Mystery Guest Evaluation Confirmation

Soneva Jani, Maldives 

 

Auditor Name: Mian Mian Tong
Auditor Email: tong.mianmian@gmail.com 

Dear Mian Mian,

Below are the details and guidelines for your upcoming Mystery Guest Evaluation.

Assignment Details

HotelSoneva Jani (4 Nights & 5 Days)
Auditor ProfileCouple — Leisure Traveler 
AddressMaldives
Phone+960 660 4300
Email reservations@soneva.com
Websitehttps://soneva.com/resorts/soneva-jani/
Audit FeeUSD 100
Audit TimelineCheck-in: after 1st November 2026
Check-out: before 30th November 2026
Report due: within 48 hours of check-out


Check Out Instructions: Complete the guest journey and reveal your identity and proceed with the GM Debrief.

IF AN AUDITOR BACKS OUT OF A CONFIRMED ASSIGNMENT THEY WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE AUDITOR PANEL AND BLACKLISTED



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General Instructions

  • Reservations must be made directly with the property by CALLING them; do not use third-party booking channels.
  • Follow the auditor profile stated above exactly — any deviation may result in cancellation of the assignment.
  • Evaluate every applicable facility, service and touchpoint at the property. Marking an item "Not Applicable" without assessing it is not acceptable.
  • Remove any reference to "mystery shopper" or similar terms from public/social media profiles prior to the audit.
  • Record any mandatory calls (e.g. reservation, in-room dining, housekeeping) and upload them in the required format.
  • Spa is to be evaluated for this assignment — mark related checklist sections as per your experience.
  •  Complete the full guest journey (including check out) before revealing your identity and requesting the General Manager debrief.
  • Once the debrief is completed, the hotel will process the applicable waivers/reversals for accommodation, F&B and other eligible charges, as per the hotel’s internal process. The timing of the reimbursement or reversal may vary by property and may take up to 45 days. Any advance payments made by the auditor will be reimbursed in accordance with the agreed process.

    • GM verifies you via:

    • GDI Letter of Identification

    • Original ID matching the Letter, with exact audit dates


Therefore, Conduct the audit exactly as per the guidelines. GDI is not responsible for any financial loss due to non-compliance.

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Audit Budget & Expense Guidelines

TRAVEL BUDGET
ItemBudget / Instruction
Travel Budget600 USD
Airport Pick & Drop Pickup from the airport to the hotel and drop back at the airport will be arranged by the hotel which is part of the audit. Therefore please book the transport during the reservation for the stay.
As the resort is located in an island, the resort is reachable only via sea plane which is to be booked during the reservation for the stay.
Cab ExpensesHome-to-airport transfers may be claimed based on actual receipted expenses, however these are included in the total travel budget.
EXPENSE LIMITS DURING THE STAY

  • Stay: Base villa/room category, including breakfast
  •  F&B:  Meals: 250 USD per day
                 Bar: One drink for the purpose of evaluation
                 Mini Bar: One chargeable item to evaluate the service of replenishment
  • Laundry: 5 garments for evaluation purposes.
  • Spa: 1 complimentary signature massage for the Auditor, not exceeding 90 minutes
  • Water Sports:  1 complimentary non-motorized watersports class for Auditor, Partner and Children
  • Soneva Retail: 1 garment item from Soneva Retail for the purpose of testing how the service is delivered, the price of which shall not exceed $100
  • Private Activity: 1 Complementary private experience, either Private Picnic or Private Cinema Paradiso.
  • Special Experiences: 2 (two) special experiences unique to each Resort, for the purpose of testing the Resort specific unique experiences. The Special experiences to be decided by the Auditor through consultation with the butler.

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AREAS OF SPECIAL ATTENTION

  • Reservation: The reservation has to be made with bed and breakfast only.

  • Airport Pick-up & Drop-off – Request and evaluate the hotel’s airport pick up service.

