Education:
72%
Bachelor's Degree
18%
Less than a High School Diploma
Lodging Manager
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Job Outlook:
Faster than average
Education:
High school diploma or equivalent
Salary
High:
$122,440.00
Average:
$73,230.00
Hourly
Average:
$35.21
What they do:
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that provides lodging and other accommodations.
On the job, you would:
- Answer inquiries pertaining to hotel policies and services, and resolve occupants' complaints.
- Participate in financial activities, such as the setting of room rates, the establishment of budgets, and the allocation of funds to departments.
- Confer and cooperate with other managers to ensure coordination of hotel activities.
Important Qualities
Business skills. Lodging managers need to operate a facility that is profitable. To do so, they must be able to address budget matters and coordinate and supervise workers.
Customer-service skills. Lodging managers must have excellent customer-service skills. Satisfying guests is critical to a facility’s success and helps to ensure their loyalty.
Interpersonal skills. Lodging managers interact regularly with many different people. They must be effective communicators and be able to have positive interactions with guests and staff, even in stressful situations.
Leadership skills. Lodging managers must establish a productive work environment, which may involve motivating personnel, resolving conflicts, and handling guests’ complaints.
Listening skills. Lodging managers must have excellent listening skills for attending to the needs of guests and maintaining a good working relationship with staff.
Organizational skills. Lodging managers need to keep track of many different schedules, budgets, and people at once.
Problem-solving skills. Lodging managers must be able to resolve personnel issues and guest complaints.
Personality
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
|---|---|---|---|
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98% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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98% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
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97% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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95% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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95% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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95% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
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93% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. | |
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93% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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93% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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88% | Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. | |
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88% | Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. | |
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88% | Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. | |
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88% | Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. | |
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87% | Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job. | |
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84% | Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. | |
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77% | Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
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100% | Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law. | |
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72% | Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|
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100% | Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. | |
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83% | Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. | |
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67% | Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement. |
Aptitude
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
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78% | Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. | |
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75% | Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. | |
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75% | Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. | |
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75% | Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. | |
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75% | Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem. | |
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75% | Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. | |
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75% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. | |
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69% | Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). | |
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66% | Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). | |
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66% | Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity). | |
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66% | Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. |
Job Details
Responsibilities
Provide basic information to guests, visitors, or clients.
Provide basic information to guests, visitors, or clients.
Resolve customer complaints or problems.
Prepare staff schedules or work assignments.
Resolve customer complaints or problems.
Direct administrative or support services.
Manage organizational or project budgets.
Confer with organizational members to accomplish work activities.
Monitor facilities or operational systems.
Monitor performance of organizational members or partners.
Monitor activities of individuals to ensure safety or compliance with rules.
Evaluate employee performance.
Conduct employee training programs.
Guide patrons on tours.
Assign resources or facilities to patrons or employees.
Implement organizational process or policy changes.
Develop organizational policies or programs.
Develop operating strategies, plans, or procedures.
Inspect condition or functioning of facilities or equipment.
Document organizational or operational procedures.
Interview employees, customers, or others to collect information.
Hire personnel.
Schedule product or material transportation.
Purchase materials, equipment, or other resources.
Provide basic information to guests, visitors, or clients.
Promote products, services, or programs.
Manage guest services.
Collect payments for goods or services.
Coordinate operational activities with external stakeholders.
Perform manual service or maintenance tasks.
Purchase materials, equipment, or other resources.
Monitor flow of cash or other resources.
Maintain operational records.
Collect payments for goods or services.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
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98% | Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? | |
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98% | Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job? | |
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97% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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96% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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95% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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92% | Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? | |
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89% | Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? | |
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89% | Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers? | |
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88% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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88% | Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer? | |
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88% | Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job? | |
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87% | Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job? | |
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84% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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83% | Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos? | |
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80% | Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job? | |
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78% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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78% | Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job? | |
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78% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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68% | Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job? | |
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67% | Public Speaking - How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job? | |
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80% | Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
|---|---|---|---|
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87% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
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85% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. | |
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82% | Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. | |
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82% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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82% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. | |
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82% | Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. | |
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80% | Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. | |
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79% | Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. | |
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79% | Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. | |
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78% | Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. | |
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78% | Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. | |
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77% | Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork. | |
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75% | Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. | |
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75% | Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. | |
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74% | Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. | |
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74% | Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. | |
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73% | Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization. | |
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72% | Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. | |
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71% | Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. | |
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68% | Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. | |
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68% | Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. |
What Lodging Managers Do
Lodging managers ensure that company standards for guest services are met.
Lodging managers ensure that guests have a pleasant experience at a hotel, motel, or other type of facility with accommodations. Lodging managers also plan, direct, or coordinate activities to ensure that the facility is efficient and profitable.
Duties
Lodging managers typically do the following:
- Inspect guest rooms, public areas, and grounds for cleanliness and appearance
- Ensure that company standards for guest services, décor, and housekeeping are met
- Answer questions from guests about the lodging facility's policies and services
- Interview, hire, train, and sometimes fire staff members
- Monitor staff performance to ensure that guests are happy and that the facility is well run
- Coordinate the facility's front-desk activities and resolve problems
- Set budgets, approve expenditures, and allocate funds to various departments
- Keep track of how much money the facility is making
A comfortable room and a helpful staff can make being away from home an enjoyable experience for guests. Lodging managers, who occasionally greet and register guests, try to make sure that guests have a good experience.
