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Hotel Manager Interview Questions

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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Hotel Manager interview questions and answers.

  1. What motivates you to pursue a career in the hospitality industry? See answer
  2. If you were to encounter an unsatisfied customer, how would you handle the situation? See answer
  3. How would you handle a bad review from a guest? See answer
  4. Can you explain your hotel managerial experience to date? See answer
  5. What keeps you productive in your current job? See answer
  6. What are the most vital skills of a hotel manager in your opinion? See answer
  7. How do you handle stressful situations? See answer
  8. How would you handle the recruitment of new staff? See answer
  9. What change would you bring to our hotel facility? See answer
  10. Tell me more about your previous employment position, your role, and your capacity.
  11. What strategies would you put in place to improve our service? 
  12. What have you done to upgrade your skills? 
  13. Have you ever disagreed with your team? Tell us how you resolved the disagreement. 
  14. Which is the hardest decision you have made in your career?
  15. How have you contributed to improved efficiency at your current workplace?
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Hire your next Hotel Manager today.

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Hire your next Hotel Manager today.

Post a job
Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Hotel Manager Interview Questions and Answers

What motivates you to pursue a career in the hospitality industry?

The question will help you evaluate how the candidate understands the Canadian hospitality industry. It also enables you to assess what precisely motivates them to pursue a career in the industry. You can also possibly learn that the motivating factors are different for different candidates. From the answer, you will know which candidate possesses the required skills. What to look for:

  • Demonstrate understanding of the Canadian hospitality industry 
  • Duties of a hotel manager
  • Motivation factors

Example:

“Being a hotel manager places me in the best spot to work in the flourishing Canadian hospitality industry. By offering my managerial skills in the hospitality industry, many hotel guests will get the best possible service.“

If you were to encounter an unsatisfied customer, how would you handle the situation?

By asking this interview question, you'll find out about the candidate's problem-solving skills. Their answer needs to have an example of a situation when they dealt with an unsatisfied guest. Ask the candidate to explain more about the actions they took to solve the problem. What to look for:

  • Problem-solving capabilities 
  • Level of critical thinking 
  • Good leadership capabilities

Example:

“I remember working at my desk when an unhappy guest came complaining how our room service was poor. The guest was not only complaining but demanding to have their money back. Our policy was clear that no refund would be offered after a guest has paid for our service. The guest wouldn't listen, but I had to look for a way to make him happy. Politely, I started explaining our policy to him. I also offered him a free breakfast to keep him happy.”

Tell me more about your previous employment, your role and your capacity.

It's essential to ask this question since you need to learn more about the candidate's experience in the hotel business. You also need to check whether the candidate has experience working in a hotel facility that is similar to yours. What to look for:

  • Experience working in the hospitality industry
  • Hotel management acumen
  • Exceptional leadership skills

Example:

“I was previously working as an assistant manager at a busy beachfront hotel. My primary responsibility was managing the staff at the front desk. I would also answer guest questions and deal with issues they were having. Most importantly, I would perform the duties of the hotel manager in the absence of the acting manager.”

What strategies would you put in place to improve our services?

This interview question helps learn more about the candidate's leadership capabilities. The question further gives the candidate a chance to share their insights into improving customer service. Their answers should include a couple of ideas on making the overall service better. Furthermore, it should show how they were promoting better service in their previous job. What to look for:

  • Demonstration of relevant skills and experience
  • Organizational skills
  • Good work ethics

Example:

“I would deploy similar strategies to those that I put in place in the past. I would oversee the hiring of qualified staff to ensure our guest get exceptional service. I would also be at the forefront in branding our hotel facility to beat our competitors."

How would you handle a bad review from a guest?

The aim of asking this question is to find out how a candidate responds to criticism. Since the hotel manager holds a vital position in a hotel facility, they should be ready to face frequent criticism. Also, a good manager should handle complaints in the best way possible. 

By asking a candidate this question, you will find whether they can express humility if they face criticism. The question also helps you assess a candidate's level of critical thinking. A suitable candidate for a hotel manager job needs to give an instance when they react to criticism from a guest. What to look for:

  • Ability to handle criticism 
  • Creativity to come up with reasonable solutions
  • Willingness and adaptability to change when necessary

Example:

“I was working one day when a client started complaining that our staff was unfriendly. From the criticism, I took the criticism personally. I requested the guest to come to my office where we talked for a long time.

I was intent on understanding why the guest thought our staff was unfriendly. It turned out that one of our staff was rude to the guest. I sent someone to call them and asked them to apologize to the guest.”

What have you done so far to upgrade your skills?

Ideally, most Canadian hotels want their hotel managers to possess a wealth of experience and an in-depth understanding of the hospitality industry. Your hotel facility needs someone who stays up to date with the industry. An intelligent manager usually reads hospitality journals and attends managerial conferences. What to look for:

  • Understanding of the hospitality industry
  • Managerial prowess 
  • Personal and professional development efforts

Example:

“I follow the ever-changing trends in the hospitality industry to keep myself updated. I do plenty of research on how to hone my managerial skills. I also attend webinars and conferences, particularly from the best Canadian institutions.”

Can you explain your hotel managerial experience to date?