  • Service Recovery & Integrity Scenarios: Conduct multiple service recovery and integrity scenarios throughout the audit, ensuring each scenario is discreetly and naturally executed, properly observed, and documented with the required supporting evidence.  
  • Reservation: Reservation for the stay should ONLY be made by calling the hotel. 
  • Spa: Please evaluate the spa for this assignment.
  • Black out dates - There are no black out dates for this audit in September/October.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
  • Report Submission - The report is to be submitted with-in 48 hours of the check out.
  • Hotel Reimbursement: The hotel will reimburse the amount paid by the auditor with-in 45 days of the report submission. This is the maximum turn around time.
  • Emotional Intelligence: The Emotional Audit is to be evaluated throughout the entire guest journey. Pay close attention to how the hotel creates a genuine sense of warmth, personalization and care, and document specific moments that contribute to a memorable guest experience
  • The auditor must attend the mandatory training session with the Quality Team before conducting the audit. Failure to attend the training will result in cancellation of the audit with no reimbursement.
  • The Auditor shall act as a paying guest of the Resort during the Audit until the point of reveal, and therefore shall not reveal that the Auditor is a mystery shopper or is conducting a mystery audit to any other guests or hosts of the Resort. This includes revealing the fact that the Auditor is a mystery shopper or audits or works in the hospitality industry as a profession.
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  • The Auditor shall not post on social media that the Auditor is at the resort in case it gets known by the Hosts who the Auditor is, leading them to guess the reason for the Visit.
  • The Auditor should participate in any special communal events that may occur during their stay, for example management cocktails, beach BBQ Dinners, tea tasting, Marine Biology Presentation, Yoga lessons, Eco Centro Tours and etc. The Auditor shall ask the Butler for all information related to communal events taking place during the Visit, for the purpose of this provision.
  • The Auditor shall avoid taking photographs or unsatisfactory setups or conditions when in public settings to avoid appearing like an auditor but shall take them if there is no risk of such appearance or in private settings. These photographs and videos taken shall be included in the final report on the Software.
  • The Auditor shall ensure that the checklists, notes, or other documents related to the audit should not be visible to the Hosts and shall not be left, kept or used in a visible manner in the villa.
  • The Auditor is encouraged to ask questions to Hosts of Soneva to test their product knowledge
  • The Auditor is encouraged to act as a guest would and make requests or complaints if necessary.

THE REVEAL

  • The Auditor shall disclose that the Auditor is a mystery shipper to the barefoot butler on the morning of the departure day in the case of an afternoon/evening departure, or in the evening prior in the case of a morning departure.
  • The barefoot butler will arrange for the Auditor to meet with the general manager or next most senior Host on the Resort property to discuss key findings from the stay.
  • The barefoot butler shall liaison with the Finance team to amend the bill to ensure that the benefits and inclusions are reflected therein.
  • A call shall be scheduled between the Auditor and the IQM (and GM and RM of the properties may join if they are invited) to discuss the overall Audit experience, feedback and points for improvement if required.
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IMPORTANT – AUDIT APPROACH FOR Soneva Mystery Audit

This is a high-priority luxury audit and must be approached with a high level of attention, observation and professionalism. Every stage of the guest journey should be assessed carefully, with particular focus on the quality and authenticity of the experience delivered.

During the audit, look beyond whether a service was simply completed. Assess how the service was delivered and how it contributed to the overall guest experience.

Particular attention must be given to:

  • Attention to detail – Identify both visible details and small service details that contribute to a refined luxury experience.
  • Genuine and intuitive service – Assess whether interactions feel natural and sincere rather than scripted or transactional.
  • Personalization – Identify whether staff recognize opportunities to tailor the experience to the individual guest. 
  • Anticipation of needs – Observe whether staff proactively identify and address guest needs rather than waiting for the guest to ask.
  • Consistency – Assess whether the expected level of service is maintained across different departments, services, shifts and interactions.
  • Emotional connection – Identify moments where staff create a memorable, meaningful or genuinely warm guest interaction, as well as opportunities where this was missed.
  • Sustainability and conscious hospitality – Where these elements are encountered during the guest journey, assess whether they appear meaningfully integrated into the experience.






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BE OBSERVANT AND GO BEYOND THE CHECKLIST

The checklist provides the framework for the audit, but it should not limit your observations.

Look for nuances, inconsistencies, missed opportunities and details that may not be captured by a simple Yes/No answer. If you observe something relevant to the guest experience that is not specifically covered by a question, document it in your report where appropriate.

Do not assume that a service is satisfactory simply because the basic requirement was fulfilled. Consider:

Was it done correctly?
Was it done efficiently?
Was it done naturally?
Was it personalized?
Was the guest's need anticipated?
Did the interaction feel genuinely welcoming?
Did it contribute to the overall luxury experience?





