Job Description
About Appellation
Born from the elegant merger of the culinary and hospitality worlds, Appellation is much more than a typical hotel company. Inspired by its name, this new hotel brand brings together the best of local elements in a new way: a hotel collection powered by people, connected by food, and defined by place—all designed to celebrate its destinations’ culture, community, and craftsmanship. Developed by visionary co-founders Charlie Palmer, one of America’s best-known, award-winning chefs and pioneer in the American hotel-restaurant model, and Christopher Hunsberger, a 30-year veteran of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and its former president of North Americas. Join Appellation as its first hotels and resorts take root in 2025.
Overview of Position:
The Guest Experience Manager at Appellation Healdsburg is the leader and champion of the guest experience, being the ambassador of the property. This is an extraordinary opportunity to lead the guest experience at one of Healdsburg's most distinguished properties, crafting innovative experiences and delivering memorable experiences that reflect the region’s genuine hospitality.
As Guest Experience Manager, you will play a leading role in developing, executing, and consistently evolving the arrival, departure, in-house and concierge programming alongside the leadership of the hotel. You will directly oversee the hotel’s concierge programming, community outreach through the ‘Crafted’ program, VIP guests, and assist with arrival, departure and in-house guests interaction. Responsibilities include being actively involved and monitor policies and procedures regarding arrival and departure process, curating memorable interactions, training and development of staff, planning purchase of collateral and supplies, supervising and mentoring front office staff (agents, concierge, bell, and valet), curating and programming our ‘crafted’ experience, developing database for concierge activities and assisting with special requests, ensuring the highest level of service standards in all interactions (digital and in person).
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
- Create and execute comprehensive guest experience strategies that exceed expectations and elevate the luxury hospitality standards throughout all guest touchpoints throughout the hotel.
- Oversee all concierge services including restaurant reservations, activity bookings, transportation arrangements, and personalized guest requests to ensure seamless service delivery.
- Develop and maintain relationships with local vendors, restaurants, entertainment venues, tour operators, and service providers to offer exclusive experiences and preferential treatment for hotel guests.
- Assist with and supervising front office team members, bell staff, and guest services personnel, providing training, to maintain exceptional service standards.
- Handle complex guest requests, special arrangements and unique experiences tailored to individual guest preferences.
- Monitor guest satisfaction through direct feedback, online reviews, and survey responses, implementing immediate corrective actions and long-term improvement initiatives.
- Coordinate VIP and repeat guest recognition programs, ensuring personalized touches and amenities that create memorable experiences and foster return visits.
- Collaborate with front office, housekeeping, food & beverage, spa and other departments to ensure seamless guest experiences from reservation to . post stay.
- Develop and activate the Crafted at Appellation immersive learning program, networking with local makers and talent to develop a broad repertoire of hands-on classes and workshops to be marketed to the community and hotel guests. Topics to include but not limited to: food, gardening, foraging, mixology, textile art, painting, wellness, etc.
- Collaborate with the marketing team to formalize and publish the programming calendar, promoting across all departments and within the community.
- Responsible for coordination and logistics of all programming including but not limited to fostering relations with local makers and talent from team member base, defining calendar of events, sourcing and purchasing materials, defining class topics and mentoring instructors, managing reservations, hosting events, etc.
- Responsible for tracking of data including class reservations, participant feedback, and photography database to determine future programming topics.
- Maintain comprehensive knowledge of local attractions, cultural events, dining establishments, entertainment options, shopping venues, and seasonal activities to provide expert recommendations.
- Develop and update standard operating procedures for guest services, concierge operations, and guest experience protocols to ensure consistency across all shifts.
- Create staff resources for concierge and guest services requests
- Establish and maintain partnerships with luxury transportation services, local vendors ‘makers’, personal shoppers, and exclusive venue access to provide premium guest experiences.
- Oversee guest services technology platforms, reservation systems, and communication tools to streamline operations and enhance service efficiency.
- Monitor and analyze guest experience metrics, service response times, and satisfaction scores to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
- Collaborate with sales and marketing to create a program of immersive learning experiences that may be marketed to groups.
- Maintain detailed guest preference profiles and communication logs to enable personalized service delivery and anticipate future needs.
- Manage budget and control expenses related to the Crafted at Appellation and guest experience initiatives, monitoring and reporting on key performance indicators (KPI’s).
- Ensure compliance with hotel policies, local regulations, and safety requirements while maintaining the highest standards of guest privacy and confidentiality.
- Participate in luxury hotel brand training programs and industry certifications to stay current with hospitality trends and service excellence standards.
- Conduct regular training sessions for all guest-facing staff on service recovery, cultural sensitivity, and luxury hospitality expectations.
- Develop relationships with airline concierge services, loyalty program managers, and travel advisors to facilitate seamless guest experiences before arrival.
- Oversee daily operation; guest storage services, and special item deliveries to ensure prompt and secure handling of guest belongings.
- Create and maintain resource libraries including local maps, event calendars, emergency contact information, and service provider directories for team reference.
- Attend all mandatory meetings as directed and represent the hotel at local tourism and hospitality industry events.
- Establish professional standards for the guest experience team that reflect the Appellaiton’s core values of approachable luxury
- Handle escalated guest complaints and service failures with professionalism and creativity, turning negative experiences into positive outcomes and guest relations opportunities.
- and exceed guest expectations.
- Monitor competitive landscape and industry best practices to continuously enhance service offerings and maintain market leadership in guest satisfaction.
- Support hotel revenue objectives through upselling opportunities, experience packages, and partnerships that generate additional income while enhancing guest value.
- Perform other general tasks, including supporting other hotel departments during peak periods and special events, as directed by the General Manager or Director of Rooms.
Skills & Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or related field required.
- Must have previous experience as either Assistant Front Office Manager, Concierge, Concierge Manager, Guest Relations Assistant/Manager in a high-volume, upscale hotel. Experience in luxury resort environment preferred.
- Daily on-premises presence required.
- Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple tasks efficiently.
- CPR certification and sexual harassment training required.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with fluency in the English language. Additional fluency in Spanish language preferred.
- Familiarity with ADA compliance, local fire safety regulations, and relevant current laws governing guest privacy and data protection.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule including; morning, afternoon, evening weekends and holidays.
- Valid California's driver's license required.
- Proof of personal automobile insurance coverage required.
- Knowledge of implementing new guest service concepts and luxury hospitality standards.
- Ability to train staff and ensure levels of quality and customer service typically expected of a luxury resort.
- Detail oriented, organized and efficient, and safety minded.
- Good team player, and an ability to effectively manage team members to maintain a high level of morale and productivity.
- Passion for hospitality operations, trustworthy, exceptional in leading a team, and open to learning, developing, and growing both yourself, personally, and helping others do the same.
- Systems usage; Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), Maestro (PMS), Toast (POS), Alice (guest requests, text messaging, and coordinating), Teams (internal messaging), Avendra (purchasing), and radio usage.
- Embrace Technology – continually learn, adapt, and master to new operating systems and property management systems.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Medical, Dental, Vision insurance
- Paid time off
- Employee discount
Job Tags
Full time, Seasonal work, Work at office, Local area, Immediate start, Flexible hours, Weekend work, Day shift, Afternoon shift, All shifts,