EGERTON UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
UNIT CODE: TOHM 373

FIELD ATTACHMENT REPORT AT EAGLE PALACE HOTEL

P.O BOX 119-20100 OGINGA ODINGA ROAD, NAKURU, KENYA
IN THE PERIOD OF 30TH JANUARY 2023 TO 28TH APRIL 2023
BY
KIGO PRISCA MUTHONI
REG NO: N13/09790/17
SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN
PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR AN AWARD OF BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN BSC
IN ECOTOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT AT EGERTON
UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCES
DEVELOPMENT
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 2ND MAY 2023.
 DECLARATION

I Kigo Prisca muthoni declare that the report is purely my work done with the best of my
knowledge and compiled from my exposure and experience that was gained within the three
months of attachment at Eagle Palace Hotel.

Signature ………………..

Date …………………

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 APPROVAL

This report has been submitted with my approval as the official university assessor.

Dr. Caren Atalitsa

Department of Natural Resources

Egerton University

Signature....................

Date.................

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 DEDICATION

This work is dedicated to my family who have shown their continued support during the
attachment period financially and emotionally.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost I would like to thank the Almighty God for the great gift of life and health
He granted me during the attachment period. I would like to express genuine gratitude to
Eagle Palace Hotel fraternity for granting me the opportunity to put into practice what I learnt
in the 4 years in campus at their establishment. I also extend my gratitude to all my
supervisors Mr. Mohammed, Mr. Felix, Mr. Abdulaziz and The Head Chef Mr. Makasanda
for their guidance, training, support and their continued motivation during the attachment
period. I also would like to thank all the staff and fellow trainees for their teamwork. And
finally my supervisor Dr. Caren for taking her time to come and assess my progress. May
God bless you abundantly.

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 ABSTRACT

This report contains all the activities carried out during the field attachment period in Eagle
Palace Hotel from 30th January to April 28th 2023. The exercise took nine weeks as per the
university requirement and statute. All the activities were done as per the work plan and
schedule from the office with the assistance of various supervisors within the Institution.
Various activities were undertaken whilst in the resort during my placement in the Food and
Beverage Service the following were the duties I performed: Welcoming and sitting guests,
Serving the guest, setting tables, clearing the tables amongst others. During placement in
Housekeeping department these were the duties; Cleaning guest rooms and replenishing the
required supplies such as clean towels, soap, tissue papers, bottled water. At the Banqueting
department I performed the following duties; Arranging conference halls, making and setting
the tables with clean linen, bottled water, sweets, note book and pen, serving guests their tea
and snacks, clearing tables in tea rooms and conference hall. In the Kitchen department the
main responsibility was production of food.

Following these activities, I was able to acquire skills and knowledge like POS skills,
teamwork, time management, customer service skills, multitasking skills amongst others. The
report in addition contains some conclusions and recommendations from all the activities
undertaken during the attachment period.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Ibrahim Mohamed Osman is the owner and director of Eagle Palace Hotel located along Oginga
Odinga road in Nakuru Town, Nakuru County. It is one of the most luxurious hotels in the region and
is described by many as a haven for travelers either on business or on stop over.

Since entering the hospitality industry, Osman has targetted nothing but excellence in terms of
service delivery. For this reason, he and his fellow directors invested in high-end infrastructure,
among other social amenities in the premises.

Eagle Palace boasts over 69 rooms, a multi-cuisine restaurant, modern coffee shop, state of the art
gymnasium, a modern conference hall and four meeting halls.

Eagle Palace is one of the most luxurious hotels in Nakuru and offers some of the best services in the
region, while maintaining a competitive price.

Accommodation is available in Superior, Royal Suite, Standard Twin, New Superior and Family
rooms.

The superior rooms maximize the advantage that come from a compact and cozy interiors. They
have king size beds, reading tables, and large bathrooms.

The Royal Suites have exclusive living rooms in addition to the regal bedrooms and spacious
bathrooms with sleek shower cubicles that imprese the sense.

