ESSAY: From Guesthouse Staff to Owner—Chapter 10

10. The DNA of a Guesthouse Operator

Writer: CHLOE, Operations Director at Suksobaljunso (https://brunch.co.kr/@merrychloemas)

Editor: ONDA Manager Somora

CHLOE, Operations Director at Suksobaljunso

Hi, I'm CHLOE—co-founder and operations director at Suksobaljunso, a company that specializes in guesthouse operations management and training.

I started in hospitality as guesthouse staff, then broadened my view as general manager at a franchise guesthouse and later working in sales and partner support at ONDA, the integrated booking management service. Now I'm back to focusing on guesthouse operations—living and breathing this world. I want to share the know-how I've built from playing multiple roles and running properties with different concepts.

Photo by Radoslav Bali on Unsplash

After a few years of running properties, I've developed a gut feeling when I meet people dreaming of opening their own guesthouse. Sometimes I think, "This person would run an amazing place." Other times: "This person really shouldn't be doing this." I wasn't always confident I was cut out for it myself—but I've worked hard to be in the former camp.

Most lessons about what makes a good operator came from hard moments. The "I wish I'd done that differently" moments taught me what you need to succeed in this business.

As I wrote in the April 2019 issue of Magazine ON—"The One Thing a Guesthouse Needs Most: People" (https://brunch.co.kr/@merrychloemas/11)—guesthouses depend on many factors: location, concept, interior, service, price. But nothing matters as much as the operator's capability.

Early on, I was so focused on my own properties that I barely looked at what other great places were doing. For a long time, focusing on my own work was all I had time for. I built manuals for each property, learned from trial and error, refined those manuals. Eventually I felt like, "Okay, I've got this." But whenever I let my guard down, sharp feedback would hit me like a slap. That's how I learned: there's still so much to learn as an operator.

The Power of Consistency—365 Days a Year

On any given day, you're handling countless guests via phone, online, and in person. Remembering specific guests is tough. But some stick with you. Why? Because something memorable happened. And usually, "memorable" means something went wrong. Through those incidents, I've learned the importance of consistency.

You can gauge how consistently well a property is run by looking at guest reviews. Reviews capture details—sometimes things the operator didn't even mention. They're a window into your property's integrity.

You can gauge how consistently well a property is run by looking at guest reviews.

One pillar of consistency: cleanliness. It's the most basic thing—yet the easiest to let slip when you're tired. And when it slips, guests notice immediately. One of my go-to tactics is double-checking. Clean the room. Then have someone else inspect it. Twice, even three times.

I started mandating double-checks after a guest review shook me. Early on, everyone was giving 110%. But one room had a cleanliness issue. We'd cleaned thoroughly—but a guest complained about dust and hair on the bedding and floor. The culprit? A window we'd left open for ventilation and forgot to close. Debris blew in. The guest left a bad review. It stung. We couldn't argue—it was our fault. So we added a final step to our cleaning protocol: always double-check the room before calling it done. We still do it today.

Cleaning is the most essential, most repetitive task in hospitality. That makes it easy to fall into autopilot—which is exactly why operators must stay vigilant. I used cleanliness as an example, but really, every task needs to be consistently above standard.

Cleanliness is the most basic thing—yet the easiest to let slip when you're tired.

100 Guests, 100 Different Services

Guesthouse guests come from all over the world. They differ in race, nationality, profession, lifestyle, travel style—everything. That doesn't mean you need to please every single guest 100%. You do need to nail the basics. Beyond that, the details are where you can differentiate.

Every property has service limits—set by location, size, concept. But there's one thing operators must always keep in mind: exceptions. If your rule is A, fewer than 10% of guests will naturally understand and accept A.

I thought I'd seen it all. I thought I could stay calm no matter what happened. But—surprise—new curveballs kept coming.

The most common surprises? Cultural differences. For instance: guests wearing outdoor shoes indoors, or bathroom slippers outside the bathroom. In Korea, we have clear indoor/outdoor norms. But for guests from places without that distinction, it's just not intuitive. Even when we explain, some can't break the habit.

Unlearning a lifelong habit in a few days is hard. I understand that intellectually. But in the moment, I still feel flustered. I think, "Why are they doing that?" Accepting cultural differences is an ongoing challenge.

The solution? Keep explaining. Unless you're willing to redesign your whole space. What matters most is how the operator responds when these moments happen. Guesthouses attract diverse guests—so you need patience and empathy, even when you're explaining the same thing for the hundredth time.

Then there are personal quirks, not cultural ones. Someone doesn't like the bedding fabric. Someone hates the coffee at breakfast. Some guests make absurd demands—like five people booking a triple room and refusing to pay extra, or sneaking in a pet without asking. If every exception drains your energy, you'll burn out fast.

Sometimes it's better to let things slide. If you don't accept that hospitality is about dealing with all kinds of people, you'll be a nervous wreck within a month. You need equanimity. Think of it this way: 100 guests require 100 different versions of service. Because unpredictable things happen constantly.

Think of it this way: 100 guests require 100 different versions of service.

DNA is something you're born with. For aspiring operators, I'd say: plant the guesthouse operator's DNA in your mind and body before you open. The moment you become an operator, act like you've always been one. Opening a guesthouse takes that much preparation.

When I consult with aspiring guesthouse founders, the first session is always: "Look inward." Before starting anything, ask yourself: "Is this job a good fit for me?" and "Am I good at this kind of work?" But most people skip straight to external data—"I heard you invest X and make Y" or "Someone made Z in their first year." Sure, financials matter. But hospitality is human work, not machine work.

So ask yourself: Am I ready to be a guesthouse operator? That question is as important as ROI projections. You're the one who'll create that ROI. So confirm: Can I really do this? Am I suited for it? Am I prepared?

What does guesthouse operator DNA look like? I made a checklist for aspiring founders. Count how many apply to you. Use it to identify gaps you need to fill.

[Guesthouse Operator Self-Checklist]

1. I can't stand dust accumulating.
2. I have a strong stomach.
3. I'm diligent.
4. I don't need much sleep.
5. I enjoy meeting new people.
6. I'm comfortable talking to anyone—regardless of age, nationality, gender, or religion.
7. I don't stress easily.
8. I'm an optimist.
9. I'm rational.
10. I'm good with numbers.
11. I'm a decent writer.
12. I'm always learning.
13. I adapt quickly to new things.
14. I'm comfortable with goodbyes.
15. I smile a lot.
16. I'm comfortable with electronics.
17. I don't get flustered easily.
18. I have a habit of taking notes.
19. I'm patient.
20. I'm empathetic.

[Series Contents]

(Stories About People in Guesthouses) 01. Prologue + I'm a Guesthouse Staff Member 02. A Day in the Life of Guesthouse Staff—25 Hours Up Close 03. Why Did 'Guestaff' Become a Thing? 04. The One Thing a Guesthouse Needs Most: People

(Stories About Running a Guesthouse) 05. What Guesthouse Owners Worry About 06. There Are Great Guesthouses—and Terrible Ones 07. Well-Run Properties Have 'That Thing' 08. The Guesthouse Standard

(Stories About Opening a Guesthouse) 09. Is a Guesthouse Hospitality, Service, or Real Estate? 10. The DNA of a Guesthouse Operator 11. Some People Just Make It—Or Do Their Properties? 12. Despite Everything, I Love Guesthouses

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