Luxury hotels shine on the surface—but the real magic happens backstage.
Discover how AIHM students dive into heart-of-house departments and come out thinking like future industry leaders.
Walk into any luxury hotel as a guest and you’ll see impeccable uniforms, welcoming smiles and elegant service.
But that’s only half the story.
Behind every guest experience is a hidden network of strategy, creativity, logistics and leadership. While earning their degrees, AIHM’s BBA students get to experience both sides of the equation.
In their front-of-house internship, our young professionals become acquainted with the polished charm and on-the-ground demands of operational roles in hospitality. Then in their following internship within a heart-of-house department, they peek behind the curtain, working in areas like Human Resources, Sales, Marketing, Public Relations or Finance. In these heart-of-house departments, guest satisfaction is still the goal, but business strategy is the language of the game. For this second internship and its deep dive into business administration, students trade the front desk or the kitchen for spreadsheets, pacing plans, client contracts and brand storytelling.
We spoke with several AIHM students who recently completed their heart-of-house internships to learn what they discovered, how their thinking evolved during their experience, and what advice they’d give to those preparing for this next step.
Trio on Thinking Like a Strategist
Before his second internship, Chavit "Trio" Techapongtorn thought about hospitality mostly in terms of its service aspects—the face-to-face, day-to-day operations of a hotel. His time in the Sales Department at Anantara Riverside Bangkok and Avani+ Riverside Bangkok changed everything.
“Working in sales revealed how much strategic planning happens behind the scenes,” he said. “I learned how important market segmentation, rate planning and targeting the right audience are to a hotel’s success. I started seeing hotels not just as service providers, but as strategic businesses.”
For Trio, this shift in perspective added a powerful new layer to his hospitality education. It's one thing to deliver excellent service; it’s another to understand how that service is positioned, marketed and monetized in a competitive landscape.
Bea on Falling in Love with the Unexpected
Beatrix “Win Myatt” Myatt Phyo entered her second internship thinking she was a Front Office devotee. After all, her first internship as a Guest Service Agent at Anantara Siam Bangkok had only deepened her love for the role.
When she stepped into a heart-of-house position—Assistant Banquet Manager at Anantara Plaza Nice on the French Riviera—she expected to learn, but not necessarily to love it.
She was wrong.
“Working closely with the Sales and Kitchen teams, I saw the collaboration that goes into pulling off an event. I found myself enjoying the planning, the energy, the coordination. And I started to feel curious about sales and events management—two areas I’d never considered before.”
Bea says her second internship expanded her vision of what a hospitality career could be. “Stay curious, be brave, and most importantly, believe in yourself,” she advises fellow students. “Even the toughest days are part of your journey. That’s exactly where the magic happens.”
Angad on the Power of Storytelling in Hospitality
Angad Jesu Nazareth had always seen himself in Food & Beverage. But during his second internship in Public Relations at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, he gained new appreciation for the behind-the-scenes activity that supports a great restaurant or bar.
“Strong communication, marketing and storytelling are just as important as the food and service,” he explained. “This experience helped me see that the guest journey starts long before they walk through the door.”
Working alongside the PR team gave Angad a more holistic view of the business and reinforced the importance of branding and storytelling in luxury hospitality. The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok stands out in the industry as an especially storied hotel. “It’s a place that has always held a special place in my heart,” said Angad. “Working alongside experts in the field, engaging with the hotel’s rich legacy and contributing to its communication strategies has been an invaluable experience.”
He credits the internship with making him a more well-rounded team member: someone who understands not just how to serve a guest, but how to build the narrative that draws them in.
Jamila on Owning Your Role
For Jamila Ebbing, the second internship was about stepping up. As a Food & Beverage Management intern at The St. Regis Bangkok, she realised that simply completing tasks wasn’t enough at this stage in her developmen
“You’ve already built a foundation,” she said. “Now it’s time to contribute. Speak up, ask for more, take initiative.”
By offering ideas and volunteering for extra responsibilities, Jamila earned trust, visibility and a deeper sense of ownership over her role. Her advice to fellow students? “Be proactive. Even if your ideas don’t get used, they show that you care—and that matters.”
Jamila explained the major benefits of a proactive attitude: “Stepping up helps you grow professionally. It builds rapport with your team. In addition, it allows you to build strong connections. In hospitality, these connections are incredibly valuable for your future career.”
Drawing Back the Curtain
The front-of-house internship AIHM students experience early in their studies introduces them to the operational demands of the hospitality industry. Their second internship draws back the curtain.
As they dedicate themselves to a heart-of-house role in their second internship, AIHM’s young professionals become acquainted with the business strategies vital to a hotel’s success. They get to explore the departments shaping a property’s culture, its communications or its financial management.
From sales strategy to brand marketing, AIHM’s interns gain first-hand experience in contributing to the decisions that define a hotel’s path forward. For many, it’s a time for transformation. As you can glimpse in the intern reflections above, they often experience a ‘light-bulb moment’, a new way of viewing the hospitality industry and the different sides of the business.
AIHM’s young professionals use their internships to learn, to grow, to explore career tracks and to make the connections that can help propel their personal journeys forward. With two internships completed by the time they graduate, they have double the experience to draw from and to enrich their profiles as they launch themselves into the industry upon receiving their degree.
Prepare For Your Future
As an AIHM BBA student, you complete not one but two real-world internships during your studies—one in operations, one in management. You develop confidence, skills and strategic thinking as you take your lessons out of the classroom and into the field.
Are you ready to start building your future in one of the world’s most dynamic industries? Explore our BBA degree and other programmes.
Are You a Forward-Thinking Hotelier?
Connect with the next generation of innovative professionals and leaders. Partner with AIHM for internships, consulting projects or other beneficial collaborations.
Contact Samantha Lauver-Marion, Director of Global Partnerships, to explore the possibilities.