When you curl up by the fire this holiday season with a good book, consider reading something to hone your skills in, and gain a deeper understanding of, the hospitality industry you’ve chosen for your career.
We’ve compiled a list of five books to consider, based on aggregated reviews ratings and relevance. Our recommended books explore a variety of subjects from customer service and consumer trends, to managerial organization tactics, to hotel branding and how to make hotel employees happy.
Why is it Beneficial for Hoteliers to Read Hotel Management Books?
Successful industry leaders need to stay on top of trends, technology, and news, but must also take deep dives into understanding their business from management minutia to the human experience.
While hotel management may seem straightforward, to truly master hospitality you need to absorb all the acquired knowledge you can find, from every source. The best management software will never replace the full first-hand experience of those who have walked these halls before you.
There is an endless amount of hotel management books out there, but we recommend these 5 ‘best hotel management books’ to start with based on consistent positive reviews, subject relevance, and industry ranking.
The Heart of Hospitality: Great Hotel and Restaurant Leaders Share Their Secrets, by Micah Solomon
The Heart of Hospitality is an essential guide for figuring out customer service and consumer trends in the hotel industry.
With a foreword by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company’s president and COO Herve Humler, this readable volume can help you serve any guest from Seniors to Millennials.
This book provides insights from successful hotel managers with first-hand story-telling and shared secrets that make for an enjoyable and informative read.
“Sooner or later, we’re all in the hospitality business. I bet you’ll find that Chapter 8 alone is worth the cost of the book.” — Seth Godin, Author, What To Do When It’s Your Turn
100 Tips for Hoteliers: What Every Successful Hotel Professional Needs to Know and Do, by Peter Venison
This comprehensive hotel management book provides many details about the ins of outs of hotel management. Contrary to what the book title suggests, the book is more than just tips.
On almost every hotel school curriculum for 20 years plus, this book engages the readers on every important aspect, starting from the inception to the opening of the hotel as well as the day-to-day running of the establishment.
With lively narration of the rudiments of managing a hospitality organization readers are sure to acquire information to help them make better management decisions at their various capacities.
“Excellent Resource for First-Time Hoteliers & Resort Developers” — Amazon Reviewer
Be Our Guest: Revised and Updated Edition: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service, by Theodore Kinni
From the ‘Disney Institute Leadership Series’, this book specializes in helping professionals see new possibilities through concepts not found in the typical workplace.
This book addresses the need to go above and beyond merely satisfying customers to help managers find the magic of quality service and the long-term benefits of great employee morale.
“Best customer service book I’ve read in 40 years, and I’ve read a lot of them! Contained herein are some of the best common-sense step-by-step methods I’ve seen for achieving excellence in customer service” — Amazon Reviewer
7 EASY Ways to Show Your Employees YOU Care!: A Booklet for Hotel Managers and Others, by Jokima Hiller
Instructor for the Hospitality and Restaurant Administration department at Missouri State University, Hiller the bedrock importance of happy employees to making happy customers.
Having an engaged team behind you is vital in any industry, but this book delves into the unique challenges facing hotel managers who have to run a staff with diverse responsibilities, from front desk to changing sheets to cooking meals.
This book goes deeper into why employees leave or love their job–it’s not as much about pay or event enjoying the work they do, but about feeling appreciated.
‘7 Ways’ outlines how to connect with your staff through thoughtfulness and compassion and show them that their wellbeing is paramount to you with seven easy ways based on real-life experiences.
Hotel Management: Understanding the Hospitality Industry, by Jack Allen Scott
This book deservedly ranks among the best hotel management books and top hotel management ebooks.
This premium release, ebook only, can be bought from different online platforms. This is considered a ‘must-read’ for anyone who holds a management position within a hotel or any hospitality outfit.
It covers all the important aspects such as initial planning and opening up, motivating the members of your team, marketing of your services, customer satisfaction and more.
The book also provides additional emphasis on personnel management, organizational structure.
The End
Take some quiet time from the hustle of the holidays (or any other days for that matter) and the constant busy-ness of hotel management.
Reflect on what you’ve accomplished so far, and how you want to improve with the help of the outside perspective of others.
Have you read any good hotel management books? Feel free to share in the comments below.
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