How to become a Hotel and Motel Front Office Attendant
Hotel and motel front office attendants look after the needs of guests on arrival and during their stay in a hotel or motel.
Personal requirements for a Hotel and Motel Front Office Attendant
- Enjoy working with people
- Friendly, helpful and patient
- Able to assist guests with a limited understanding of English
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
- Able to record information accurately
- Able to work as a leader and as part of a team
- Able to project a professional manner at all times
- Flexible and resourceful
- Able to stay calm in difficult situations
Education & Training for a Hotel and Motel Front Office Attendant
You can work as a hotel and motel front office attendant without formal qualifications. You will probably get some informal training on the job.You can also become a hotel and motel front office attendant through a traineeship. Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10.
Additional information
Experience in word processing and operating office machinery such as switchboards is desirable. The ability to speak a second language is an advantage if working in an international hotel.
Duties & Tasks of a Hotel and Motel Front Office Attendant
Hotel and motel front office attendants:
- Receive reservations for accommodation from clients, either in person, online or by telephone, fax or email
- Take guests' details and allocate their rooms
- Talk to transport carriers (such as airlines, bus companies and rental car agencies) to make and confirm travel arrangements for guests
- Inform guests of the hotel/motel's services and facilities, policies and procedures
- Provide tourist information to guests
- Make reservations for sightseeing tours, restaurants, the cinema and live entertainment
- Deal with enquiries and requests from guests
- Take messages for guests
- Finalise guests' bills and issue receipts upon payment
- Arrange accommodation for guests travelling to other destinations
- Perform cashier duties and exchange foreign currency
- Place guests' possessions in a safe if requested
- Coordinate the cleaning of guests' personal laundry, shoe shining and room service deliveries
- Follow in-house procedures to help ensure the security of guests and employees
- Perform general secretarial duties, such as preparing correspondence and attending to a switchboard.
Tasks
- Maintains the reception area.
- Answers inquiries and provides information on the goods, services and activities of the organisation.
- Advises on and arranges reservations and accommodation.
- Receives and resolves complaints.
- Arranges and records details of appointments.
- Greets and welcomes visitors, and directs them.
- Receives and distributes correspondence, facsimile messages and deliveries.
- May perform other clerical tasks such as word processing, data entry, filing, mail dispatch and photocopying.
- Answers, connects and transfers telephone calls.
Working conditions for a Hotel and Motel Front Office Attendant
In a small or medium-sized hotel, all of the above duties may be carried out by one person. However, in an international-standard hotel, several attendants may be employed. Each attendant is allocated a set of specific duties to perform (for example, one may attend to guest reception, another may be responsible for the switchboard, while another works as an information officer). Hotel and motel front office attendants usually work shifts, including evenings, weekends and public holidays.
Employment Opportunities for a Hotel and Motel Front Office Attendant
Hotel and motel front office attendants are employed by hotels, motels, resorts, guesthouses and hostels throughout the country. They may work in privately owned hotels or motels, or in companies that operate a chain of establishments.
Specializations
Hotel and Motel Manager
A hotel and motel manager plans, supervises and controls the operations of a hotel or motel. They have a high level of contact with the public and may have to deal with difficult guests and be on call if major problems arise.
Hotel and Motel Front Office Attendant
Hotel and motel front office attendants look after the needs of guests on arrival and during their stay in a hotel or motel.
Average age
33
Future Growth
N/A
Gender Share
76% female
Average full-time
40 hours
Weekly Pay
N/A
Skill level rating
Entry level
Unemployment
Lower unemployment
Full-Time Share
37%
Employment Size
9,900
Employment by state
ACT: 2.8%
NSW: 30.9%
NT: 2.4%
QLD: 24.0%
SA: 6.0%
TAS: 3.4%
VIC: 20.9%
WA: 9.5%
Age brackets
15-19: 4.4%
20-24: 22.9%
25-34: 36.7%
35-44: 15.4%
45-54: 11.3%
55-59: 4.6%
60-64: 2.9%
65 and Over: 1.8%
Education level
Advanced Diploma/Diploma: 15.8%
Bachelor degree: 22.7%
Certificate III/IV: 14.6%
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate: 6.1%
Year 10 and below: 8.2%
Year 11: 4.3%
Year 12: 28.3%
