Hotel manager

Hotel managers are responsible for the planning, finance and organisation of a hotel or similar establishment. They need to make sure that everything runs smoothly so that guests enjoy their stay.

Work activities

Hotels are big business. Wherever you go in the world, you’ll probably never be very far away from one. There are country hotels, luxury hotels, city hotels, motels and other establishments serving the needs of all kinds of people.

Running a hotel is demanding and varied work. The manager of an international hotel in a large city might work differently from the manager of a small seaside guest house. But whatever kind of establishment it is, the manager will be responsible for making it successful. This means making sure that the standard of service is what the guests expect and that relevant laws (health and safety, for example) and business procedures (accounting, for example) are followed.

The manager of a large hotel is usually known as a general manager. In their team, they might have a restaurant manager, a domestic services manager, a front office manager, a human resources manager and possibly a few others reporting to them. Together they have regular management meetings, in which they discuss problems and possible solutions. The general manager checks progress on projects that other managers are doing and authorises any special actions that need to be taken. Through these meetings and by talking to guests and staff, the general manager gets a good idea of how well the hotel is doing.

In a small hotel, the manager might have to take a more hands-on approach. This could involve recruiting, training and supervising staff, checking and ordering stock, getting repairs done and sometimes even serving meals.

Big national chains own many hotels. In these cases, a lot of business strategy, policy and planning is done at the head office. A hotel manager is responsible for making sure that the head office business plan is carried out effectively. In an independent hotel, or one that is part of a smaller chain, the manager might have more input and authority to decide on policy and strategic matters. They might also carry out activities for marketing the hotel. Managers sometimes live in the hotel, so they can be on-call at all times. In a small guest house or bed and breakfast establishment, the owners usually manage the whole process – including cooking and serving breakfasts, cleaning the rooms, tidying up and taking bookings.

Being able to read, write and speak Welsh may be an advantage when you’re looking for work in Wales.

Personal qualities and skills

As a hotel manager, you need:

Excellent business skills.
Planning and organisation skills.
Good communication skills.
Good ‘people’ skills, for example, dealing with staff and customers.
To be tactful and diplomatic.
Problem-solving skills.
Lots of energy and enthusiasm.
The ability to co-ordinate lots of things at once.
A smart appearance.
Good negotiation and marketing skills.
To use your initiative.
To be quick thinking.
To work to budgets and targets.
IT skills are also useful. Foreign language skills might also be useful in tourist areas.

The following skills shortages have been identified:

Customer service skills.
Identifying, and being responsive to, the needs of customers.
Clear communication skills.
The ability to develop customer loyalty, increasing repeat business.
Complaint-handling skills.
Marketing skills.
Financial management.
People management.

Pay and opportunities

Salaries for hotel managers vary depending on the size of the hotel and their range of duties. Salaries are in the range of £20,000 for trainee managers, rising as you gain experience, up to a level of around £60,000 – or even higher at more prestigious hotels.

A hotel manager works a basic 40-42-hour week. However, long hours, shift, weekend and public holiday work is common.

Employers are hotels of all sizes, and leisure facilities that provide accommodation. Opportunities for hotel managers occur in towns and cities throughout the UK, as well as at airports, in some rural areas, and around the coast. Larger hotel chains offer opportunities to work in other countries.

Self-employment opportunities exist for experienced managers to open their own small hotel or bed and breakfast establishment; however, this requires considerable financial investment.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in local/national newspapers, trade magazines such as Caterer and on the Government’s Find a Job service. Vacancies can also be found through specialist recruitment agencies and internet job boards. The Institute of Hospitality also advertises management vacancies on its website. Hotel chains and larger hotels have their own websites and may advertise vacancies as they arise.

Entry routes and training

A common way of reaching management level in this industry is to work your way up, while studying for relevant qualifications. As you progress, it’s a good idea to get experience in different areas – for example, reception, kitchens, administration or finance.

You may be able to complete a higher apprenticeship in the role of hospitality manager. This provides you with on-the-job training and the chance to work towards relevant qualifications.

Another way to enter the career is to get onto a management trainee programme with a large hotel chain. You’ll need A-levels at least, though most companies will ask for a degree, foundation degree or HND, in hotel or hospitality management, for example.

Training programmes are usually a mixture of attending different courses and doing on-the-job learning. They might lead to professional qualifications. The Institute of Hospitality offers relevant training courses, such as the diploma in advanced hospitality and tourism management.

Some hotel managers progress to managing a chain of hotels or specialise in other areas such as hotel marketing. Some managers go on to open their own guest houses or bed and breakfasts. There might be opportunities to work in hotels abroad.

Qualifications

You can become a hotel manager by working your way up. However, it’s more usual to study for relevant qualifications first. You will usually need two A-levels and GCSEs (including English and maths) to qualify for a higher apprenticeship.

For entry to a degree course in a subject such as hotel or hospitality management, the usual minimum requirement is:

Two to three A-levels.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in two to three other subjects.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have relevant skills and abilities gained in the hotel industry, for example, in room service or as an attendant or receptionist.

If you are working in the industry or have gained relevant skills, you can attend college part-time to study for qualifications such as the HNC in hospitality management. If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course could be the way in. No formal qualifications are usually required, but you should check individual course details. They can lead to relevant degree/HND courses.

A range of colleges and universities offer degrees in Hospitality Management, including at Master’s level. Study can be full or part time/flexible or via distance learning. Courses may be offered in combination with Tourism, Business and Events Management, including managing International Events. Courses have been developed in partnership with industry.

Candidates may be able to apply to the Savoy Educational Trust for financial support for study of courses related to the hospitality industry.

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