Front Desk Agent

La Playa Hotel; Carmel-by-the-Sea (CA); On-site; USD 23,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

La Playa Hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea is seeking a Front Desk Agent who treats hospitality as an art form, turning a simple check-in into a memorable moment for guests. You will greet guests like old friends, own the check-in/out experience, and navigate our PMS with precision.

The role requires a high school diploma, quick thinking, comfort with computers, and impeccable English. A polished, professional presence is essential at this historic landmark on the California coast.

Qualifications

• High school diploma; college coursework is a plus.
• Quick thinking and friendly demeanor.
• Comfort with computers and calculators.
• Typing speed of 15 WPM or faster.
• Impeccable English, written and spoken.
• Professional presence befitting a historic landmark.

Responsibilities

• Greet guests as friends, not transactions.
• Own check-in and check-out from start to finish.
• Navigate the property management system accurately.
• Handle payments and front desk cash handling.
• Answer phones with warmth and clarity.
• Resolve issues before guests notice them.
• Keep the front desk polished and welcoming.

Skills

Customer service

PMS proficiency

Typing 15 WPM

Professional presence

Education

High school diploma

Tools

PMS system

Calculator

Job description

Where the Fog Meets the Garden Gate

Some jobs are just jobs. This one comes with cypress trees, hidden courtyards, and a front-row seat to the most storied small town on the California coast.

La Playa Hotel has been Carmel-by-the-Sea’s quietly glamorous secret since 1904 — a Mediterranean-style landmark tucked two blocks from a white sand beach, surrounded by fairy-tale cottages, art galleries, and a town so charming it still refuses to put numbers on its houses. If you’ve ever wanted to work somewhere that feels like a postcard come to life, consider this your invitation.

We’re looking for a Front Desk Agent who treats hospitality like an art form — someone who can turn a simple check-in into a moment guests remember long after they’ve driven back up Highway 1.

What You’ll Actually Be Doing

• Greeting guests like old friends, not transactions
• Owning the check-in and check-out experience from first hello to final wave goodbye
• Navigating our property management system with ease and accuracy
• Handling payments, house banks, and the occasional mystery (safety deposit boxes included)
• Answering phones with warmth, clarity, and just enough charm
• Solving problems before guests even know there was one
• Keeping the front desk as polished as our gardens

What We’re Hoping You Bring

• A high school diploma (college coursework? Even better)
• A knack for quick thinking and quicker smiles
• Comfort with computers, calculators, and the occasional curveball
• Typing speed of at least 15 WPM — fast fingers, clear head
• Impeccable English communication, spoken and written
• A polished, professional presence befitting a historic landmark

Why Carmel, Why La Playa

This isn’t just a job in one of the most distinctive towns in America. Carmel-by-the-Sea has no streetlights in some neighborhoods, no chain restaurants on its main drag, and a long, eccentric history of artists, poets, and even a mayor named Clint Eastwood. The Pacific fog rolls in most afternoons, the cypress trees bend sideways from decades of wind, and somehow, it all feels exactly right.

At La Playa, we believe in HEART — Helpful, Ethical, Attentive, Resourceful, Thankful — and we live it daily, not as a slogan, but as a practice. We create experiences that go beyond expectations, for guests and for each other.

If you’re ready to bring your warmth, wit, and work ethic to a place where the scenery does half the talking, we’d love to meet you.

La Playa Hotel's and Hotel Carmel’s leaders and team members believe each guest should be treated with respect and professionalism. We create a heartfelt experience of genuine hospitality, enticing our guests to return again and again. In order to be successful at La Playa Hotel and Hotel Carmel, associates must share both our Purpose (Making Space for Genuine Hospitality) and Pillars (Hands On & Heartfelt, Sincere & Focused, Collaborative & Curious, & Conscientious). This includes possessing and demonstrating a high level of courtesy and respect for both internal and external guests. Our forward-thinking, fun, friendly, engaging and enthusiastic associates treat every guest as if they were our only guest. A true customer focus is essential to success with our property.

Source: Hospitality Online