Director, Guest Experience

POSITION SUMMARY:

Villatel, a multifaceted hospitality company, seeks a highly experienced and dynamic Director, Guest Experience, to provide exceptional leadership and strategic guidance to our Guest Experience team while ensuring unparalleled service to our guests. Our flagship property, Villatel Orlando Resort, includes both Marriott Bonvoy branded units and a significant portfolio of larger format short-term vacation rentals. This role demands a passionate individual with superior communication and interpersonal skills, a high degree of professionalism, and a proven ability to effectively utilize multiple technology systems. This leader will be instrumental in fostering a culture of excellence while ensuring our team consistently anticipates and exceeds guest expectations in a fast-paced, high-performance work environment. As a Guest Experience Leader, you will oversee the guest experience across all aspects of the resort, ensuring every guest, whether in our Marriott Bonvoy units or our vacation rentals has an unforgettable visit that creates lifelong memories. This role will also serve as a key advisor to the executive team, leveraging insights and best practices from our flagship property to influence and elevate guest experience strategies across existing and future Villatel sites.

Your responsibilities will include leading and mentoring team members, collaborating strategically with all departments including operations, maintenance, dispatch, and housekeeping to elevate overall guest satisfaction, and driving the execution of vital service standards. While experience within the Marriott Bonvoy framework is highly valued due to its significant presence within our Orlando resort, candidates with strong experience in managing guest experiences within independent, short-term vacation rentals are also encouraged to apply.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Provide strong leadership and oversight to the Guest Experience team, ensuring consistent adherence to high service standards across both our Marriott Bonvoy and vacation rental offerings.

· Collaborate strategically with operations, maintenance, and dispatch teams to effectively fulfill complex guest requests, proactively resolve intricate issues, and guarantee a seamless and exceptional guest experience for all guests, regardless of their accommodation type.

· Manage complex guest interactions, high-level requests, and sensitive bookings with precision, discretion, and a focus on exceeding expectations for both Marriott Bonvoy and independent rental guests.

· Expertly utilize multiple technology applications across the Villatel Villas and Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy business operations, as well as any systems relevant to managing independent vacation rental guest experiences.

· Empower team members to resolve guest issues quickly and effectively, providing guidance and mentorship to maintain a calm and confident demeanor under pressure across all property types.

· Serve as a company-wide subject matter expert for Guest Experience, regularly collaborating with management at other Villatel properties to provide guidance, share successful strategies, and ensure brand consistency across the portfolio.

· Uphold and champion brand standards for both Villatel and Marriott Bonvoy, actively contributing to a culture characterized by excellence, trust, and accountability across the guest experience team.

· Address guest inquiries, requests, and concerns promptly and with the highest level of courtesy and professionalism, whether in person, via phone, or through electronic communication channels, ensuring a consistent and positive experience for all guests.

· Capture and critically analyze guest feedback data from the Orlando resort to continuously improve service standards, and to inform and influence best practices for Guest Experience teams across all Villatel sites.

· Actively solicit feedback from guests regarding their stay in both our Marriott Bonvoy and rental properties, listen attentively to their concerns and suggestions, and effectively relay relevant information to executive management and appropriate departments for strategic action and team training.

· Oversee the training and mentoring of Guest Experience team members, teaching best practices and ensuring consistent execution of their duties to vital standards for all types of accommodation within the resort.

QUALIFICATIONS:

· Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive leadership experience in a high-end hospitality environment, with a proven track record of managing and mentoring teams.

· A background in managing guest experiences in both Marriott Bonvoy branded properties and independent short-term vacation rentals is a plus.

· An unwavering passion for hospitality and a demonstrated commitment to exceeding guest expectations through personalized service and meticulous attention to detail across diverse property types.

· Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build rapport and influence and manage expectations for both guests and team members from various backgrounds.

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential, with the ability to interact professionally and effectively with guests, colleagues at all levels, and executive management.

· Demonstrated ability to lead and empower a team to achieve strong problem-solving skills and the capacity to think strategically and act decisively to address complex guest inquiries or resolve critical issues in a timely and satisfactory manner for all guests.

· Proven ability to work collaboratively and strategically with colleagues and across departments to achieve common organizational goals and ensure consistently high levels of guest satisfaction throughout the entire resort.

· Meticulous attention to detail coupled with strong organizational skills and the resourcefulness to ensure accuracy in all aspects of guest service requests and resolutions for both Marriott Bonvoy and independent rental guests. High School Diploma or equivalent required.

· Associate or bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, business administration, or a related field is strongly preferred.

· Willingness to work variable hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, to effectively lead the team and accommodate the needs of guests and the operational demands of the resort property.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide strong leadership and oversight to the Guest Experience team, ensuring consistent adherence to high service standards across both our Marriott Bonvoy and vacation rental offerings.

· Empower team members to resolve guest issues quickly and effectively, providing guidance and mentorship to maintain a calm and confident demeanor under pressure across all property types.

Capture and critically analyze guest feedback data from the Orlando resort to continuously improve service standards, and to inform and influence best practices for Guest Experience teams across all Villatel sites.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Why work at Villatel? We love, love, love vacations. For ourselves, sure (don’t get too excited). But more importantly, for the tens of thousands of guests that visit us each year looking to have the most incredible experiences of their lives. Our mission? Exceed their expectations every single time—by offering the most FUN, adventure-packed, and spacious accommodations with premium service.

What’s cool about us is that we simultaneously build, design, maintain, and service all of our accommodations. So, we don’t just hope our resorts and guest experiences are up to snuff. We actively make them as incredible as we can—by owning every step of the process.