ResortsResorts

Types of Resorts/Hotels Characteristics of Resort Management Employment Questions Functional Divisions Front of the House Housekeeping Maintenance Impacts Planning and Development

Types of Hotels

Commercial or Transient Hotels Convention Hotels Motels and Motor Hotels Condominium Hotels Residential Hotels Casino Hotels All-suite Hotels Resorts

Characteristics of Resort Management

There are several features that distinguish resort properties from other types of lodging properties Guests Recreation Location Local dependence Seasonality Personnel Employee training Revenue and accounting Traditions

Guests

Vacationing individuals Vacationing families Convention guests Expect larger, more luxurious rooms

(bathrooms amenities, mini-bars, seating areas, entertainment centers, etc)

Stay longer than typical commercial hotel guests

Rooms are typically more expensive

Recreation

Multiple pools Tennis courts Golf courses Ski slopes Retail Increased amenities means increased

costs, increased maintenance and make it more difficult to change with times

Recreation

These amenities require additional land and staffing

Maintenance workers must have more specific expertise

Trainers and/or teachers may be needed for guests

Recreational amenities can greatly affect the reputation of the resort, and in fact, may be at the center of the resort’s reputation

Location/Geography

Location itself may be an amenity Resorts very often must be self

contained Location is often remote, and

therefore might create problems in terms of: Personnel supply Personnel housing/transportation

Location

Remote locations are more subject to: Limits on delivery Limits on communications Extreme weather conditions Transportation for guests to and from

property Having the location community

dependent on it

Local Dependence

Employment patters Lay off workers in more developed

areas Employ workers year-round in less

developed areas

Seasonality

Seasonality in commercial recreation does not just depend on the yearly seasons

Creative solutions to seasonality caused slumps are important

Shoulder seasons are those time periods that come just before and just after the prime season

Seasonality

Concerns: Personnel turnover Hiring/training costs Inventory control/theft Good will with community

Personnel

Guest stay longer Guests are often limited in number (at

least per employee) Employees may get to know guests

during their stay Guests expect more personal treatment Increased numbers of “moments of

truth” make hiring the right people even more important

Employee Training

Seasonality may require that employees be “cross-trained”

“Double-barrel” training crucial to guests that demand high quality service

Revenue and Accounting

In contrast to most commercial hotels, resorts rely much more on recreational activities and departments for income

Financial statements are more complicated with some areas operating at a loss to attract guests to other departments

Traditions/Events

Resorts tend to attract a higher number of repeat visitors than commercial hotels

Traditional activities based on society holidays, etc can help create family traditions at a resort

Resorts can create their own events that can become traditional over time

Questions…

Fill out the questionnaire and see if you can decide which questions are okay to ask in an interview (or on an application) and which are not okay to ask

Functional Divisions

Resorts and hotels typically divide departments into two major divisions based on their most basic functions

Functional Divisions

Front-of-the-house Bell service, concierge, reservations, front

desk, guest services, social directors, activities directors

Heart-of-the-house (Back-of-the-house) Food and beverage, building maintenance,

grounds, housekeeping, laundry, power, accounting and purchasing

Functional Divisions

Sometimes departments are divided between those that directly affect the guest, supporting their needs and wants from those that support other departments

Functional Divisions

Line departments: Front-of-the-house departments and

most heart-of-the-house departments Staff support departments:

Payroll, purchasing, marketing, sales, security, personnel, accounting

Rooms Division

Some of the largest properties divide departments even further and create a special “rooms” division. This special area includes housekeeping and reservations.