Still searching for a career for myself (and burning myself out with retail sales), I came across the thought of doing something like Hotel Management/Hospitality/Tourism.

I started doing some research and realized that there was a degree for each of those things. Just curious if anybody works for a hotel, or has a similar degree or something like that or any advice to lend someone searching.

I'm 22, I WANT to go back to school but I have to pay for it out of pocket and want to be positive about what I'm going back for. Right now it's set on just Business Management of some sort but wanted to find out some info from anybody in the other 3 fields I mentioned above.

Thanks!

 

I am in the business. I don't do hotels because my personality is way too strong. Hotels are all about ratings, so you have to kiss MAJOR ass, whether you like it or not. I do restaurant management (I manage a large restaurant group in NYC) and that is more my speed. However, I've also been in the restaurant industry for the past decade, and know the business inside out. Hotel management to me is boring, infuriating, and depressing. Just being honest.

This is what I tell all my trainees to see if they can handle the business. For one entire weekend, have everyone in your life (family, girlfriend, friends, etc) that you will be around do nothing but be mean to you, insult you, call you names, put you down, and see if you can be nice to THEM the entire time. Make sure they bring up REAL issues, and REAL problems, not just "you're and asshole" the whole time. That, plus long hours, equals hotel management.

 

thanks for the response. i also thought about restaurant management but haven't ever worked in the food industry and wasn't sure how it would be either. that's a pretty good way to find out how your trainees are though, i like that idea lol.

do you have any pros and cons for the restaurant side of it?

 

there



Im in the hospitality business =]! I work for the Ritz Carlton in Georgetown, Washington DC. i worked for marriott for 2 years before i officially transferred to the Ritz Carlton. got a degree in major butt kissing LOL and im a beast

 

i am in the valet/bell area of hotel at a major casino and just from seeing what happens around the hotel i wouldnt recommend it.
They like to promote from within so a degree is not 100% gonna help you at least from what i see.
The pay is not THAT great for what you have to deal with. The pissed off people, the people always trying to get something for nothing. I see the director of hotel operations ...in charge of all depts such as front services, bell/valet, transportation making 50-60k. But then got laid off.
Working mandatory holidays, sometimes 15hrs a day etc etc and its all salary so there is no OT.

Guess it depends where you are and what company you get with but like said above,.....butt kissing is the only course you need to take. Everything else is learned by doing.

 

just about every job that deals with the public, you get shit like this....

 

i should have been more clear.

hotel rates change minute to minute based on demand/what other hotels are doing. People paid 79.99 last week and now they make the drive only to find out there is a event at the convention center a block away and now the rates are 299, if they have any room at all. Talking sense into these people is an impossible task.

The food was bad so the guest wants a free room and will stop at nothing till they get it.

Being I only know casinos,.....they lost their money, 20 bucks or 5000, they think they "paid" for a room or a meal or free tickets to something. If you dont satisfy them be sure you get use to the comment of "I pay your wage!".....how they think that them losing money actually pays anyone working at the hotel any bit more than normal is beyond me.

There is tons more issues I have but in the end, people will always find money for vacations and its almost an industry that will be around forever. I however am seeing lots of casinos close up and become condos.


Again, this is me just talking crap on the hotel industry from my stand point and knowledge.

 

Years ago I worked at a 5 star hotel and I have to agree that you need to be prepared to take crap constantly from people. While there are plenty of polite people in the world, there are also many people who think it's not at all embarrassing to scream in a hotel lobby demanding that they get free valet parking, claiming that the other hotel down the street didn't charge them for parking when they stayed there. I also found that people were promoted from within, although I would think that these days you need to have some kind of formal education to get into management. Perhaps you could choose a program that has some kind of practicum/field placement that would give you a better idea of which kind of business you're suited for.