Leisure Reservations Specialist - 6 Month Contract

Obrien Recruitment; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 279,000 - 424,000; Full time

Job summary

Obrien Recruitment is seeking an experienced reservations specialist for a prestigious hospitality establishment in Newlands, Cape Town. The role focuses on FIT reservations, converting enquiries into bookings while maximizing room revenue, and delivering personalised service from the first contact.

The six-month fixed-term maternity cover requires at least two years in hotel reservations, proficiency with Opera or Fidelio, familiarity with OTA/GDS platforms, and strong upsell capability.

Qualifications

• Matric / Grade 12 is required.
• At least 2 years' hotel reservations experience.
• Experience handling FIT reservations and individual guest bookings.
• Experience with Opera or Fidelio PMS.
• Familiar with OTA platforms, GDS systems and online booking engines.
• Good Microsoft 365 skills.
• Strong commercial awareness and upsell ability.
• Excellent communication, organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Meticulous attention to detail and guest-service passion.
• Ability to stay composed in a busy hotel environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage FIT reservations with precision and efficiency.
• Convert enquiries into bookings while maximising room revenue.
• Identify upselling and cross-selling opportunities.
• Deliver warm, personalised service from the first enquiry.
• Manage deposits, guarantees, cancellations and refunds per policy.
• Coordinate with hotel departments for seamless arrivals and experiences.

Skills

Hotel reservations

Upselling

Communication

Organisation

Problem solving

Customer service

Education

Matric / Grade 12

Tools

Opera

Fidelio

GDS systems

Online booking engines

Microsoft 365

Job description

Great guest experiences begin long before check-in. Are you the reservations specialist who makes them happen?
We are seeking an experienced, commercially astute and guest-focused FIT Specialist to join a prestigious hospitality establishment in the beautiful Newlands area of Cape Town.
This exciting six-month maternity leave contract is ideal for a reservations professional who thrives on delivering exceptional guest experiences, has an eye for detail and knows how to turn every booking opportunity into revenue.
If you understand that successful reservations are about more than simply filling rooms, we would love to hear from you!

What You'll Be Doing

• Managing FIT reservations with precision, professionalism and efficiency.
• Converting enquiries into confirmed bookings while maximising room revenue.
• Identifying upselling and cross-selling opportunities to enhance the guest experience.
• Delivering warm, personalised service from the first enquiry.
• Managing deposits, payment guarantees, cancellations and refunds in line with hotel policies.
• Maintaining accurate reservation records and ensuring booking requirements are met.
• Working closely with hotel departments to ensure seamless guest arrivals and experiences.
• Proactively identifying and resolving reservation or operational challenges.

What We're Looking For

• Matric / Grade 12.
• At least 2 years' hotel reservations experience.
• Proven experience handling FIT reservations and individual guest bookings.
• Experience using hotel Property Management Systems, ideally Opera or Fidelio.
• Familiarity with OTA platforms, GDS systems and online booking engines.
• Good Microsoft 365 skills.
• Strong commercial awareness and a natural ability to upsell.
• Excellent communication, organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Meticulous attention to detail and a genuine passion for guest service.
• The ability to remain composed and deliver results in a busy hospitality environment.

The Ideal Candidate

You're organised, confident, professional and naturally service-driven. You understand room rates, booking channels and the importance of maximising revenue without compromising the guest experience.
You're equally comfortable managing complex booking requirements, communicating with guests and collaborating with operational teams.
Most importantly, you take pride in getting the little details right, because you know those details make all the difference.

Contract Details

Location: Southern Suburbs, Cape Town
Contract: 6-Month Fixed-Term Maternity Leave Cover
Dates: 01 December 2026 to 31 May 2027
Remuneration: Monthly Paid

Ready to Make Every Reservation Count?

If you have the hotel reservations experience, commercial flair and passion for hospitality we're looking for, we'd love to connect with you.