The Family Rooms have spacious beds, private bathrooms with shower, DStv, free wifi among other
amenities and services.

The meeting halls at Eagle Palace Hotel are ideal for meetings, seminars, training sessions and
strategy meetings. The rooms come with readily installed state of the art LCD projectors, public
address system, flip chart stand, podium, wireless microphones, and VGA/HDMI cables.

The Boardroom has comfortable upholstered chairs and an executive table ideal for strategy and
business meetings. The room is comfortable with ergonomic sitting and comes with free WIFI.

Menengai Hall, which has an occupancy of up to 250 people – is a multi-purpose air-conditioned

conference hall equipped with PA system, wireless microphones, WiFi, drop down screen and a
podium. It is ideal for large conference, Events & weddings. Its pillar free. It has plenty of natural
light to aid in concentration.

Awards & Recognitions

In 2019, the boutique hotel won international recognition after Booking.com, a travel fare
aggravator based in the Netherlands awarded it 8.6 out of 10 rating in the travel/guest review.

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The facility was handed a plaque from Booking.com, with the Hotel General Manager, Mr Farid
Abdallah expressing gratitude to it’s customers and the Dutch-headquartered organisation for the
recognition.

The hotel has won a number of local and international accolades since opening its doors in 2015.

Other awards Eagle Palace has won in the past include Travel Myth Top three hotels in Nakuru in
2017, Trip Advisor certificate of excellence award 2017, Jumia Travel Travellers Choice 2017 and
Gohotels.com 2017 for outstanding service.

1.2 ORGANIZATION PROFILE

1.2.1 Location
Eagle Palace Hotel is located along Oginga Odinga road in Nakuru Kenya

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1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE ATTACHMENT

1.To expose students to the industry.

2.To expose and train the students Ina as many functions in the hotel industry as possible.

3.To provide the opportunity of obtaining practical experiences and evaluating theoretical
knowledge gained to a practical environment.

4.To develop the students to function independently and in responsible manner.

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5.To empower the students with confidence of professional career possessing the necessary
acquired knowledge and skills.

6.To enable the students get informed of the scientific and technological skills.

1.4 VISION, MISSION, AND CORE VALUES OF THE ATTACHMENT STATION

1.4.1 VISION
Service with an elegance touch

1.4.2 MISSION
Elegance with a personal touch

1.5 ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

The Eagle Palace Hotel is led by the Managing director Mr. Ibrahim who is the owner of the
facility. He is the leader and the overall advisor to the management of the other departments
in the resort. There several other managers below him who assist in managing the different
departments in the hotel to facilitate smooth operations. These managers includes, the general
manager, the food and beverage manager, the front office manager, the account manager and
the executive chef. Below these managers are the supervisors from the different departments
and then the junior staffs followed by the trainees.

CHAPTER TWO

SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITIES

The report is about the activities I undertook during the attachment period in Eagle Palace
Hotel. The lessons learned and practical skills obtained include the following;

2.1 Food and Beverage Department Activities

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2.1.1 Washing and polishing cutlery

One of the major activities in the back area of the food and beverage department is washing
and polishing cutlery. During this time, our work was to wash cultery and utensils and
polishing them while arranging them properly. The cultery were to be placed in hot
disinfectant water, washed and polished with dry clean kitchen cloths.

2.1.2 Setting tables

In Jamia food mart which is an Alarcate restaurant in Eagle Palace Hotel table setting was
done after the guest has ordered their meals in order to get a guide on which cutlery the guest
will require to comfortably eat their meal. Condiments such as salt shakers, sugar dishes,
ketchup, chillie sauce were already placed on the tables in the morning during misenplace.

