Reception is every hotel’s calling card. It is where guests arrive, ask their questions and say goodbye. A friendly, competent receptionist shapes the impression of the whole stay. Hotels throughout Germany – from city hotels in Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich to holiday hotels on the North Sea and Baltic coasts – are constantly looking for front desk staff.
Duties at hotel reception
- Check-in and check-out: welcoming guests, completing registration, issuing key cards, preparing invoices
- Reservations: taking, changing and maintaining bookings in the hotel system
- Guest service: information about the city, restaurants and transport, booking taxis and tables
- Complaint handling: resolving problems calmly and constructively
- Communication: coordinating with housekeeping, maintenance and the restaurant
- Cash desk: taking payments and the daily close
What do you need?
Hotel training is ideal, but many hotels also hire candidates with experience in tourism, retail or customer service. Important are:
- Very good German and good English – every additional language is a plus
- A friendly, well-groomed appearance and service orientation
- Confident computer skills; knowledge of hotel software such as Opera or Protel is welcome
- Staying composed when several guests arrive at once
Shift work at reception
Reception is staffed around the clock, with early, late and night shifts. The night shift (night audit) also includes the daily close and security rounds. Shift work means supplements for nights, Sundays and holidays, and often several consecutive days off.
City hotel or holiday hotel?
City hotels are dominated by business travellers and short stays – many arrivals and departures and a fast pace. In holiday hotels guests stay longer, contact is more personal and reception often acts as the information centre for excursions. Both offer good opportunities, including seasonal contracts with accommodation.
Career paths
From reception you can move on to front office supervisor, front office manager or into reservations, sales or revenue management. Many hotel directors started their careers at the front desk.
Reception jobs with AS-Gastro-Consult
AS-Gastro-Consult places receptionists, night auditors and front office staff with hotels all over Germany. Tell us which languages you speak and which shifts you prefer, and we will find the right hotel.
See our current job offers or message us on WhatsApp: +49 163 501 95 12.
