Hotel management training: Programs for small hotels

What is hotel management training? 

Hotel management training is a form of professional training that gets people ready for work in hotel management.

These training programs are available through a wide range of tertiary education providers, from universities to community colleges to dedicated hotel training companies.

Why is hotel management training important?

When you open or take ownership and management of a small hotel or a bed and breakfast, there will be a learning curve. If you’re new to this type of work, various types of training may need to be done if you want to run the business successfully.

Running a small property can be incredibly rewarding but there’s a lot to handle and usually a small number of people to do the work.

Here’s a list of what you will generally be responsible for:

• Property maintenance
• Facilities management
• Housekeeping and cleaning
• Supplies management
• Food and beverage production
• Reservations management
• Guest services and experience
• Finances
• General marketing and sales
• Technology and software management

Most people won’t possess all this knowledge and skill when entering the hospitality and accommodation industry, so it’s a good idea to get some help to master the essentials. Even if you just want to refresh or upskill, there’ll be much you can learn.

Introduction to hotel training programs 

The good news is that there are plenty of resources available to you, including a number of good small hotel training courses online.

Most online courses are an excellent starting point for managers to understand exactly what kind of service is offered by properties such as B&Bs and guesthouses, as well as the details of how to keep the business on track.

The majority of courses are delivered online over a period of time and are commonly split into different modules or chapters. This will allow you to complete training at your own pace to ensure you are prepared to start your new role or improve upon your current ways of working.

You’ll need to choose a course that best suits your circumstances, as some even cover what a bed and breakfast is and the historical standards of small accommodations. Others give an overview of local tourism, licensing and insurance requirements, and other legalities. Some launch straight into day to day requirements of running a B&B.

Examples of hotel management training programs

To help you choose a course that’s best suited for you, here are some examples and what they can offer.

These courses generally cover a full range of topics; for insight into just one specific area, you might find what you’re looking for in our resources section.

Bed and breakfast training courses

Example 1
Bed and breakfast management – ACS distance education

• 100 hour course
• Statement of attainment
• Learn how to set up and run a B&B or guesthouse
• Covers facilities, decor, equipment, customer service, supplying meals, financial management, marketing, and more
• Australian based but can be accessed worldwide
• Seven lessons in total

Example 2
Bed and breakfast management online course – Careerline Courses

• 100 hour course (or 12 months)
• Unlimited email support from tutors
• Qualification certificate
• Learn about how to set up a facility for bed and breakfast guests
• Focuses on customer service, catering, marketing and managing a small business
• Seven lessons in total
• Optional exam

Example 3
Certificate in bed and breakfast business – Learning Online

• 200 hour course
• Learn how to set up and run a B&B from an operations and business perspective
• Designed by industry professionals
• Two modules and a total of 19 lessons
• Available via a payment plan
• Phone and email tutor support
• Comprehensive small business module

Hotel training courses

• Hotel housekeeping training: There’s more to the art of housekeeping than might first meet the eye, particularly in a post-COVID world. Health and safety compliance, cleaning technique, the use of technology; housekeeping training can be a necessary and very valuable investment. 
• Hotel customer service training: A customer service team is often only brought in when things go wrong. It’s critical that workers are trained on things like conflict resolution to ensure that your hotel doesn’t suffer unnecessary reputational damage.
• Hotel revenue management training: Are you charging enough per room to ensure business success? Are you reinvesting profits into the business, and in the areas that are most likely to generate a return? Hotel revenue management training can help you better understand your numbers.
• Hotel restaurant management training: On-site restaurants are complex machines with endless moving parts, and deserve management training all their own. Learn everything from driving reservations to managing mealtime peaks.
• Hotel front desk training: As the face of your hotel business, your front desk is tasked with offering an amazing first impression, last impression and everything in between, while also ensuring the guest’s experience is as smooth as possible. Training helps to guide workers on customer service, best practices and the use of technology.
• Hotel maintenance training: Hotel maintenance teams are responsible for any and all maintenance that might be necessary to keep your hotel purring. All buildings, equipment, amenities and facilities must be kept in excellent condition – a wildly diverse task that demands proper training.
• Hotel safety training: You’re responsible for the guests on your site, so all hotel team members must be trained in emergency procedures and any other relevant safety issues.
• Hotel manager training: Tasked with getting the best from their teams, an investment in hotel manager training is one of the best an independent hotel can make.