2.1.3 Waitering

A waiter was supposed to be present at the restaurant to welcome, escort guest to their table
and take their order. In this position I welcomed guest to the restaurant, escort them to their
table and present them the hotel menu. Moreover if a guest requested for a reserved table, it
was the work of the waiter to ensure that the table is reserved. Sometimes guest would
complain about the meal or any thing regarding the restaurant therefore as a waiter it was my
duty that the complaints were properly handled and are informed to the person responsible.

2.1.4 Taking orders and serving drinks to guests

Once the guest is sitted give them time to look at the menu from a distance and wait for
signals thats when you approach and request to take the order. Once the order is made, repeat
the order to the guest to confirm it then i would place it in the POS which would
automatically send the order to the kitchen and the coffee shop where all the beverages were
served. Serve the guest with their ordered drinks as I wait for their food to be prepared in the
kitchen to serve it.

2.1.5 Guest follow up

After serving the guests their meal always check in with them to see if they are comfortable or if
they need anything example if they would like to top up their order and take away any utensils that
they are done using and remove any spilled food on the table to avoid discomfort.

2.1.6 Bill presentation

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 The bill is presented to the guest at their request or when they are done eating. If there are more
than one guest at a table and it is not clear who is to pay always place the bill pocket at the center of
the table.

2.1.7 Clearing and cramping tables

After the guest has completed a meal, it was important to clear the table. Once all the plates
are cleared and guests have moved from the table, the table is cramped and wiped and re-set
to accommodate other guests.

2.1.6 Room Service

The guest would call to make a room service request where they want either
food or drink to be delivered to their rooms. Having a pen and paper, the order
is supposed to be written down and repeat the same order to the guest. After
confirming present the order to the kitchen and once the food is ready, it is
arranged in a platter or in a trolley depending with the amount of food and
taken to the guests room.
Once at the door, one is supposed to knock and announce Room Service. Once
the guest has opened the door, present the food and the bill and after signing
leave the room.

2.2 Housekeeping Department Activities

2.2.1 Cleaning a checked out room

This is the procedure we followed:
I. Make sure the guest has left before you enter the room
II. Once in the room open all windows and doors for airing before any cleaning starts
III. Check if all hotel property is present and in the condition the guest found it if not
immediately notify the front office for follow up to be done
IV. Strip the bed of the used beddings and replace with clean beddings
V. Clean coffee cups and water glasses in the room
VI. Dust all surfaces in the room
VII. Clean the guest bathroom and replenish supplies example tissue paper, soap, clean towels
VIII. Clean the floor from the furthest end towards the exit

2.2.2 Cleaning a stay on room

I. Make sure the guest is not in the room, if they are in the room follow the procedure of
entering a room while the guest is still inside which is;
a) Ring the bell and announce yourself “housekeeping”
b) If no response ring the bell again and annouce yourself

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 c) If still no response ring the bell the 3rd time and announce yourself if no response is
given at Eagle Palace Hotel the housekeeper is required to notify the front office and
they will call the guest room telephone and ask the guest if they need their room
cleaned.

II. Once in the room place the guests belongings aside carefully before any cleaning
starts.
III. After cleaning is done place the guests belongings back in their original position in an
orderly manner

2.2.3 Handling lost items

Example clothes, jewelry, electronics or other material belongings that are in evident good
condition should be reported and presented to the housekeeping supervisor so that the owner
can be located and the items are kept safely awaiting claim by their owner for at least 6
months and after this period the item can be awarded to the person who found it or disposed
off by policy. If the items are food stuffs they are kept for the owner for at least a week
waiting for claim.

