At a Glance
- Tasks: Welcome guests, manage reservations, and ensure a fantastic dining experience.
- Company: Castle Hotel Windsor, a historic landmark with a family-owned ethos.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, free hotel stays, wellness perks, and extensive training opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive family culture with excellent career development.
- Why this job: Join a vibrant team in a beautiful setting and grow your hospitality career.
- Qualifications: Experience in hospitality, strong communication skills, and a passion for service.
The predicted salary is between 12 - 13 £ per hour.
The Castle Hotel Windsor is a landmark hotel on Windsor High Street, directly opposite Windsor Castle and at the heart of the town’s historic and royal setting. Positioned as The Original Local, we combine deep local knowledge with warm, confident hospitality for guests from around the world. With significant investment underway, including newly refurbished rooms and a new restaurant and bar concept celebrating heritage and locally sourced produce, the Castle Hotel is entering an exciting new chapter.
As part of Sir Richard Sutton Ltd, a family-owned business, the hotel offers the opportunity to grow within an organisation committed to excellence, people development and building a beautiful legacy for the future. We aim to create environments where teams feel supported, trusted and proud of the experience they create together.
About the role: A host in Pennington's will be passionate about people, as well as warm hospitality with an attention to detail. They should have knowledge of service, food and drinks and an understanding of what makes a fantastic restaurant experience. They should be able to work well within a team, supporting the floor team and managers guiding guests throughout the restaurant bar and lounge with brilliant communication and organisation skills. They should have experience in a hospitality setting and be familiar with a restaurant environment; knowledge of a booking system will be important and being comfortable both working on the restaurant floor and dealing with emails and phone calls. The host role encompasses elements from reception, reservations, function planning and revenue/sales.
What Are The Key Responsibilities?
- Guest Interaction.
- Providing an authentic welcome to guests ensuring all details regarding reservations are accurate and communicating the flow of guests to the floor team and restaurant managers.
- Receive and input reservations via telephone and email and field all incoming and outgoing communications with the restaurant.
- Responsible for the safe delivery of food and drink, the correct practice in relation to allergies and dietary requirements.
- Work alongside our marketing team where promotions, functions or seasonal events require it.
- Comfortable using or learning standard hospitality systems such as SevenRooms, OpenTable, Excel, Word, property management systems and voucher redemption portals.
- Assist the head hosts in function and party booking.
- Building profiles on guests based on their preferences to elevate future experiences.
Our People
The Sutton Hotel Collection is a family-owned group, thus by extension, our people are our family. We recognise how much our people invest in us, in turn, we offer exceptional learning opportunities, as well as best in class benefits for our team.
Our Benefits
- Free and discounted hotel breaks - From the first day of service, you can benefit from a free break of one/two days in any Sutton Hotel Collection hotel, in a 12-month period. Additionally, you, your family and your friends are also entitled to discounted stays across all of our hotels and dining in our restaurants.
- Heka benefits platform – your access to Heka begins from day one and is pre-loaded with a balance of £150 to use against a wide range of wellness focussed products, experiences and schemes including health cash plans and gym memberships.
- Salary sacrifice schemes including cycle to work, tech and electric vehicles (T&Cs apply).
- Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Leave (26 weeks at 90% for expectant mothers, four weeks leave at 90% for fathers).
- Loyalty awards, annual social and celebration events.
- Learning and Development - An extensive range of training opportunities are available to facilitate your personal development.
- Wisdom Wellbeing - A confidential service offering therapy, up-to-date information, support and advice on a broad range of subjects.
- Subsidised Learning Courses - We encourage your learning and development so would like to contribute to courses you would like us to explore.
We also provide you with all the basic benefits such as free nutritious and tasty meals on duty, complimentary on-site parking (where available), and bespoke uniforms where appropriate. At the Sutton Hotel Collection, we are an inclusive, natural, generous, ethical and diverse group of people, we celebrate human relationships and kinship. We enable our people to make the place.
Host/Hostess in Windsor employer: Restaurant
At Rockfish, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer, offering a vibrant work culture that celebrates coastal life and a passion for seafood. Our team enjoys unique benefits such as access to paddleboards, generous discounts on dining, and a supportive environment that fosters employee growth, making it an ideal place for those looking to balance work with their studies while enjoying the stunning Devon and Dorset coastlines.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Host/Hostess in Windsor
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the Castle Hotel and its vibe! Familiarise yourself with their values and the local area. When you walk in for an interview, show that you’re not just another candidate but someone who genuinely connects with their mission of warm hospitality.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your communication skills! As a host, you'll be the first point of contact for guests. Role-play with friends or family to nail that authentic welcome and ensure you can handle reservations smoothly, whether it’s over the phone or face-to-face.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your team spirit! The Castle Hotel values collaboration, so during your interview, share examples of how you've worked well in teams before. Highlight your ability to support others and create a fantastic experience together.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to get noticed and shows you’re serious about joining the Sutton Hotel Collection family. Plus, keep an eye on any upcoming events or promotions that could give you a leg up in your application.
We think you need these skills to ace Host/Hostess in Windsor
Some tips for your application 🫡
Be Yourself:When writing your application, let your personality shine through! We want to see the real you, so don’t be afraid to show your passion for hospitality and your unique approach to guest interaction.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to highlight your relevant experience in hospitality. Mention any specific skills or knowledge you have about restaurant environments, booking systems, or guest relations that align with what we’re looking for.
Show Your Team Spirit:We love a good team player! In your application, share examples of how you've worked well within a team in the past. Highlight your communication skills and how you’ve contributed to creating a positive atmosphere for guests and colleagues alike.
Apply Through Our Website:For the best chance of success, make sure to apply directly through our website. This way, we can easily track your application and get back to you quicker. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our family at the Castle Hotel!
How to prepare for a job interview at Restaurant
✨Know the Venue Inside Out
Before your interview, take some time to research the Castle Hotel and its offerings. Familiarise yourself with their restaurant concept, menu, and any recent news or events. This will show your genuine interest in the role and help you answer questions more confidently.
✨Showcase Your Hospitality Skills
Prepare examples from your past experiences that highlight your customer service skills. Think about times when you went above and beyond for a guest or handled a difficult situation with grace. This will demonstrate your passion for hospitality and your ability to create memorable experiences.
✨Practice Communication Scenarios
As a host, you'll need to communicate effectively with both guests and team members. Practice common scenarios, like greeting guests, managing reservations, or handling inquiries over the phone. This will help you feel more at ease during the interview and showcase your communication skills.
✨Ask Thoughtful Questions
At the end of the interview, be ready to ask insightful questions about the role, the team, or the hotel's future plans. This shows your enthusiasm for the position and helps you determine if it's the right fit for you. Plus, it leaves a positive impression on the interviewers!
