Jobs › Sonesta Hotels

Front Desk Manager

Sonesta Hotels · Chicago, IL · $60,000–$67,000 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 28, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a front desk team you led. How did you keep service consistent across shifts?

What they are checking: Whether they can lead a team to the same standard whether or not they are on the floor.

Tell me about a time you turned around an unhappy guest.

What they are checking: Whether they have real service recovery skills and can describe what worked.

What would you do to make your front desk team feel like they are part of a people-first culture?

What they are checking: Whether they invest in team morale, which shows up in how guests are treated.

What would you do

The hotel is oversold and you have to walk a guest. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can deliver bad news with care and take ownership of the guest's experience.

Guest satisfaction scores for check-in dropped this month. Where do you start?

What they are checking: Whether they dig into causes like wait times, staffing or room readiness instead of guessing.

How do you work with housekeeping when rooms are not ready and guests are waiting?

What they are checking: Whether they coordinate across departments to solve the problem rather than blame.

An agent on your team is great with guests but is often late. How do you handle that?

What they are checking: Whether they address performance fairly and consistently, even with a strong performer.

About the work

How do you train a new front desk agent to handle check-in quickly while still making it personal?

What they are checking: Whether they can teach the balance between efficiency and warmth that guests remember.

What property management system experience do you have, and how do you handle a system outage at the desk?

What they are checking: Whether they know the tools and can keep the desk running when technology fails.

How do you build a schedule that covers the desk without blowing the labor budget?

What they are checking: Whether they manage staffing against forecast occupancy and labor costs.

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The full job description

As published by Sonesta Hotels.

We’re People People. Are you? We’re Sonesta International Hotels—the 8th largest hotel company in the U.S. (and growing fast 🚀). With a dynamic mix of full-service and focused hotels across major cities, our diverse portfolio of owned, managed, and franchised properties means we’re everywhere our guests need us to be. But here’s the thing—we’re not just in the business of hotels, we’re in the business of people. We bring service with passion, loyalty with purpose, and create experiences that genuinely connect—delivering quality, value, and memorable stays across 1,000+ properties in eight countries (and counting). What this role is all about What this role is all about Are you a people person with a passion for hospitality? First impressions matter — and our Front Office team helps set the tone for every guest stay. As the Front Office Manager, you’ll lead the daily operations of the front desk while creating seamless, welcoming, and memorable guest experiences from check-in to check-out. This role is perfect for someone who thrives in a fast-paced hospitality environment and loves balancing guest service, team leadership, and hotel operations. You’ll oversee Front Desk operations, support guest satisfaction, lead and develop teams, and help ensure every guest interaction reflects the warmth and energy of Sonesta’s People People culture. If you’re service-driven, organized, collaborative, and passionate about hospitality leadership — we’d love to meet you. What you’ll be doing What you’ll be doing • Lead day-to-day Front Office operations including Front Desk, Bell Services, Valet Services, guest services , check-in/check-out processes, and lobby experience management. • Supervise, train, schedule, coach, and develop Front Desk Agents , Bell/Valet Staff, possibly Concierge Staff and guest service teams to deliver exceptional hospitality experiences. • Ensure smooth hotel operations while maintaining high levels of guest satisfaction, service quality, and operational efficiency. • Monitor guest feedback, online reviews, service recovery situations, and guest concerns to ensure prompt and professional resolution. • Oversee room inventory management, room assignments, reservations coordination, upselling initiatives, and occupancy optimization. • Partner closely with Housekeeping, Engineering, Food & Beverage, Revenue Management, and hotel leadership teams to support seamless guest experiences. • Support hiring, onboarding, employee engagement, performance management, and ongoing team development initiatives. • Monitor departmental productivity, labor management, operational reporting, cash handling, and Front Office financial performance. • Ensure compliance with hotel operational standards, safety procedures, brand standards, and guest service expectations. • Maintain strong knowledge of PMS systems, reservations systems, hotel procedures, loyalty programs, and hospitality operations. • Support VIP arrivals, group business, special requests, and elevated guest experience opportunities. • Help create a welcoming, energetic, and guest-focused environment aligned with Sonesta’s People People philosophy. • Any other duties as assigned What great looks like • Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business, or related field preferred. • 3+ years of Front Office, hotel operations, guest services, or hospitality leadership experience preferred. • Previous supervisory or management experience within hotels or hospitality environments preferred. • Strong knowledge of Front Desk operations, PMS systems, reservations, room inventory management, and guest service standards. • Excellent communication, leadership, conflict resolution, and customer service skills. • Ability to multitask and thrive in a fast-paced hospitality environment. • Strong organizational, problem-solving, and operational management skills. • Experience managing guest recovery situations and creating exceptional guest experiences. • A passion for hospitality, leadership, teamwork, guest engagement, and operational excellence. • Flexible availability including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and on-call support as needed. Anticipated Pay Range & Additional Job Information Pay range is $60,000 - $67,000 and are eligible for a Bonus Plan. The base pay offered may vary based on various factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and specific/overall experience. Sonesta recognizes that benefits play a vital role in helping ensure the health and financial security of employees and their families. We offer a variety of benefits to our employees including: • Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance • Health Savings Account with Company Match • 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match • Paid Vacation and Sick Days • Sonesta Hotel Discounts • Educational Assistance • Paid Parental Leave • Company Paid Life Insurance • Company Paid Short Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance • Various Employee Perks and Discounts • Hospital Indemnity • Critical Illness Insurance • Accident Insurance Go Beyond @SonestaHotels WHO WE ARE We are an organization made up of people, thoughts and ideas – all working towards fulfilling our simple mission: To wow every guest, team member, partner & community we operate in by delivering quality, value & amazing hospitality. We will achieve our mission by being passionate about exceeding expectations - by being persistent, resilient, and constantly seeking new and creative ways to succeed. Doing the Right Thing and Going Beyond are our principles that guide everything we do. We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations. Our Commitment to You Sonesta is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Before You Apply To be considered, please complete the full application in addition to submitting your resume. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

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