A Hotel Manager

Read the text and say who can work as a hotel manager. Describe the working conditions for this position and speak about the different types of jobs in the hotel management.

A hotel manager or an hotelier is a person who holds a management occupation within a hotel, motel, or resort establishment. Management titles and duties vary by company. In some hotels the title hotel manager or hotelier may solely be referred to the General Manager of the hotel. Small hotels may have a small management team consisting of only two or three managers while larger hotels may often have a large management team consisting of various departments and divisions.

Typical Qualifications for a Hotel Manager. Background and training required varies by management title and duties involved. Industry experience has proven to be an essential qualification for nearly any management occupation within the lodging industry. Basic qualifications for a management occupation within a hotel usually consist of the following:

1) Industry Experience is the main factor.

2) Education. A high school diploma is a required qualification for any management occupation.A degree in Hospitality management studies or equivalent Business degree is often required or strongly preferred. A graduate degree may be desired for a General Manager position but is often not required with sufficient management experience and tenure.

Working Conditions. Hotel managers are generally exposed to long shifts that include late hours, weekends, and holidays due to the 24 hour operation of a hotel. The common workplace in hotels is a fast-paced environment, with high levels of interaction with guests, employees, investors, and other managers.

Upper management consisting of senior managers, department heads, and General Managers may sometimes enjoy a more desirable work schedule consisting of a more traditional business day including weekdays and days off on holidays.

Hotels and motels employ many different types of managers to direct and coordinate the activities of the front office, kitchen, dining rooms, and the various hotel departments, such as housekeeping, accounting, personnel, purchasing, publicity, sales, and maintenance. Managers make decisions on room rates, establish credit policy, and have ultimate responsibility for resolving problems. In small hotels or inns, the manager also may perform much of the front office clerical work. In the smallest hotels and motels, the owners — sometimes a family team — do all the work necessary to operate the business.

General Managers in large hotels often have several assistant managers, each responsible for a phase of operations. For example, food and beverage managers oversee restaurants, lounges, and catering operations.

Answer the following questions:

1) What is a hotelier?

2) How do duties and titles of hotel managers vary?

3) Who can perform the function of the General Manager in a hotel?

4) What qualifications are necessary to become a hotel manager in the USA?

5) What do you think about working conditions of a hotel manager?

6) What types of hotel managers are mentioned in the TEXT? What duties do they have? What is the best management position in your opinion?

7) What is the best schedule for a hotel manager from your point of view?