not to be recognised.
Common mistakes
- Don't post about guests on social media, even without names.
- Don't discuss guests with friends or family.
- Don't share a guest's details or plans without permission.
The situation
A caller says he is a guest's brother and asks for her room number so he can surprise her.
What a professional does
You stay friendly but give nothing away. You offer to take a message and pass it on if that person is staying, and you never confirm whether she is.
Useful phrases
“I'm sorry, I can't share guest information, but I can take a message.”
“Your room number is inside the key wallet, so I won't say it aloud.”
Pro tip
If you would not want your own details shared that way, don't share a guest's.
Quick check
A guest's colleague asks when the guest is checking out. Can you tell him?
Think about it, then show the answer
No. Offer to pass on a message, so the guest decides what to share.