Hotel Operations Intern: Rotations in Front Office & F&B

Highgate Hotels, LP; Key West (FL); On-site; USD 19,000 - 25,000; Part time

Job summary

Highgate Hotels invites you to join the Hotel Operations Intern program in Key West, a hands‑on opportunity to rotate through Front Office, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage, Engineering, Sales, Finance, and Human Resources. This role is designed for students or recent graduates pursuing hospitality, business, or related degrees, with a goal of leadership development in hotel operations.

You will work alongside hotel leaders, learning how each department contributes to guest experience, associate

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, a hospitality, business, tourism, culinary, or related degree program preferred.
• Strong interest in hotel operations, hospitality leadership, guest service, and career growth within the hotel industry.
• Previous hotel, restaurant, customer service, retail, or campus leadership experience is a plus.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Professional demeanor with a positive attitude and willingness to learn.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, guest‑facing environment.
• Flexible schedule, including mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.

Responsibilities

• Participate in a structured rotation through hotel operating departments, including Front Office, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage, and other key areas as assigned.
• Shadow department leaders to learn daily operating procedures, service standards, staffing models, and guest service expectations.
• Assist with front desk operations, guest check‑in/check‑out, service recovery, guest requests, and lobby engagement.
• Support Housekeeping leadership with room inspection processes, room readiness tracking, inventory control, and coordination with the Front Office.
• Assist Food & Beverage teams with restaurant, banquet, bar, or event operations, depending on hotel offerings.
• Learn how Engineering and Maintenance support guest satisfaction, safety, preventive maintenance, and property upkeep.
• Attend operational meetings, pre‑shift meetings, standups, and leadership check‑ins where appropriate.
• Support special projects related to guest satisfaction, associate engagement, operational efficiency, revenue opportunities, or process improvement.
• Review hotel performance indicators, including guest satisfaction scores, occupancy, service trends, labor productivity, and financial basics.
• Assist with administrative tasks, reporting, scheduling support, and communication between departments.
• Demonstrate a warm, professional, and service‑focused attitude with guests, associates, and leadership.
• Follow all hotel policies, brand standards, safety procedures, confidentiality expectations, and grooming standards.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Customer service mindset

Professional demeanor

Flexibility

Education

Hospitality, Business, Tourism or related degree program

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Highgate Hotels invites you to join the Hotel Operations Intern program in Key West, a hands‑on opportunity to rotate through Front Office, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage, Engineering, Sales, Finance, and Human Resources. This role is designed for students or recent graduates pursuing hospitality, business, or related degrees, with a goal of leadership development in hotel operations.

You will work alongside hotel leaders, learning how each department contributes to guest experience, associate