Front Office Manager| Planters Inn | Charleston, South Carolina

Crystal Creek Hospitality; Charleston (SC); On-site; USD 58,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Planters Inn in Charleston, a luxury boutique hotel managed by Crystal Creek Hospitality, seeks a Front Office Manager to lead the guest experience and front desk operations. You will mentor a high-performing team, elevate service standards, and drive operational excellence in a renowned Southern hospitality environment.

The successful candidate will balance guest satisfaction, staff development, and financial performance while embodying genuine Southern hospitality and brand standards.

Qualifications

• Minimum three years of Front Office experience in a hotel environment
• Previous supervisory or management experience
• Strong leadership and team-development skills
• Exceptional verbal and written communication abilities
• Proven success in guest relations and service recovery
• Knowledge of Front Office operations, hotel systems, and hospitality best practices
• Experience working with Property Management Systems (PMS)
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as business needs require

Responsibilities

• Lead Front Desk operations to ensure luxury guest service
• Develop and coach Front Office team
• Monitor guest satisfaction and respond to feedback
• Coordinate with Housekeeping, Engineering, F&B, and Sales for seamless stays
• Manage schedules, labor, and budgeting support
• Ensure billing accuracy and upsell opportunities

Skills

Front Office

Leadership

Guest Relations

PMS Experience

Flexible Hours

Tools

PMS Software

Job description

ABOUT US

Crystal Creek Hospitality is a collection of independently spirited and branded hotels focused on remarkable hospitality™. We see every day as an opportunity to enrich the lives of our employees, guests, and communities. Our vision, mission, values and commitments are at the core of every decision we make and every person we hire. No heroes, no egos-just a diverse group of individuals with solid relationships built on a foundation of trust that honors our employees, guests, and investors.

OUR VALUES

We Engage and We Listen

We Care and We Own

We Provide and We Ensure

We Appreciate and We have Fun

JOB OVERVIEW

Lead the Arrival Experience at One of Charleston's Most Distinguished Luxury Hotels

At Planters Inn, we believe every guest interaction is an opportunity to create lasting memories. As Charleston's premier luxury boutique hotel, we are seeking an experienced, service-driven Front Office Manager to lead our Front Office operation and inspire a culture of exceptional hospitality.

The Front Office Manager serves as the face of the hotel, setting the tone for the guest experience while leading a high-performing team dedicated to personalized service, operational excellence, and genuine Southern hospitality. This is an ideal opportunity for a hospitality leader who is passionate about luxury service, employee development, and creating memorable experiences for guests visiting one of America's most celebrated destinations.

If you thrive in a luxury environment, enjoy mentoring talented hospitality professionals, and are energized by delivering exceptional guest experiences, we invite you to join our team.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Front Office Manager is responsible for leading all aspects of Front Desk operations while ensuring an exceptional guest experience from reservation through departure. This role oversees daily operations, team development, guest satisfaction, service recovery, scheduling, labor management, and departmental performance.

The successful candidate will bring a strong luxury hospitality mindset, a passion for developing people, and the ability to create memorable guest experiences while driving operational excellence and financial performance.

REPORTS TO

Director of Rooms

DIRECT REPORTS

Front Desk Agents

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Guest Experience Leadership

• Champion a culture of exceptional guest service and genuine hospitality
• Ensure seamless execution of arrivals, departures, room assignments, upgrades, billing, and guest follow-up
• Personally engage with guests to create memorable and personalized experiences
• Address guest concerns promptly and professionally, utilizing effective service recovery strategies
• Monitor guest feedback and implement continuous improvements to elevate satisfaction scores

Team Leadership & Development

• Recruit, hire, train, coach, and develop Front Office professionals
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and high-accountability work environment
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide ongoing feedback and career development support
• Recognize team achievements and celebrate successes
• Lead by example through visible and active engagement with both guests and team members

Operational Excellence

• Oversee all Front Desk operations and ensure adherence to luxury service standards
• Manage room inventory and maximize occupancy opportunities
• Monitor guest accounts and billing accuracy
• Develop weekly schedules and adjust staffing levels based on business demands
• Support departmental budgeting, forecasting, labor management, and expense control efforts
• Maintain compliance with hotel policies, procedures, and service expectations
• Collaborate effectively with Housekeeping, Engineering, Food & Beverage, and Sales departments to ensure a seamless guest experience

Revenue & Business Management

• Assist with departmental planning and financial initiatives
• Support upselling and revenue optimization efforts
• Manage operations, merchandising, inventory, and pricing for the Lobby Market retail shop
• Utilize reporting and analytics to identify trends and opportunities for improvement

Charleston Ambassador

• Serve as a knowledgeable resource on Charleston's dining, shopping, entertainment, and cultural attractions
• Ensure Front Office team members are equipped to provide authentic local recommendations
• Help guests discover the unique charm and experiences that make Charleston a world-class destination

The Ideal Candidate

You are:

• Passionate about luxury hospitality and guest engagement
• A visible, hands-on leader who enjoys mentoring others
• Skilled at balancing guest satisfaction, employee engagement, and operational performance
• Calm, professional, and solutions-oriented under pressure
• Committed to excellence and continuous improvement
• Excited to represent one of Charleston's most respected hospitality destinations

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands & work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to handle, feel, or finger; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; and taste or smell. The employee frequently is required to walk and climb or balance. The employee is occasionally required to sit and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbent will possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.

A review of this description has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties. All duties and requirements are essential job functions.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to perform any other job-related duties assigned by their direct report.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" employment relationship.

Requirements

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Minimum three years of Front Office experience in a hotel environment
• Previous supervisory or management experience
• Strong leadership and team-development skills
• Exceptional verbal and written communication abilities
• Proven success in guest relations and service recovery
• Knowledge of Front Office operations, hotel systems, and hospitality best practices
• Experience working with Property Management Systems (PMS)
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as business needs require

Preferred

• Luxury hotel, boutique hotel, Forbes, Four Diamond, Marriott Luxury, Hilton Curio, Autograph Collection, or independent luxury hotel experience
• Experience leading high-performing guest service teams
• Bilingual English/Spanish
• Familiarity with Charleston's hospitality, tourism, dining, and cultural landscape