What Happens in the Front Office of a Hotel?

The front office of a hotel is where guest services are located; employees working in this area will be in direct contact with hotel guests at check-in and check-out, as well as at all hours of the day to address any issues or questions the guests may have. The front office of a hotel may also be the location of porter services, parking services, and any other services pertaining to the daily life of a guest in the hotel. Most guests have a limited interaction with the front office, usually only during check-in or check-out.

Booking services will also operate out of the front office of a hotel. These employees will be responsible for handling phone calls and Internet communications dealing with booking rooms. Guests will rarely walk in to make reservations, since most guests will be traveling to get to the hotel, but it is possible that some people may visit the front office of a hotel to book a room. If this occurs, booking services associates will help these people make their reservations. They will also help people who need to reserve a block of rooms, which is common for weddings and other large events. Booking services may also help guests book other areas of the hotel, such as conference centers and so on.

Some hotels will have events coordinators, depending on the size and layout of the hotel itself. These people will operate out of the front office of a hotel and will book, plan, coordinate, or otherwise run events on the hotel grounds. Booking services will often work directly with events coordinators to ensure the areas of the hotel are not double-booked, and the events coordinator may be responsible for the maintenance and cleanliness of the hotel's events areas, catering services, technology services, and so on. These coordinators will often work directly with guests and people who are planning events to ensure the event goes off without a hitch.

Front desk attendants often perform several duties, most of which relate directly to guest services. Aside from checking guests in and out, front desk attendants may perform tasks such as arranging transportation for guests, attending to parking services and issues, recommending local attractions and restaurants, addressing any issues within individual rooms that may arise, taking care of billing issues and questions, and possibly even organizing housekeeping services. These attendants may also address the scheduling needs of guests; scheduling wake-up calls or shuttle services are common tasks.