Hospitality requires an understanding of other people’s needs and a diplomatic manner in handling unhappy customers. Recruiters want to know how you go about maintaining staff morale and creating the perfect ambiance for your guests. That’s not easy to do with only a resume.
A hotel management cover letter gives you the opportunity to expand upon your approach to hospitality and management. An application document that inspires confidence in your abilities should demonstrate service with a smile and problem solving while shining a spotlight on all you do to keep the hotel running smoothly.
Your cover letter complements your resume, so get started there. Then, read this hotel management cover letter example and view our cover letter templates. The guide below will:
- Explain why a cover letter can make the difference between getting the interview or ending up in the circular file
- Detail the sections you need to include in your hotel management cover letter
- Offer ideas for the content and writing tips to create the best possible case for employment
Best format for a hotel management cover letter
Structure gives freedom because it offers a framework for your ideas. Understanding what goes into writing your hotel management cover letter is the first step.
The format of a hotel management cover letter should contain the following elements:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting/salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
For general advice on cover letters, check out our comprehensive cover letter guide, but the information below is tailored specifically to advise hotel managers on how to make the most of each paragraph in this 300-400 word document.
This hotel management cover letter example will give you a blueprint for writing your own cover letter:
Dear Mrs. Brooks,
During my time as an Assistant Hotel Manager at Oak Hotels, I successfully led a team of 50+ employees and helped achieve a 27% increase in revenue, with a 15% increase in guests.
I spearheaded the development of a new marketing campaign, resulting in increased occupancy rates, and revamped the guest experience at checkout with the introduction of new customer service software. Our guest satisfaction ratings skyrocketed, as it allowed them to check in twice as fast and our TripAdvisor rating went from #8 to #3 in the area, which was a fantastic achievement.
When you work in hospitality management, you are never far from the customer. I strive to give each guest the best possible service and go the extra mile to do whatever I can to ensure a fantastic stay. Sitting in my office is not for me. I am a passionate advocate for workplace productivity and try to minimize my admin time so that I can focus my attention on the needs of guests.
Having overseen operating budgets in excess of $3 million, I am no stranger to financial management. Cost savings should be welcomed, but only when they do not impinge on the guest experience. I enjoy the challenges of increasing revenue per guest – if people do not want the service you provide, they will go elsewhere. In hospitality, there is nowhere to hide.
I am excited by the growth and development plans at ArkLight and hope to have the opportunity of an interview to find out more about how your fantastic team manages to offer such a stellar level of service.
Sincerely,
Marion Frost
If you’re looking for additional inspiration for cover letter writing, you can check out our related cover letter samples:
Cover letter header
Is there more important information than how to get in touch with you to schedule an interview? Perhaps, but without that, the rest of your hotel management cover letter won’t much matter. Your cover letter header highlights your contact information and provides the only design element of your document.
The header contains your name, title if relevant, and the best email and phone numbers with which to reach you. If you have any professional social media accounts that boost your candidacy, add those here as well.
A final bit of advice on your header: make sure the design complements that of your resume to create the look of a complete package.
Growth potential
Demand for hotel rooms has rebounded since the pandemic, and that means the need for hospitality staff is also on the rise. In fact, according to a Statistica survey, 2,934 hotels are expected to open this year, and a well-written and targeted cover letter can help you get your foot in the door with the organization of your choosing.
Cover letter greeting
What’s the first impression your guests get of your hotel? We bet it’s the way they are greeted when they enter the reception area. Aim to give the greeting of your hotel management cover letter the same warm tone you want your customers to be welcomed with.
The first objective is to discover the name of the person to whom you are writing. If it is not listed in the job ad, do your homework by checking the website or making a phone call to the hotel itself. The best hospitality workers remember names and addressing the hiring manager in your cover letter shows that you understand that.
Stick with “Dear [Last name],” but be sure you know whether the person uses Mr./Mrs./Ms./Mx. or another honorific. If you absolutely cannot find a person’s name or you are applying to a committee, you may use “Dear People Department,” or the equivalent. Avoid the stilted “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam.”
Cover letter introduction
The first paragraph of your hotel management cover letter is the hook that entices the hiring manager to read on. You need to hit the ground running in the cover letter introduction with a description of your greatest achievement and a hint at what you can do to make the hotel a great place to stay and to work.