Most hotel managers in Canada usually begin their career as hotel assistant managers. Some start their careers as managerial interns at private hotel facilities. Thus, this question helps you assess every candidate's career history. Moreover, the questions allow you to objectively evaluate how the interviewee matches the job position at hand. What to look for:

  • Devotion to the managerial profession
  • Career achievements 
  • Passion for the hotel manager's job

Example:

“I started my career as an intern at a small hotel facility in Vancouver. I was helping the hotel management in executing their managerial duties and improving the hotel's customer service. Later, I moved to Ontario, where I work as an assistant hotel manager at the present moment.”

Have you ever disagreed with your team? Tell us how you resolved the disagreement.

Disagreements are inevitable in any workplace. However, conflict shouldn't make people hate each other. Furthermore, they shouldn't be the cause of disharmony in a working environment. This question can help the interviewer assess a candidate's conflict resolution capabilities. What to look for:

  • Ability to respect other people's opinions 
  • Demonstration of conflict resolution skills 
  • Wisdom in handling workplace conflicts 

Example:

“There was a time I strongly disagreed with a member of our team on how to increase hotel bookings. However, this didn't deter us from working together as one united team. We resolved the disagreement by sitting down and looking at tangible solutions on how to increase bookings."

Which is the hardest decision you have ever made in your career?

Dealing with difficult staff and unhappy clients can be a considerable challenge for any hotel manager. A manager needs toughness and the ability to make hard decisions. This question will help the interviewer assess whether a candidate can professionally handle challenging situations. What to look for:

  • Ability to work in challenging situations 
  • Assertiveness 
  • Ability to make hard decisions maturely and professionally

Example:

“In my current workplace, I had to explain to a guest that we had to charge him more for the additional services he was demanding. I made him understand that we had rules to adhere to no matter what a guest wants.”

What keeps you productive in your current job?

The hospitality industry demands a hotel manager to make sacrifices for the hotel facilities they are managing. Managers may feel demotivated and frustrated unless they are passionate about their job. This question will help you assess a candidate's commitment to the job at hand. What to look for:

  • A list of motivating factors 
  • The desire for success for the entire hotel facility 
  • Willingness to go an extra mile

Example:

“I am motivated by the everyday tasks and challenges. I feel motivated when a guest says they are happy with our service. I aspire to lead a successful team where I can contribute to everyone's success.”

How have you been contributing to improved efficiency at your current workplace?

There isn't room for mediocrity in the hospitality industry. Hotel facilities always work to compete with each other. Thus, a hotel manager has to operate with efficiency in mind. This question assesses a candidate's ability to work efficiently for the hotel facility. What to look for:

  • Proof of efficiency at the workplace 
  • Suggestion for efficient operations 
  • Readiness to take the initiative in overseeing efficient operations 

Example:

“My secret to overseeing efficient operations at my workplace starts with assembling the right team. I also place my team according to where each individual fits best. This idea helps hotel facilities to save time they would otherwise spend serving guests.”

What are the most vital skills of a hotel manager in your opinion?

The questions help interviewers evaluate whether a candidate knows the vital skills they should possess while working as a hotel manager. What to look for:

  • Understanding of the skills of a good hotel manager
  • Knowledge of various hospitality working environments 
  • Resourcefulness in a candidate

Example:

“I believe a successful hotel manager should be demonstrating strong communication skills, attention to detail, and excellent organization. The manager should also have patience while dealing with difficult clients and situations.”

How do you handle stressful situations?

The hospitality industry can be stressful since it entails dealing with people with different expectations and attitudes. Thus, hotel manager should have developed ways to overcome stress and remain calm when facing challenging situations. What to look for:

  • Exceptional customer service skills 
  • Professionalism
  • Ability to remain composed while handling conflicts

Example:

“I have developed the ability to stay calm in stressful situations. Thus, I am capable of dealing with difficult situations and individuals professionally and calmly. I listen to all parties during conflicts and deliver a fair verdict under any circumstances.”

How would you handle the recruitment of new staff?

Hotel managers have a huge role to play in the recruitment of new staff. Thus, managers should know what hiring entails. The question helps interviewers evaluate whether candidates are hands-on in recruiting new staff. What to look for:

  • Concern and attentiveness to a hotel's staff 
  • An understanding of human resource management 
  • Ability to delegate duties effectively

Example:

“I would make sure that the recruitment process is well defined so that best candidates are chosen. I would also ensure that after hiring, the new staffs are well trained and inducted before they start performing their duties.  

What change would you bring to our hotel facility?

Given the responsibility of being a hotel manager, it helps to understand how candidates seek to change a hotel facility. This question allows the interviewer to evaluate how a candidate can leverage their knowledge and skills to make the facility even better. What to look for:

  • Valuable skills and experience 
  • Leadership acumen 
  • Ability to multitask

Example:

“Having taken a tour of your facility before the interview, and having stayed here once before, I think you have an excellent hotel. If I were going to make changes, the first thing I would start with is...”

Three individuals are sitting at a table with a laptop, a disposable coffee cup, notebooks, and a phone visible. Two are facing each other, while the third’s back is to the camera. The setting appears to be a bright room with large windows.

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