Rooms Controller

Mandarin Oriental; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 134,000 - 201,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Learning & Development

MOstay program

Health & Wellness benefits

Retirement plans

Job summary

Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi is seeking a Rooms Controller in the Front Office to manage room inventory, optimize availability, and ensure smooth arrival and departure experiences for guests.

Based at Emirates Palace, you will coordinate with Housekeeping and Front Desk, oversee blocking, overbooking when applicable, upsell opportunities, and maintain accurate room status while delivering legendary Mandarin Oriental service.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in luxury property Front Office roles.
• Strong knowledge of room inventory management and occupancy control.
• Proficiency with Opera PMS or similar hotel systems.
• Excellent communication and guest service standards.

Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate the hotel’s room inventory to ensure accurate status and maximum availability.
• Oversee the room blocking process for groups, VIPs and future bookings.
• Coordinate with Housekeeping to monitor room status and readiness for arrivals.
• Review inventory and out-of-service rooms daily and maximize availability.
• Work with Front Desk during peak periods to ensure smooth guest flow.
• Coach Front Desk colleagues and ensure adherence to service standards.
• Handle guest requests and complaints with timely follow-up.
• Support revenue opportunities through upselling and room upgrades.
• Generate and distribute reports on room inventory, occupancy, and revenue.

Skills

Front Office operations

Room inventory management

Guest service standards

Communication

Tools

Opera PMS

Job description

Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi is looking for a Rooms Controller to join our Front Office team.

Are you a master of craft? Do you thrive in a team that succeeds together, demonstrating integrity and respect while acting responsibly? Do you embrace a growth mindset? We invite you to become a fan of the exceptional.

Mandarin Oriental is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the most luxurious hotels, resorts and residences located in prime destinations around the world, with a strong development pipeline. Increasingly recognised for creating some of the world’s most sought-after properties, the Group provides legendary service inspired by Asian heritage whilst representing the very cutting-edge of luxury experiences.

Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi is the definition of an unrivalled Arabian fantasy. From a 1.3km pristine private beach, landscaped pools and a private marina overlooking a natural bay, the hotel is located in the heart of Abu Dhabi and perfect for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday or for events and meetings that make a statement, with some of the city’s largest hotel conference centres. Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi offers award-winning 5-star luxury hospitality and authentic local experiences with 390 luxurious rooms and suites along with award-winning culinary cuisines.

About The Job

Based at the Emirates palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi within the Front Office Department, the Rooms Controller is responsible for effectively managing and coordinating the hotel’s room inventory to ensure accurate room status, maximum room availability, and a seamless arrival and departure experience for guests. The Rooms Controller reports to the Front Office Manager.

As a Rooms Controller, you will be responsible for the following duties:

• Assign rooms to arriving guests based on room type availability, guest preferences, VIP status, special requests, and operational requirements.
• Oversee the room blocking process to effectively accommodate groups, VIPs, special occasions, and future bookings.
• Coordinate closely with Housekeeping to monitor room status, including occupied, vacant, clean, inspected, out-of-order, and out-of-service rooms, ensuring timely room readiness for arriving guests.
• Review room inventory and out-of-order/out-of-service rooms on a daily basis and follow up with the relevant departments to maximize room availability.
• Work closely with the Front Desk team, particularly during peak arrival and departure periods, to ensure smooth room allocation and seamless guest flow.
• Coach and guide Front Desk colleagues, ensuring consistent adherence to established service standards, operational procedures, and service sequences.
• Conduct onboarding and on-the-job training for new colleagues, continuously supporting their development and motivating the team to achieve exceptional performance.
• Handle guest requests, concerns, and complaints in a courteous and efficient manner, providing appropriate instructions and follow-up to the relevant colleagues to ensure guest satisfaction. Maintain accurate records of complaints and ensure timely closure.
• Manage room inventory effectively to support maximum occupancy and optimize revenue opportunities, including the implementation of approved overbooking strategies where applicable.
• Support the Front Office team in maximizing hotel revenue through effective upselling initiatives and room upgrade opportunities.
• Lead Hello MO moments from the back office and ensure guest telephone calls are answered promptly and professionally.
• Handle guest inquiries and requests related to rooms, including room moves, room preferences, amenities, and other accommodation-related requirements.
• Provide basic Front Office support when required, including issuing room keys and assisting with minor billing-related queries.
• Maintain clear and effective communication between Front Office, Housekeeping, Sales, Revenue Management, and other relevant departments to ensure seamless operational coordination.
• Generate, review, and distribute reports relating to room inventory, occupancy, room status, and revenue to support daily operational planning and decision-making.
• Accomplish all administrative responsibilities related to the position, including daily briefings, reporting, record keeping, and other operational documentation.
• Remain fully informed of hotel policies, promotions, packages, guest loyalty programmes, and current operational information to provide accurate information to guests and colleagues.
• Demonstrate a consistently positive, professional, and service-oriented approach, ensuring all guest interactions reflect the standards of Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental.
• Remain adaptable and composed in a fast-paced environment, effectively managing multiple priorities and operational pressures while maintaining attention to detail and service excellence.

As a Rooms Controller, We Expect From You

• Previous experience in the same role in luxury property, resort experience is a plus
• Strong knowledge of Front Office operations, room inventory management, room status control, and hotel room categories.
• Proficiency in Opera PMS or other recognized hotel property management systems.
• Good understanding of room revenue, upselling techniques, occupancy management, and overbooking procedures.
• Strong knowledge of guest service standards and luxury hospitality practices.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact confidently with guests and colleagues at all levels.

Our commitment to you

• Learning & Development. Your success is our success. We craft unique learning and development programmes for various stages in your career so that you grow, continuously.
• MOstay. When you work as hard as our colleagues do, it’s important to take time off. As a member of the #MOfamily, you can stay with us wherever you go in the world. The MOstay programme offers complimentary nights and additionally attractive rates on rooms for you and your loved ones.
• Heath & Colleague Wellness. Finding the right work-life balance is important. Your wellbeing matters to us. A variety of health benefits and wellness programmes are offered to all our colleagues, globally.
• Retirement Plans. When you show commitment to us, we reciprocate. We offer different retirement plans depending on the length of your service and your role.

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