It is also within this opening that you establish the tone of your letter. As a manager in hospitality, you need to adopt a manner that balances warmth and efficiency, friendliness and authority. You are the face of the hotel both to guests and employees, so keep that in mind as you write.
One great hook
One way to capture the attention of your reader is by offering up an idea of what you would do to improve or add to the hotel that will bring in more guests, create efficiencies in the budget, or enhance the reputation of the brand.
The cover letter sample introduction below offers a starting point for your own beginning.
Dear Mrs. Brooks,
During my time as an Assistant Hotel Manager at Oak Hotels, I successfully led a team of 50+ employees and helped achieve a 27% increase in revenue, with a 15% increase in guests.
Cover letter middle part (body)
The body of your hotel management cover letter gives you the space to expand upon your career achievements and management and hospitality philosophy. While your introduction presents the overview, the middle part of your document offers the evidence and examples that back it up.
Break up the blocks of type with a few bullet items that list accomplishments related to the position you want. This easy-on-the-eyes method also saves you space, since you don’t have to write complete sentences. However, avoid cutting and pasting directly from your resume. Instead, alter the text or add details. Address the requirements of the job directly with a sentence such as:
“The three achievements below highlight my ability to run a staff of over 50 people while managing the dining services as well.”
I spearheaded the development of a new marketing campaign, resulting in increased occupancy rates, and revamped the guest experience at checkout with the introduction of new customer service software. Our guest satisfaction ratings skyrocketed, as it allowed them to check in twice as fast and our TripAdvisor rating went from #8 to #3 in the area, which was a fantastic achievement.
When you work in hospitality management, you are never far from the customer. I strive to give each guest the best possible service and go the extra mile to do whatever I can to ensure a fantastic stay. Sitting in my office is not for me. I am a passionate advocate for workplace productivity and try to minimize my admin time so that I can focus my attention on the needs of guests.
Having overseen operating budgets in excess of $3 million, I am no stranger to financial management. Cost savings should be welcomed, but only when they do not impinge on the guest experience. I enjoy the challenges of increasing revenue per guest – if people do not want the service you provide, they will go elsewhere. In hospitality, there is nowhere to hide.
How to close a hotel management cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
Your conclusion serves several purposes:
- Remind your reader of the main point of your hotel management cover letter
- Make a polite request for an interview
- Relate an anecdote from your experience or explain why you want to work at the particular establishment.
If your reader is scanning quickly, they may have missed the main idea. Make sure you reword your main reason for being right for the job. If you have space, explain why you love the hospitality business or why the job is exciting to you. Then, show that you are very interested in the job by politely proposing an interview to discuss the position.
Finally, sign off with “Sincerely,” or “Regards,” and your full name.
I am excited by the growth and development plans at ArkLight and hope to have the opportunity of an interview to find out more about how your fantastic team manages to offer such a stellar level of service.
Sincerely,
Marion Frost
Basic mistakes in a hotel management application letter (and how to avoid them)
- Not speaking directly to your reader. Hiring managers know a generic cover letter when they read it. They want to know why you are right for their job, not just any job. Personalizing also shows that you want the job enough to go the extra mile.
- Uneven tone. You should be aiming for professional, but open, since yours is a people-oriented position. Make sure that tone flows throughout. It’s easy to get too casual when waxing enthusiastic about the position or swing the opposite way when detailing your management history.
- Errors of any kind. Simple formatting mistakes, a missed double comma, or grammatical inconsistencies may be overlooked or may scuttle your application. Take care, proofread, and consider having another person look over your cover letter.
- Writing too long. Keep your descriptions and anecdotes short. Your aim is to pack as much compelling information into this one page as possible. If you have a great story, but it takes more than a sentence or two, save it for the interview
Key takeaways
- Overall, an application letter reveals more of your personality and decision-making process than a resume can. In your profession, those features make a big difference.
- Personalize your letter throughout. Each hotel has a different image and atmosphere, so make sure you take that into account each step of the way.
- Show both your friendly, customer-facing side and your no-nonsense management side.
- Use professional design tools to create an application package that’s free from formatting errors and appears polished and professional.