REPORTING EXPECTATIONS

Your report must provide an independent, fresh and completely unfiltered account of your actual experience.

Be rigorous and candid. Do not give positive ratings simply because the property is positioned as a luxury hotel. Equally, do not criticise the property merely because its service style and unique format.

Where you identify a weakness, inconsistency or missed opportunity, provide specific and factual commentary explaining what happened and why it affected the guest experience.
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Where appropriate, provide a practical recommendation explaining how the experience could be improved.

Your observations should help the hotel understand not only what happened, but also what could have been done differently to create a stronger guest experience.

IMPORTANT

Capture as much factual detail as possible throughout the stay, including:

1. Names or clear descriptions of staff members where possible
2. Department/location
3. Time of interaction
4. What was requested or expected
5. What actually happened
6. How the interaction was handled
7. Any follow-up or recovery
8. Any missed opportunity
9. The impact on the overall guest experience

Do not rely on memory at the end of the stay. Make notes discreetly throughout the audit so that your final report is detailed, accurate and evidence-based.

Audit the experience as a discerning luxury traveler, while respecting the property's intentionally relaxed, authentic and Soneva character











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BEFORE YOU ARRIVE


  • Login to the GDI Portal and review all Brand Standard sections and questions before your stay.
  • Remove "Mystery Shopper" from all social media profiles.
  • Make the reservation ONLY by emailing the hotel. Make a fake reservation call to evaluate the reservation by call if the brand standards on the portal contains a related section/questions. Record the call (MP3). Do NOT use third-party booking platforms.
DURING THE STAY

  • Follow the checklist on the GDI Portal throughout the entire stay. Do not rely on memory or assume that a question is not applicable.
  • Review the relevant questions before testing each service so that all required steps, timings and scenarios are completed correctly.
  • Follow all mandatory audit instructions, special focus areas and scenarios mentioned in the portal checklist. 
  • Capture the required photographs, videos and audio recordings at the appropriate stage of the guest journey and upload them against the relevant questions.

  • Do not reveal your identity as an auditor at any point during the audit process.
  • Document observations immediately or as soon as possible after each experience to ensure the final report is accurate and detailed.
  • Before check-out, review the portal checklist once again and ensure that all required tests, questions and supporting evidence have been completed.
  • Experience the hotel as a regular guest while maintaining a low profile. Make use of all applicable services and facilities naturally, without drawing unnecessary attention to yourself or revealing that you are conducting an audit.



AFTER THE STAY
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  • Complete the entire guest journey. Ensure all applicable services have been experienced and all outstanding bills have been settled.
  • Reveal your identity ONLY after completing check-out and meet the GM for the debrief.
  • Complete the report with-in next 48 hours and submit it on the GDI portal










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PHOTOGRAPHY REQUIREMENTS

Stage

Requirement

Hotel Arrival

Photograph the hotel exterior, entrance, lobby, front desk and lifts upon arrival. Capture the arrival experience discreetly.

Room Arrival

Take minimum 30 photos of the room and bathroom immediately upon entry, before using or moving any items. Also record a 2-minute video covering the room, bathroom and all key amenities.

Room – Detailed Coverage

Ensure photographs cover the bed, bedside tables, desk/work area, seating, minibar, wardrobe, safe, amenities, technology, view, balcony/terrace (if applicable) and other guest facilities.


Bathroom

Take a minimum 10 detailed photographs covering the vanity, mirror, WC, shower/bathtub, toiletries, towels, amenities, fixtures and overall cleanliness.


Spoil / Defect Photos

Photograph any maintenance issues, cleanliness concerns, damaged items, missing amenities or other defects identified during the stay.


Daily HK – Morning

Take 10 photographs before leaving for breakfast and 10 photographs upon return, allowing the before/after condition of the room to be assessed.


Post-Housekeeping 

If housekeeping services the room, capture photographs after service to document the condition and presentation.



Laundry

Take the photographs of the laundry bag, your soiled laundry and the filled laundry request form before the laundry is picked up. Take the photographs of the laundry once it is delivered covering the packaging and the garments.



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Pool & Public Areas

Take discreet photographs of the pool, pool surroundings and key public areas/facilities evaluated during the stay.


F&B

Photograph food, beverages, table setup and relevant presentation for each applicable F&B experience.


IRD / Delivery Service

Photograph the QR code/order interface, ordered items, packaging, delivery presentation and final setup, while maintaining guest discretion.


