So You Want to Be a Hotel Manager

Do you want to be a memory maker? Dreaming of a career where you can express your creativity and play a starring role in bringing many of people’s most important moments to life? 

Weddings, honeymoons, family vacations, romantic getaways, business trips, company retreats, fine dining events…for some people these are once-in-a-lifetime events. For a hotel manager, they’re a part of everyday life!

Hotels offer numerous management roles, but when people dream of being a “hotel manager”, they’re usually thinking about what the industry calls a hotel’s General Manager, or GM. The GM is the chief of the hotel. A hotel or resort GM oversees every department and ensures the property runs smoothly. They manage the needs and desires of a company’s key stakeholders, including its owners, Board of Directors, team members and, of course, guests.

On a day-to-day basis, the life of a hotel manager may vary. In essence, they’re managing many projects—big and small—all at the same time. A General Manager is responsible for developing their hotel’s people, delivering on service standards that have been established, attracting bookings, launching or updating restaurant concepts, and playing a key role in creating or integrating a variety of facilities. Spas, fitness centres, meeting centres, excursions, water sports, sunset cruises, private dinners—you’ll find all of these and more at hotels and resorts, depending on the property’s concept, location and target market.

Ensuring that sustainability and corporate social responsibility are central to the hotel’s operations is also key. You look after the wellbeing of your guests, your team members and the environment and community in which you do business.

Read on to learn more about this multi-faceted career.

Your Interests

Skills for Success

Career Paths

Most General Managers work their way up the management ranks of operational departments. The most popular departments for GM-track hotel professionals are the Rooms Division or Food & Beverage Division. Nearly all GMs hold the position of Assistant General Manager before being appointed a General Manager. Large hotel brands often offer in-house leadership training programmes designed to funnel graduates directly into management roles within their companies. For example, explore Minor Hotels’ Ascent programme. If you dream of being a GM, keep your eye out for these kind of leadership training opportunities. 

Popular Career Paths

Educational Pathways

• Most management-track individuals entering today’s hospitality market require a Bachelor's Degree. A degree in Hospitality Management is ideal for fast-tracking your way up the ladder to becoming a General Manager. Those without a closely related degree (or without a degree) may be able to secure senior hotel management roles, but they often need a greater number of years of industry work experience to attain them. A degree in hotel management is really the gold standard for aspiring GMs.

• An increasing number of Hotel Managers hold an MBA or Master's Degree with a business or hospitality focus.

• Internships are extremely beneficial to new job-seekers, especially those wanting to secure a job as an Assistant Manager or Manager of a hotel department immediately after graduation. Job requirements for these roles tend to require previous work experience in the field.

Life as a Hotel Manager

Salary

Work Schedule

Hotel managers often work long hours—including evenings, weekends and holidays. Being a General Manager requires a high level of commitment, responsibility and flexibility to ensure the hotel operates smoothly at all times.

Location

Hotel managers work on-site at the hotel or resort. Relocation for new opportunities is common, and this may include international assignments, especially for those working with large hotel chains. Domestic or international travel for meetings and trade shows is also common. In some resort locations, managers live on-site—for example, in a private villa on a remote island resort. 

Considerations

• “With great power, comes great responsibility.”—As the top leader of a property and all its departments, you must be highly adaptable and committed.

• Being a hotel manager can require long or irregular hours.

• A service mindset is essential for dealing with a variety of guest issues.

• You will need to balance guest satisfaction and operational needs with your team’s wellbeing and job satisfaction.

Job Outlook

The demand for hotel managers is expected to remain steady, particularly in regions with strong tourism sectors. Particularly, the growth of the hospitality industry in Asia and the Middle East present significant opportunities for aspiring General Managers. Demand for well-trained hospitality professionals in these regions is and will continue to be extremely high; these are regions where rapid progress for high-achieving professionals is especially prominent.

Related Careers

• Hospitality Consultant
• Regional Manager
• Director of Operations
• Director of Sales and Marketing
• Director of Revenue Management
• Restaurant Manager
• Country Club General Manager / Chief Operating Officer
• Amusement Park General Manager
• Convention Centre General Manager

Is a BBA Degree from AIHM Right for You?
Does being a hotel manager sound like your dream job? Do you want lead hot spots in the heart of the city or a tropical resort for beachside bliss?
If you’re interested in management roles within the hotel industry, AIHM’s Bachelor of Business Administration in Global Hospitality Management might be your path to success. Discover our degree BBA degree and related hospitality studies.
Transfer Student?
AIHM welcomes transfer students who have started their degree elsewhere but then realise AIHM is a better match for their aspirations. See more info about transfer options.