Guest Experience Manager

Guest Experience Manager 

Position Overview 

The Guest Experience Manager is responsible for elevating and overseeing every touchpoint of the guest journey at Palm House. This role ensures exceptional guest satisfaction, curates personalized experiences, and fosters guest loyalty. The manager leads the Guest Experience team with a refined service philosophy that reflects Palm House's luxury standards. 

Key Responsibilities 

Guest Journey & Experience Leadership 

• Curate the full guest experience from pre-arrival through departure. 
• Serve as a central point of contact throughout the property, maintaining visibility in the Lobby, Restaurants, Pool & Beach areas, and Recreation spaces. 
• Facilitate communication across departments regarding guest service, recognition, and personalized requests. 
• Ensure all departments are fully prepared to deliver elevated service aligned with guest preferences. 
• Greet guests upon arrival and support introductions to the General Manager, and management. 
• Actively promote and upsell all Palm House offerings, including dining outlets, spa, recreation, and children's programs. 
• Lead efforts to keep Guest Services innovative, fresh, and aligned with the Palm House brand. 

Guest Experience & Service Operations 

• Curate pre-arrival experiences including: ETA/ETD, room type, bedding, allergies, dietary restrictions, and special preferences. 
• Conduct pre-arrival outreach by phone, email, or video call. 
• Research guest background details, including photos when available, to enhance personalization. 
• Ensure all pre-arrival amenities, setups, and VIP arrangements are executed across Housekeeping, Spa, F&B, Engineering, and Recreation. 
• Upsell additional resort features and experiences not yet booked. 
• Coordinate guest requests with Concierge and vendors for:
  Transportation, recreation, dining, child care, shopping services, medical needs, religious services, entertainment bookings, salon services, laundry/pressing, and all additional guest needs. 
• Conduct pre-arrival calls: 3 days before arrival (low season) and 7–10 days before arrival (high season). 
• Review arrivals within a 3-day PAC window and complete room inspections for VIPs and special stays. 
• Provide guest profiles and resumes to internal departments. 
• Lead daily Morning Manager meetings. 
• Ensure each department demonstrates anticipatory service based on guest preferences. 
• Maintain and update guest profiles in SMS and all relevant systems. 
• Maintain guest preference logs and ensure resort-wide communication. 
• Build strong guest relationships to encourage loyalty, repeat stays, and Palm House brand affinity. 
• Respond promptly to all guest requests and conduct thorough follow-up. 
• Maintain deep knowledge of all Palm House features, amenities, local attractions, events, and programming. 
• Maintain cleanliness, sanitation, and organization of assigned guest-facing areas. 
• Resolve guest issues with discretion and follow-up to ensure satisfaction. 
• Oversee arrival and departure experience, including greetings, escorts, key issuance, and credit authorization procedures. 
• Maintain resort guest satisfaction scores at 93%+ and increase survey response rates. 
• Review guest surveys and online reviews; prepare responses when needed. 
• Support creation of guest communication including in-room announcements, pre-stay messages, and survey responses. 
• Maintain adherence to Palm House safety, sanitation, and emergency protocols. 
• Develop guest experience programs: VIP services, long-stay offerings, frequent-stay benefits, loyalty initiatives, and seasonal programming. 
• Assist with guest recovery including lost luggage and urgent situations. 
• Monitor and reconcile Guest Services GL, complimentary service approvals, Estates Tracking, and P&L impact. 

Team Management 

• Prepare weekly staff schedules; coordinate breaks, attendance, and task assignments. 
• Inspect staff grooming, uniforms, tools, and readiness before each shift. 
• Support ongoing staff development through coaching and performance management. 
• Assist with emergencies, guest/employee accidents, and payment issues. 
• Maintain partnership with Housekeeping, Engineering, and F&B to ensure readiness of rooms and amenities. 
• Approve late checkouts based on occupancy and coordinate with relevant departments. 
• Monitor and report undesirable persons on property; coordinate with Security as needed. 
• Foster a positive, productive, and morale-focused work environment. 
• Complete work orders, maintenance requests, inventories, and department documentation. 
• Support guest tours, applicant interviews, departmental meetings, and any assignments from Executive Management. 
• Perform other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications 

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor's Degree required. 
• Minimum 3 years of management experience in Front Office, Guest Relations, or Sales/PR within a luxury (ideally 5-star) environment. 
• Experience working with affluent, high-expectation clientele. 

Languages & Communication 

• Fluency in English required. 
• Exceptional verbal, written, and non-verbal communication skills. 
• Familiarity with social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, TripAdvisor, etc.). 

Physical Requirements 

• Frequent walking, standing, and movement throughout the property. 
• Ability to lift, carry, or transfer items up to 60 lbs. 
• Occasional kneeling, pushing, pulling, and climbing stairs/ladders. 
• Ability to remain stationary for extended periods (up to 8 hours). 
• Must be able to communicate clearly with guests, management, and colleagues. 
• Must be able to work in varying indoor/outdoor conditions, including heat, cold, and fluctuating noise levels.