2.3 Banqueting Department Activities

2.3.1 Service of Tea and snacks
For guests in the premises for conferences their package comes including tea and snacks two
times in a day at 10am and 4pm. I was required to serve the guests the various snacks and tea
sometimes the service was self-service where the guests were expected to serve themselves
and I would just be around to assist and make sure the snacks were enough for everybody.
2.3.2 Clearance
After the guests have taken their tea I was required to take away the utensils and cutlery that
were used for cleaning and polishing for the next service. Clean the tables using a clean cloth
to remove any spilled tea and snacks.
2.3.3 Receptionist
Here I was expected to sit at the conference reception desk and welcome incoming guests,
guide them on signing the daily attendance sheets and direct the to their respective conference
halls.
2.3.4 Preparation of conference halls
As the hosts of all in house conferences the banqueting staff are expected to be able to
arrange a conference hall to accommodate its maximum capacity without reducing the guests
comfort in any way this can be a challenging task but with time and determination it gets
easier. After arrangement of tables and chairs we were required to set the tables by spreading
table linen and placing bottled water, notebook and pen for each person and a bowl of sweets
to be shared per table.

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2.3.5 Outside catering
The banqueting department is responsible for all outside catering events. As I was not able to
participate here I learnt in theory.

2.4 Kitchen Department Activities

2.4.1 Misenplace
This includes the preparation of all ingredients that will be used in production example
pealing carrots, onions, potatoes and cutting them in the required cuts, deboning meat,
portioning chicken, cutting vegetables such as cabbage.

2.4.2 Production
I was able to learn how to make different dishes here, are some examples:
Spaghetti bolognaise, carrot chapatis, beef goulash, penne porodoro, coconut rice, vegetable
curry, parattas, beef samosas, spring rolls, brown chapatis, bean goulash, brown beef stew,
chicken dhania, chicken barbeque, onion steamed rice, butter cabbage, creamed spinach,
arosto, alesso, steamed oriental rice and a variety of salads such as kachumbari, carrot and
sultanas salad, tomatoe wedges salad, coleslaw salad, fresh garden salad, greek salad,
avocado salad. Condiments and sauses such as tomatoe chutney,cocktail, vinegrette dressing

2.4.3 Clean up
In the kitchen you are required to always clean after yourself so as to work in a clean and
hygienic environment which is very crucial in production to avoid contamination of food
which could cause food borne illnesses or food poisoning.

CHAPTER THREE

LESSONS LEARNED AND SKILLS GAINED

I acquired various skills and knowledge during the period of attachment, and some include
the following;

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3.1 Communication Skills

This is the ability to be able communication effectively with one another in a way full of
understanding and less misunderstanding.During my attachment period this is a skill I learned
everyday and was able to improve it by time. Communication is an important element in
every function because it used to pass a message and bring a form of understanding.
Communicating with guests in kind cheerful way is a skill we were taught to use. Being
polite and using appropriate language is one way to attain good communication skills of
which will trigger a two way communication between the guest and yourself.

The reception was a good place to utilize these communications skills because it is where
guests gets the first impression of the hotel. When guest comes to enquire about something,
it's good to possess good communication skills like maintaining eye contact and being
confident while giving the guest feedback. For any service to be successful, great
communication skills is essential. Provide adequate information to the guests and at all times
trying to speak positivity.

Communication skills does not only apply to guests alone but also fellow colleagues and
staff. The way you communicate with juniors or persons of the same level is not the same
way you will communicate to the seniors. Communication is also very important to the
various departments in the hotel for example the house keeping Department needs to
communicate with the Front office department on the status of the room. The service team
needs to communicate with the kitchen team about orders of the guest.

3.2 Listening skills

When guest relating, listening skills is one important skill that one needs to employ. This is a
skill I came to learn of in a way that before you make a decision first listening carefully,
capture the details and the main points before you make a move. During service, you should
have great listening skills when taking orders from guests. Pay attention to detail inorder to
avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation.
While receiving both external and internal calls, listening skills is an important skill to put in
place. Listening attentively to guest request or complain inorder to advice them accordingly.
Paying attention to detail is very important to avoid future problems and misunderstandings.
Most of the time listening skills is not really effective without supporting it through writing
this is why in most scenario during the attachment period we were advised to always carry a
pen and paper to write down important details that we might forget .
In Reservation, listening skills is a skill I came to put in practice because it was important to
pay attention to the guests preference of the room when booking. Listen carefully to the type