Airport Transfer


Where applicable, document the airport pick-up/drop-off experience through discreet photographs where permitted and appropriate.


Check-Out

Capture relevant photographs of the final guest journey/check-out experience where appropriate and without compromising guest privacy.



IMPORTANT PHOTOGRAPHY RULES

  • Take photographs before touching or using anything in the room wherever a “before” condition is required.
  • Ensure photographs are clear, well-lit and properly framed, with the relevant item or area fully visible.
  • Avoid excessive or repetitive photographs; every photograph should serve a purpose or support an audit observation.
  • Always take AFTER photographs even if housekeeping did NOT service the room. This allows the report to demonstrate the room condition at the relevant point in the guest journey.
  • Be discreet when taking photographs in public areas. Do not intentionally capture other guests or identifiable individuals in the frame.
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  • Do not photograph confidential documents, payment-card details, personal information or other sensitive guest information.
  • All photographs should be clear, well-framed and relevant to the audit requirement. Avoid unnecessary duplicate photographs.
  • Where possible, ensure all photographs are timestamped. This helps establish the timing and sequence of the guest journey and supports the accuracy of the audit report.
  • Do not edit, filter, crop or otherwise manipulate photographs in a way that could alter the actual condition observed.
  • Retain the original photographs until the audit has been fully submitted and approved.
  • If a required item or facility is unavailable, photograph the area where it would normally be located and clearly document the observation in the report.
  • Upload photographs in the correct section of the report and ensure they correspond to the relevant question/observation.
  • Do not rely solely on photographs for important observations; provide a clear written description of what was experienced
AUDIO RECORDING GUIDELINES

  • Recommended method for recording calls: Put the call on speakerphone and use a second device to record the conversation. This generally provides clearer audio and ensures that both sides of the conversation are captured.
  • Record all mandatory telephone interactions required as part of the audit, including reservation and knowledge-testing calls such as IRD, Laundry request, HK request, etc.
  • Ensure the recording captures the complete interaction, from the beginning of the call until the conversation ends.
  • Test your recording before making the call to ensure that both your voice and the staff member’s voice are clearly audible.
  • Keep the recording clear and uninterrupted; avoid background noise wherever possible.
  • Save the original recording and upload it to the GDI portal in the designated section.
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  • Do not edit or manipulate the recording before submission.
  • Where possible, retain the recording with the corresponding date and time to support the sequence of the guest journey.
REPORT WRITING STANDARDS

  • Write in first  person and past tense.
  • Answering Questions: Every question must be answered as Yes, No, or N/A. For a No response, provide a clear explanation and upload a supporting photograph where applicable. For an N/A response, provide a specific written justification explaining why the question does not apply.
  • Date & Time Format: Use the date format July 25th, 2023 and the 24-hour time format (e.g., 14:30). Do not use AM/PM or abbreviations such as “mins” or “Hrs.”
  • Executive Summary: Write the Executive Summary as a coherent narrative in paragraph form, not as bullet points. Cover the key positives, areas requiring improvement, and recommendations from the overall guest experience.
  • File & Image Requirements: Submit photos in JPG/PNG, videos in MP4, audio recordings in MP3, and documents in PDF format. Ensure all files are high-resolution, clear, and correctly oriented (upright).
  • Objective Reporting: Maintain an objective and factual tone throughout the report. Describe your personal experience and observations without using exaggerated or judgmental language. For example, write “I did not have a pleasant experience” rather than “This is a horrible hotel.”

INTEGRITY SCENARIONS (IF APPLICABLE)

  • Laundry: Place currency in the laundry pocket. Verify it is returned. Use official currency names (USD, EUR, INR) in the report.
  • Guest Room: Leave cash or a small valuable in plain sight before housekeeping. Verify it is untouched on return.
  • Restaurant: Raise a food complaint and seek a discount or bill waiver. Evaluate resolution speed, sincerity, and solution offered



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SERVICE RECOVERY SCENARIOS (IF APPLICABLE)

  • Room Cleanliness: Report a minor cleanliness concern. Evaluate empathy, ownership, response time, and resolution offered.
  • Restaurant Complaint: Raise a concern about food quality or temperature. Evaluate sincerity, ownership, and solution offered.
  • Delayed Service: Report that a requested service has been delayed. Evaluate communication, ownership, and recovery. 
  • Technical Issue: Report a malfunctioning room device. Evaluate how the associate handles and resolves the issue. 
  • Billing Concern: Question an incorrect or unclear charge. Evaluate how the concern is investigated and resolved. 
  •  Unresolved Request: Follow up on a previous request that has not been completed. Evaluate ownership and follow-through.  


