Weird and wacky (but often necessary) hotel jobs

As the hotel industry changes, so do positions, roles and titles. There’s the traditional valet, bellman, front desk attendant, concierge, housekeeper, chef and operations roles. But the effort to offer refreshed guest experiences and services are swaying hotels to recruit for off-beat yet strategically aligned positions such as a fish valet, canine surf instructor, pigeon chaser or hot cocoa butler.

These quirky positions help the hotel execute its memory-making goals while also showcasing the culture, DNA and, unique interests of a property. Researching this trend was downright fascinating, as I not only learned about the process of employing niche experts but the strategic significance behind the titles.

To give you a taste of the spectrum of these positions, tasks cover everything from butler roles for music, fragrance, camping or glamping to mermaid trainers or, in one case, the “vibe” manager.

The vibe manager is a critical role at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando in Florida, as the employee works from a music catalog consisting of more than a million songs to select and program all music needs on site including the state-of-the-art underwater sound system at the resort’s beach pool.

At the top of my list, I discovered that guests at the Baccarat Hotel New York have an opportunity to meet one of three crystal and glass attendants. That’s right – expert individuals tasked with the care of the hotel’s massive collection of crystal, a position that requires the attendants to know each of the 40 types of stemware, dozens of designs and their value.

Let’s take a look at a few more positions that not only piqued my interest but are enhancing the more-important-than-ever guest experience:

• The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia, is located in the heart of southern barbecue territory, thus, the employment of a barbecue butler.The role assists guests in selecting their meats, sauces and smoking woods, and then prepares the meal personally at the guest’s cottage.
• The Montage Laguna Beach in California employs a licensed falconer to assist in controlling “pest birds” that naturally feed and nest on the property. Owls and hawks are also trained by the falconer to chase away problem birds, and he is also available to answer questions from guests about his role in caring and training them.
• The Four Seasons Resort in Lanai, Hawaii, employs a sunglass doctor who cleans, maintains and repairs dings and scratches averaging approximately 80 pairs of glasses daily. Loaners are also available to approximately 100 guests annually who request a pair. 
• The Loews Coronado Bay Resort, a San Diego, California, property known for its surfing culture employs a canine surfing instructor to help your dog ride a human-sized surf board. Taking pet-friendly services to the next level, the resort’s “Su’RUFF Camp” is located at a local dog beach.
• The Viceroy Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, sends a soap conciergeto guest rooms after check-in to help guests to select from a variety of organic, handcrafted, local soaps formulated to Mayan traditions. The most popular? Cinnamon in the winter, melon in the spring and lime, lemon and chocolate year-round.

Sherri Scheck-Merrill, vice president, Amenity Services, Tustin, California.

•  Share this page