In addition to courses over time and online, there are also one and two day workshops available to learn the ins and outs from experts firsthand. Try to find the option that suits you best in your country and region.

Hotel management training must-haves

Since most training, courses, or workshops aren’t free, it’s important you are getting value for your money and seeing results when you embark on your business.

What you want your course or training to deliver will differ depending on your circumstances and experience. However, there are some key areas you should keep in mind when undertaking a course.

Make sure your chosen course:

• Is run or designed by people with experience in the industry
• Covers the specifics of running a property like yours (B&B, guesthouse, motel, small hotel)
• Sets out clear objectives, expectations, and outcomes for the learner
• Includes support from tutors or the course runners
• Takes into account front end and back end operations of managing accommodation
• Is flexible to your schedule
• Suits your financial situation

Small hotel management software training

When you do begin your life as the owner/manager of a small accommodation business you might find it gets difficult to balance the needs of your guests and physical property with the administration requirements.

To solve this problem, many operators turn to technology solutions such as property management systems, channel managers, booking engines, and website builders – or an all-in-one solution that covers all bases.

These tools make life easier by saving you time and keeping you organised. They can automate many backend functions and, importantly, help you attract more guests and make more revenue. The online courses mentioned in this article won’t produce content on these systems but it’s still vital that you understand what to expect if you choose to adopt them at your property.

The best providers design their products specifically with a small property manager in mind, making the software not only easy to learn, but easy to master. Ease of use is important, since it means you won’t need to spend as much time on training in the first place and you’ll be able to improve your operations quicker. However, no one wants to be left unsupported when learning something new and the best in class systems will make sure you’re as prepared as possible.

Here’s what to prioritise when you invest in a property management solution:

• Comprehensive training
• Local support
• Phone support
• Real people helping you out
• Email assistance
• Detailed online tutorials and videos
• A library of help articles
• Free training on new feature releases

The success of your business depends on everything running smoothly which is why the industry’s top technology solutions go to such lengths to ensure you can master the products and easily solve any issues that arise.

Explore more information on the best property management software.

Hotel management training and technology

A B&B or a small hotel is a great way to earn money from your own home or another property you own. Monetising your property by listing on popular booking sites for both local and international travellers, like Airbnb or Booking.com, is very affordable as there is very little capital outlay. It can be very daunting too, with so much to get right to ensure your guests are always happy and more keep coming.

If online courses aren’t your thing but you still want to learn the ins and outs of starting and running a B&B with some form of bed and breakfast training, we’ve got a blog dedicated to the very topic!

The best advice we can offer about undertaking a business venture like this is to research thoroughly and partner with a reputable, supportive solution provider. Know what you’ll be responsible for and the best approaches to take. The commitment required is significant, and the help you receive along the way will make your journey much simpler and more successful.

Here are some key considerations:

• You must have extremely high standards when it comes to keeping your establishment clean and safe, especially in the era of COVID-19
• Maintenance will be a constant consideration; the presentation of the property creates a big impression and it’s also vital that all parts of the building(s) are safe
• Keep receptions and lounge or common areas spotless and attractive to make guests feel comfortable
• Try to create a homely feeling in each of your rooms and clean them every time a guest checks out
• Check bathrooms multiple times each day, cleaning and replenishing as necessary
• Keep corridors and other transitory areas clean and free of obstructions
• Dining areas must be neat and tidy, and regularly sanitised
• The hygiene of kitchen areas has to be faultless, clean everything immediately after use
• Stay available for any questions or requirements may have
• Maintain an inventory for supplies

As you can see, the tasks start to pile up and you also have to handle all the behind the scenes admin to keep bookings coming in.

This is why it’s so important to be prepared and understand the options you have available to help you succeed. Training courses will certainly aid you, and management technology can be a game changer.