A person who has been cleaning rooms at a 5-star hotel in Hue for 28 years

At 6am, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh (49 years old) holds a list of rooms and walks through the hallway filled with murals of Nguyen Dynasty kings and queens, to the office located deep at the end of the row. The woman in a gray uniform, her hair neatly tied up, opens the file and reviews the room categories that need attention during the morning shift.

“7 rooms with paying guests, 4 suites, 2 regular rooms, 1 presidential suite,” the note circled in red pen.

Ms. Binh is currently the housekeeping supervisor at Azerai La Residence Hue , a hotel that opened in 2005 in the 95-year-old residence of a former French governor. Previously, the facility was located at a different address.

28 years have passed, the hotel has gradually taken on a high-class appearance, but she is still simple, quietly keeping each room neat and tidy behind the big door.

In 1997, with a B-level English degree, Ms. Binh was hired as a room attendant at the hotel. At first, she thought it was just a simple job of cleaning, changing sheets, and folding blankets. But everything required meticulousness to the point of being strict.

“Just one wrinkle on the bed sheet, one misplaced cup and we have to start over,” she said.

Mrs. Binh’s days start at different times: 6am, 8am or 2pm, depending on her shift. Her first job is always to receive the roster and the cart filled with white towels, cleaning solution, essential oil bottles, and fresh flowers. For a housekeeping staff, the cart is a private world , and looking at the neat cart, you know the person is dedicated.

Upon arriving at the assigned room, the staff member inspected every detail from the bathroom to the bedroom. She collected used items and placed them neatly on the trolley in order: fabric items at the bottom, cleaning chemicals on top, separated from personal items.

According to her, the most difficult part of making the bed sheet is the coordination between two people. She flattens each corner, folds the blanket at a 45-degree angle, and smooths it with her palm. Each step has its own standard, meticulous “like a ritual”.

“You can say I’m difficult, as long as the customer feels comfortable, that’s a success,” the woman said. Everyone thinks housekeeping is a trivial job, but for her, completing a room and receiving compliments from the customer makes her “happy all day.”

The hotel has 122 rooms, each shift she cleans an average of 20 rooms, double that on peak days. Each room only takes 20 to 30 minutes to complete, she has to work quickly and ensure cleanliness.

Sometimes, while she was changing the bed sheets, the receptionist would announce that guests were about to arrive, making her feel anxious and her heart would pound.

Mrs. Binh never thought of leaving this job. On the contrary, the gentleness typical of Hue people and the meticulousness required of the job gradually became one. The more annoyed the customers were, the harder she worked.

From an employee, she was given the opportunity to study for a hotel vocational certificate at the Danang College of Commerce in 2000.

To date, she has professional certificates from advanced housekeeping from Hue Department of Tourism to the "Train the Trainer" certificate, which she completed in August, making her capable of training new staff.

For her, studying is not to get a title, but to understand the profession more deeply.

After nearly 30 years working at the hotel, Ms. Binh said she will challenge herself again next year. Although she is in a high position in the housekeeping department, she still wants to learn more from the younger generation, especially how to apply technology to work.

“If I accept my fate, it means I am going backwards,” she said.

Movement for her doesn't have to be loud, it could be from an AI course or digitizing subordinate management.

With her experience, she no longer sees her job as just cleaning. She learns year by year, fueling her passion for the profession and passing it on to her daughter. She does not force her daughter to follow the profession, but teaches her how to nurture the path she has chosen.

“Clean the room so the guests can feel at peace,” the mother told her 23-year-old daughter who had just graduated with honors from the Danang College of Commerce.

On her rare days off, she often chats with her children and meditates. Her passion for meditation has lasted for 4 years, helping her clearly feel the changes of age.

According to her, every job requires tranquility, not just housekeeping. Meditation helps you breathe well, calm your mind, be clear-headed, and complement your work.

“Meditation taught me how to listen to my breath, and housekeeping taught me how to listen to space,” she said.

In an increasingly fast-paced tourism market, people like Mrs. Binh maintain a quiet devotion. Her profession proves that luxury lies not in the tiles or shiny windows, but in the calloused hands that fold blankets and wipe windows every day.