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of room they want, types of bed or any other special requests. This will help avoid
misunderstanding and guests dissatisfaction when checking in.
3.3 Multitasking skills

This is a skill I came to learn very fast. This is the ability to do different kinds of tasks at the
same time effectively and efficiently. While in reception, this is a skill I portrayed for
example profiling guest details in the computer and the same time printing other registration
cards. This is a skill that essential in times when it very busy to help save on time. While
multitasking, I came to learn that they are some of the activities that you'll have to choose to
prioritize or neglect.
While in service this is a skill that I also used. Most of the time the restaurant would be very
busy the only option in to work fast and multitask. An example taking orders and clearing the
tables at the same time. Also clearing the table and washing the utensils in the back area. It is
important to do this carefully not to overdo the work and forget other tasks

3.4 Problem solving skills

This is a skill used to solve critical problems that happens by providing solutions to those problems.
This is a skill I acquired during my attachment in different occasions.Sometimes a guest might
complain that the room assigned to them did not meet their expectations. By using the problem
solving skills it was possible to listen to the guest complains and come up with an appropriate
solution like giving the guest another room or upgrading them to a higher one.

III.5 POS skills

I learnt how to operate the Point of sale system which at Eagle palace is the center of all food and
drinks sale. No food or drinks can be sold without an order being placed in the POS this helps the
management in avoiding pilferage by stuff.

3.6 Team work skills

Working with my colleagues, senior staffs, junior staffs and fellow trainees made me gain the
teamwork spirit a skill that is essential to facilitate work. Coordination is required, teamwork
is essential to ensure that work is done in time and properly. It also creates a bond and a sense
of understanding between the staffs. It discourages laziness and through team work one can
learn from one another. More skills are developed during teamwork that one can borrow from
the other and use it in another place.Teamwork also help to fill the gap between seniors and
juniors as it brings them together while working as they reason together and exchange ideas.
While working as a team, teamwork is also portrayed in a way that one is willing to step into
someone's else position and assist when work get busy.

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3.7 Time Management skills

Working in a big hotel like Diani Reef Beach Resort and Spa, time management skills is very essential.
This is because work is swift and busy and inorder to keep track of time and avoid forgetting
important details, time management skills is very crucial. This is a skill I acquired during the
attachment period by observing schedule, keeping time and completing tasks in the required time
Moreover, it's a skill that everyone is very focused with. The guest would want their services to be
done efficiently to avoid delays and time wastage. At the reception, this is a skill I learnt in several
scenario, for example the required time for check out is 10 am therefore before that time, all
documents, bills and other necessary requirements that the guest will need during check out should
be ready. This is to avoid keeping the guest waiting.
In service, it's important to be cautious with time, if dinner starts at 7pm everything including table
setting should be ready before the time. When guest places an order or request for room service it is
important to deliver at the designated time inorder to provide effective and quality service to the
quest.
3.8 Customer service skills

This is a skill I obtained through my daily involvement and interaction with the guests in the hotel.
This is generally how you deal with guests while offering services to them. The skill of prioritization is
applicable here too in a way that you serve guest in the basis of first come first served. That is good
customer service as the guests will not feel left out or completely ignored. Being swift but not in a
rush is another great customer service skills. One should work in a pace where the guest will not feel
impatient or see that the services are taking too long. Being attantive to customer needs and
providing them is good customer service. Moreover being able to always communicate positively,
listening carefully, being composed and calm, empathetic and always willing to offer help where it is
needed are good qualities of great customer service that can be offered to a guest. Great customer
service is making sure that all customers needs are met at the right place,time and the right way to
meet the expectations of the guest.

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 CHAPTER FOUR

CHALLENGES, LIMITATIONS, AND ISSUES ANALYSIS

These are the challenges and limitations that I came across during my attachment period in
Diani Reef Beach Resort and Spa.
4.1 Co-ordination between staff
The co-ordination between staff in different departments was quite a challenge especially
between the kitchen and restaurant staff concerning guests requests of their food some chefs
did not like some requests that the guests made about their food and end up using unfriendly
language with the waiters who were only communicating the guests requests this caused
hostility between kitchen and restaurant staff.

