Hostess

Role Overview

Restaurant Hostess at Boutique Group's The Red Palace, an ultra-luxury boutique hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Company Overview

The Red Palace is an ultra-luxury boutique hotel in Riyadh, reimagined from a historic palace originally built in 1943. The property blends timeless elegance with contemporary sophistication, offering meticulously restored architecture, curated cultural experiences, and unparalleled service that honors its heritage while delivering modern luxury.

Role Purpose

To create an exceptional first impression and seamless arrival experience for guests by greeting them warmly, managing table allocation efficiently, maintaining accurate reservation information, and upholding the hotel's brand standards of emotional luxury and discreet, intuitive service throughout all front-of-house interactions.

Key Responsibilities

Guest Experience and Hospitality

• Greet guests with a friendly and professional demeanor, making them feel valued from the moment they arrive.
• Efficiently manage the seating of guests, allocating tables based on party size, guest preferences, and table availability.
• Provide excellent customer service by addressing guest inquiries and concerns promptly and escalating issues to the Lead Hostess as needed.
• Maintain a high level of guest satisfaction by ensuring a smooth and pleasant arrival and seating process.
• Contribute to the overall ambiance of the restaurant's front-of-house areas by monitoring cleanliness, lighting, and other visual elements.
• Maintain accurate guest profiles in the reservation system, recording preferences, special occasions, seating requests, and dietary and allergen requirements.
• Update guest notes after each visit and communicate key details to the floor team to ensure personalized, consistent service.
• Demonstrate impeccable grooming, charm, and grace in all guest interactions.
• Be thoughtful and welcoming, anticipating guest needs through service that is warm, genuine, and intuitive.
• Create the guest experience through their senses across all public touch points.
• Ensure quality is never compromised in service delivery.
• Be generous in spirit with guests and colleagues alike.
• Establish the reputation of the hotel in the local community for its quality service through hosting local events.
• Embrace and practice the hotel's legacy values and competencies in all client and team interactions.

Operations and Administrative Support

• Accurately record and maintain guest reservation information, waitlist, and seating assignments.
• Communicate with the server team to ensure timely and coordinated seating of guests.
• Assist with the management of front-of-house supplies, such as menus, stationery, and other necessary items.
• Collect and compile data on guest counts, wait times, and other relevant metrics to support the Restaurant Head Hostess.
• Adhere to the restaurant's policies, procedures, and service standards and contribute to their continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with the Restaurant Head Hostess and the broader restaurant team to foster a positive and collaborative work environment.
• Demonstrate a willingness to learn, grow, and take on additional responsibilities as needed.
• Act as a brand ambassador, representing the hotel and the restaurant's values with professionalism and enthusiasm.

Qualifications & Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Prior experience in a hospitality or customer service role is preferred.
• Knowledge of the local market and dining scene is an asset.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact with guests and team members in a professional and personable manner.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to multitask effectively.
• Proficiency in using reservation management and point-of-sale systems is desirable.
• Fluency in English is mandatory.
• Proficiency in Arabic is highly preferred.

Additional Information

• Reports to: Restaurant Head Hostess.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required.
• Must understand and deliver "emotional luxury" service that is elegant and discreet.