Lodging establishments vary in size, from bed and breakfasts with just a few rooms to resorts with thousands of rooms. Facilities are sometimes identified according to the level of amenities they offer, such as limited service or full service. The larger the number of amenities a facility provides—for example, a swimming pool, a casino, and a restaurant—the greater the range of duties for lodging managers who oversee them.
The following are examples of types of lodging managers:
Convention service managers coordinate the activities of various departments, to accommodate meetings, conventions, and special events. They meet with representatives of groups to plan the number of conference rooms to be reserved, design the configuration of the meeting space, and determine what other services the groups will need, such as catering or audiovisual requirements. During a meeting or event, they resolve unexpected problems and ensure that facility operations meet a group’s expectations.
Front-desk managers coordinate reservations and room assignments and train and direct the facility’s front-desk staff. They ensure that guests are treated courteously, that complaints and problems are resolved, and that requests for special services are carried out. Most front-desk managers are also responsible for adjusting bills.
General managers oversee all lodging operations at a facility. At large establishments with several departments and multiple layers of management, the general manager and several assistant managers coordinate the activities of separate departments. These departments may include human resources, marketing and sales, recreational facilities, and others. For more information, see the profiles on human resources managers; public relations and fundraising managers; financial managers; advertising, promotions, and marketing managers; and food service managers.
Revenue managers direct a property’s finances. Their responsibilities include monitoring room sales and reservations, overseeing accounting and cash-flow matters, projecting occupancy levels, and deciding which rooms to discount and when to offer special rates.
Work Environment
Lodging managers held about 50,800 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of lodging managers were as follows:
| Traveler accommodation | 69% |
| Self-employed workers | 17 |
| RV (recreational vehicle) parks and recreational camps | 4 |
The pressures of coordinating a wide range of activities, turning a profit for investors, and dealing with dissatisfied guests may be stressful.
Work Schedules
Most lodging managers work full time. Work schedules may vary and often include evenings, weekends, and holidays. Because these facilities are open around the clock, some managers are on call 24 hours a day.
Getting Started
How to Become a Lodging Manager
Full-service facilities may prefer to hire candidates who have a degree in hospitality or hotel management.
To enter the occupation, lodging managers typically take one of three paths: a high school diploma combined with several years of experience working in a lodging facility, a bachelor’s degree in hospitality or hotel management, or an associate’s degree or certificate in hotel management.
Education
Lodging managers typically need at least a high school diploma to enter the occupation. High school students interested in becoming a lodging manger may benefit from taking classes in hospitality management, which may be offered at some high schools.
Full-service facilities may prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in hospitality or hotel management. Hotel management programs typically include instruction in hotel administration, housekeeping, food service management, and hotel maintenance, as well as in business subjects such as accounting, marketing, and sales. Systems training is also an integral part of many degree programs, because lodging facilities use hospitality-specific software in reservations, billing, and housekeeping management. Employers may seek candidates whose degree is from an accredited hospitality management program.
At limited-service facilities, candidates with an associate’s degree or a certificate in hotel, restaurant, or hospitality management may qualify for lodging manager positions. Technical institutes and vocational or trade schools also may offer courses that are recognized by the hospitality industry.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
To enter the occupation, lodging managers with a high school diploma or its equivalent typically need experience working in guest services, at the front desk, or in related positions. Candidates with a degree often have experience too, which they gain through internships or by working as a management trainee.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Professional certification may be beneficial. For example, the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) offers the Certified Hospitality and Tourism Management Program (CHTMP) for high school students, which requires passing exams and completing industry work experience. College students and working professionals can obtain the Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) through AHLEI.
Advancement
Lodging facility employees who show leadership potential and have several years of experience may qualify for assistant manager positions.
Large facilities, including well-established chains, may offer better advancement opportunities than small, independently owned ones. For example, opportunities may include advancing from assistant manager to manager or from managing one facility to managing several in a region.
Job Outlook
Employment of lodging managers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
About 5,400 openings for lodging managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Overall travel spending patterns will translate to strong demand for lodging managers in hotels and other lodging establishments. However, the growth of short-term rentals has offered competition for traditional hotels, which may limit demand for these workers.
Contacts for More Information
For information about lodging workers' professional development, training programs, and more, visit
American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI)
Association of Lodging Professionals (ALP)
For information about schools and educational programs in hotel and restaurant management, visit
Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA)
International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (CHRIE)
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of lodging managers.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Food Service Managers |
Food service managers are responsible for the daily operation of restaurants or other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $61,310 |
|
Gambling Services Workers |
Gambling services workers serve customers in gambling establishments, such as casinos or racetracks. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $31,290 |
|
Human Resources Managers |
Human resources managers plan, coordinate, and direct the administrative functions of an organization. |
Bachelor's degree | $130,000 |
|
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers |
Property, real estate, and community association managers oversee many aspects of residential, commercial, or industrial properties. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $60,670 |
|
Sales Managers |
Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams. |
Bachelor's degree | $130,600 |