Important: The scenario should be a minor, realistic service issue, not something that could create a genuine safety, financial, medical, or serious guest-relations problem. The auditor should evaluate the actual recovery process, rather than intentionally creating an unreasonable complaint. 

IMPORTANT TIMELINES

🏨 Check-In: Check in strictly at the hotel’s regular published check-in time. Early check-in is not permitted for the audit.
🧳Check-Out: Complete check-out at the hotel’s regular published check-out time. Do not request or arrange a late check-out unless specifically instructed.
📋 Audit Submission: Submit the complete audit report within 48 hours of check-out. All questions, photos, videos, audio recordings and supporting documents must be uploaded before submission.
⚠️ Late Submission: Any delay beyond the required submission timeline will directly result in a reduction of both the audit fee and the eligible travel reimbursement, as per the applicable payment structure.


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AUDIT SUBMISSION AND DEDUCTION STRUCTURE

  • Within 48 Hours of Check-Out: No deduction – 100% Audit Fee + 100% Eligible Travel Reimbursement 
  • 48–72 Hours After Check-Out: Audit Fee deduction applies – Travel Reimbursement remains unchanged
  • More Than 72 Hours After Check-Out: 100% Audit Fee + 100% Travel Reimbursement deduction



AUDITOR WITHDRAWAL OR BACK OUT

Once an audit has been accepted and confirmed by the auditor, the auditor is expected to complete the assignment as committed. Backing out or cancelling the assignment without a valid and pre-approved reason may result in the auditor being blacklisted from future GDI assignments.



GDI ACCOUNTING GUIDELINES

💵 Audit Fee: The audit fee will be paid by GDI after the audit has been completed, the report has been submitted and approved, and all required deliverables have been received.

✈️ Travel Reimbursement: Eligible travel expenses will be reimbursed based on actual expenses incurred, subject to the approved travel budget and submission of valid receipts. 

🧾 Receipts: All reimbursable expenses must be supported by clear and valid receipts. Expenses without supporting documents may not be reimbursed. Receipts must be available and presented in PDF. Screenshots are not accepted.
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⏳ Payment Timeline: GDI will process the approved audit fee and eligible reimbursements within 45 days from the date of audit submission, subject to the report and all required financial documents being reviewed and approved.

✈️ Missed Flights: Flights missed by the auditor for any reason will not be reimbursed by GDI. Any additional costs incurred as a result of a missed flight, including rebooking, cancellation, or change fees, will also be the auditor’s responsibility.

⛽ Fuel Expenses: Fuel expenses for personal vehicles will not be reimbursed by GDI unless specifically approved in advance. Any fuel cost incurred without prior approval will be the auditor’s responsibility.

🅿️ Airport Parking: Airport parking expenses are not reimbursed by GDI. Any parking charges incurred at the airport, whether for personal or other vehicles, will be the auditor’s responsibility.

🚗 Rental Car Expenses:  Rental car expenses are not reimbursed by GDI unless specifically approved in advance. Any rental charges, insurance, fuel, parking, tolls, or other related costs incurred without prior approval will be the auditor’s responsibility.

🍽️F&B Expenses: The F&B budget is strictly for meals consumed at the audited hotel during the audit. GDI will reimburse only eligible meals consumed at the hotel, within the approved F&B budget. Meals consumed outside the hotel—including at the airport, while in transit, or at any other external location—will not be reimbursed by GDI. GDI will not reimburse any meal expenses outside the hotel.

If F&B services are not available at the hotel assigned to you, please contact the GDI Program Manager and obtain written approval in advance before incurring any alternative meal expenses.
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CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE


This document contains confidential and proprietary information intended solely for the assigned auditor and authorized personnel. The contents, including audit instructions, brand standards, scenarios, procedures, and supporting information, must not be shared, copied, reproduced, forwarded, or disclosed to any third party. The information contained in this document is to be used strictly for the purpose of conducting the assigned audit. Any unauthorized disclosure or misuse of the information may result in cancellation of the assignment and/or further action in accordance with the applicable confidentiality agreement




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