4.2 Hiring and retaining staff

This is a major challenge at the hotel as they have insufficient staff at the resort without
including the trainees. Those staff who are paid are few whereas those under training are a
little bit more. This is a major challenge because considering the work done is done by people
who are undergoing training means that not the best quality of job is offered. During my
attachment period, a number of junior staff were fired with the claim that the hotel had
enough staff. Inorder to be hired at the hotel, one is supposed to undergo training for a period
of time and then the hotel retains you and hires the person temporary. Once you prove to be
reliable and hardworking the hire you permanently. With this type of method of hiring it will
be very difficult to retain the temporary trainees as most of them loose patience because the
process being hired there is not guaranteed.
4.3 Competition from other hotel
The location of Eagle Palace Hotel is a major factor that bring in competition. There are
many hotels located in Nakuru town this is a major challenge that indicates competition is at

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its highest. With the fact that most hotels around there offer the same services and the same
amenities competition is very high. Most hotels around the area are much bigger Eagle Palace
meaning they accommodate guest who need space. The rates are also different putting
competition at its peak.
4.5 Personal challenges
During the attachment I encountered different challenges such as; Unwillingness of staff to
share knowledge. This was a challenge at the beginning of the attachment period where the
staff were reluctant to teach us or even share their knowledge with us. Therefore for a couple
of days we learned only through observations before they decided to schedule training classes
for the trainees. This was a major challenge because observation was not enough to learn
about the concept of the hotel and most of us were left in the dark during that first period of
the attachment.
Another challenge I encountered was not being able to perform other duties just because the
senior staff thought we were not ready to perform them yet. Having acquired all the skills and
knowledge during the training I think it would be fair enough to perform those activities as a
process of learning. This made us feel discouraged and demotivated.

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 CHAPTER FIVE

5.0. ATTACHMENT CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1. Conclusion

In conclusion, having undergone attachment in Eagle Palace Hotel for a period of three
months in the department of Food and Beverage service, Housekeeping, Banqueting and
kitchen, I have learned alot and gained the maximum skills and knowledge that any
hospitality student should gain. Not only did I work for the establishment I also gained some
work experience as well as skills and knowledge that I would use in other places.

The hotel was a better place for me to put in practice the theory that I learned in class and
view it in a practical angle. I was able to create bond through teamwork, equip myself with
new skills such as problem solving skill and learned how to deal and relate well not only with
the guest but also other people.

Through interaction with other guests at the resort I was able to learn more from them and
positive they learned something from me and the hotel as well. The hotel is a great place that
offers training not only to students but also to the locals who would be interested in learning
hospitality management. After undergoing the attachment and indulging myself in several
activities in the hotel I can conclude that the attachment was a learning experience and a
success.

5.2 Recommendations

1. The hotel management should organize team building activities to encourage their
staff to work together
2. The senior staffs should be willing to share knowledge with trainees and other junior
staffs so as to equip them with the necessary knowledge that is required while
working at the hotel.
3. The hotel should come up with unique measure that will help them outsmart their
neighboring hotels in order to reduce competition.
4. The hotel should practice promotion and practice other measures inorder to motivate
it's employees. It should however make sure to hire trained personnel for quality
services.

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5. The hotel should consider offering jobs to the trainees as this will help them reduce
the effort of training the newly recruited employees.
6. Trainees should be allowed to put the gained knowledge and skill into practice
without questioning their abilities as well as allow them to introduce new skills to the
table.

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 REFERENCES

https://eaglepalacehotel.com

Student logbook.

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 APPENDICES

Attached is my recommendation letter and the logbook.

Appendix I Recommendation letter

Appendix ii Logbook

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