Hotel receptionists make guests feel welcome, deal with room bookings and cancellations, and handle requests in an efficient and professional way. Their duties usually include:

• dealing with reservations and cancellations by phone, e-mail, letter, fax or in person
• checking guests in, allocating rooms and handing out keys
• checking guests out, preparing bills and taking payment
• handling foreign exchange
• taking and passing on messages
• dealing with special requests from guests, such as ordering taxis, booking theatre trips, or storing valuables and luggage
• answering questions about facilities in the hotel and the surrounding area
• dealing with complaints or problems.

In larger hotels, reservations are computerised and the receptionist keeps the system up-to-date. They also often use a telephone switchboard.

Receptionists in large hotels usually work as part of team, and may just deal with one specific part of the role such as handling telephone reservations or checkouts. In small hotels, they might cover a wide range of other tasks, from showing guests to their rooms to serving drinks in the bar.

Hours and Environment

Hours of work can include days, evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays. Shift work, including split shifts, is also common. Receptionists may be paid extra for working unsocial hours.

Part-time and seasonal work is available.

Receptionists spend most of their time behind a counter, close to a computer terminal and telephone switchboard. Employers may provide a uniform.

Skills and Interests

To be a receptionist, you should:

• enjoy dealing with people and be able to vary your approach depending on the guest
• be patient and tactful
• have good written and spoken communication skills, including a pleasant telephone manner
• stay calm under pressure
• be able to think quickly and solve problems
• be able to multi-task
• have keyboard and computer skills
• be methodical and well-organised.

It could also be useful to have foreign language skills.

Entry

You do not need set qualifications to become a hotel receptionist, but employers look for a good standard of general education and may ask for some GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) or equivalent qualifications, particularly in English and maths.

You could enter after taking a relevant full- or part-time college course, such as:

• BTEC Level 2 First Diploma in Hospitality
• BTEC Level 3 Certificate or Diploma in Front Office Operations or Hospitality Supervision
• BTEC Level 3 Certificate in Hospitality Customer Relations
• SQA National Certificate in Hospitality
• NVQs/SVQs (see the Training section for more details).

Entry requirements for these courses vary, so check with the college or training provider.

If you are aged between 16 and 24 you may be able to enter through an apprenticeship scheme (see Training).

If you are not entering through an apprenticeship scheme or after a college course, you will find it useful to have experience of customer service or office work. Some employers may prefer you to have experience of using a telephone switchboard or a particular computerised reservations and booking system. 

Training

You will be trained on the job by experienced staff. Some employers have in-house structured training schemes.

You may be able to work towards NVQs/SVQs, either through work-based training or day release to college. Relevant NVQs/SVQs include:

• Level 1 Hospitality (Front Office)
• Level 2 Front Office
• Level 3 Hospitality Supervision.

Some employers may allow day release to study for other qualifications such as the courses mentioned in the Entry section.

Higher National Certificates and Diplomas (HNCs/HNDs) in Hospitality Management are available, which could be useful if you want to develop your career into management.

Apprenticeships may be available for those under the age of 24. In England these are currently Apprenticeships (level 2) and Advanced Apprenticeships (level 3). To find out more about these, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk.

Apprenticeships may be different in other areas. For further information see Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland.

Opportunities

The hospitality sector in the UK is growing.

Prospects may depend on the size of the organisation. Larger hotels and hospitality chains are more likely to have a career structure that may lead to promotion to shift leader, supervisor, and head receptionist.

Receptionists with the right skills and experience could be promoted to front office manager or hotel manager, but they might need to take further qualifications, such as HNCs/HNDs in hospitality management.

It is possible to move to different areas of hotel work, such as events and banqueting services, sales, personnel or accounts, and then on to management. Many large hotels encourage staff to work in different departments so that they become multi-skilled and have better promotion prospects.

Reception skills are also likely to be useful outside the hospitality industry, in areas such as customer service and administration.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guide only.

Hotel receptionists may start on £10,000 to £14,000 a year. 
Experienced hotel receptionists may earn up to £20,000 a year.
Reception managers in large hotels can earn up to £30,000 a year. 

Meals and accommodation are sometimes provided.

Further information

2nd Floor
Armstrong House
38 Market Square
Uxbridge
Middlesex
UB8 1LH
Tel: 0870 060 2550