Reservations Manager in Westminster

The Reservations Manager oversees all the operational activities of the Reservations department, working closely with Front Office and Groups/Events team. The role is responsible for executing the Revenue Management strategies directed by Althoff Head Office, collaborating with the Directors of Sales, Marketing, General Manager, and Althoff Revenue Team. This position requires balancing the needs of guests and booking partners with the hotel's requirements to maximise room revenue and control the hotel's room inventory while ensuring guest satisfaction and repeat business.

Responsibilities:

• Handle day-to-day reservation enquiries according to LHW brand standards.
• Perform arrival checks.
• Ensure delivery of a 5-star experience to guests while optimising all guest revenue opportunities.
• Handle complaints efficiently according to 5-star standards.
• Ensure early, middle, or late shifts coverage Monday through Sunday.
• Work closely with LHW reservations and other third-party booking sources to ensure all guests receive their special treatment as per various special benefits/VIP/consortia programs.
• Ensure all systems including Opera (PMS), Happy, Synxis, and Onix are used appropriately and all data is entered correctly.
• Build blocks/call-in allotments.
• Ensure all guest communication is neatly filed and safely stored at one central point.
• Extend or modify rates on Opera Claud.
• Ensure all Credit Application and Billing instructions are neatly filed and clearly entered in the system.
• Inspire a high level of creativity, personal commitment to service excellence, and an emotional sense of gracious hospitality.
• Identify and communicate leads to the Sales Team.
• Clearly communicate guest requirements to Front of House.
• Work with the Front Office Manager, Director of Sales, Marketing, and General Manager on the execution, implementation, and ongoing administration of policies communicated by Althoff Head Office.
• Prepare month-end reporting and analysis ready for submission to the General Manager and ownership.
• Complete daily pickup reports and communicate them to the wider team and ownership.
• Supervise the hotel reservations system (Opera) and distribution of inventory through relevant channels.
• Supervise third-party OTA portals/channel management and review meetings with Market Account Managers.
• Identify and monitor alternative third-party channels to reduce OTA reliance/cost and optimise smart distribution partnerships.
• Develop strategies to drive business direct to the hotel, rather than via OTAs, while nurturing relationships with Travel Agents in key source markets.
• Establish effective working relationships with industry colleagues and oversee PMS, Global Distribution system, E-Marketing initiatives, and other reservations tools and processes.
• Audit monthly due commissions, approve for processing, and share this information with the Finance Department.
• Ensure all offers/packages are correctly routed and revenue breakdowns are split to hit the correct P&L (Rooms/F&B).
• Effectively coach identified team members to perform reservations during any absence/holiday period.
• Maintain positive communication with other departments in the hotel, particularly with Sales, Rooms, and F&B Divisions.
• Stay well informed and plan ahead for city-wide events/localised compression.
• Establish a 365-day ahead key opportunity dates calendar/offers calendar, with tactics ready to deploy based on 90-60-30 day lead time and current demand and forecast.
• Oversee and audit the standards and operations of the reservations department.
• Ensure the website booking process is maintained up-to-date and functional.
• Ensure hotel personnel are fully competent in the use of all systems.
• Regularly check the input and quality of data (segmentation, tracking).
• Evaluate performance of distribution partners and contracted rates (OTA, FIT, tour operator, corporate, consortia, groups, etc.).
• Conduct regular competitor checks and visits and maintain good relationships with the Reservation Teams in the competitor set.
• Work closely with LHW to ensure all standards are met and new leads have been communicated.
• Ensure compliance with all hotel policies, procedures, and programmes.
• Ensure an upsell culture exists throughout the hotel, proposing higher categories to drive revenue.
• Undertake other ad hoc related responsibilities as required/requested.