Summary:Alila Ventana Big Sur is seeking an experienced, polished, and highly service-driven Director of Rooms to join the resort on a Task Force assignment. This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned Rooms Division leader to support one of California's most distinctive luxury resort experiences.
Set along the rugged Big Sur coastline, Alila Ventana Big Sur is a highly personalized luxury resort where nature, wellness, dining, privacy, and thoughtful hospitality are central to the guest experience. The property offers 54 secluded suites across 160 acres and provides guests with an immersive experience that includes meals, curated programming, wellness activities, and exclusive amenities.
The Director of Rooms will provide leadership across the Rooms Division, with responsibility for maintaining exceptional guest service, operational consistency, colleague engagement, and luxury standards. This role is particularly well suited to a leader with experience in luxury resorts, Forbes-rated properties, and highly personalized guest environments.
Key Responsibilities- Lead the day-to-day Rooms Division operation throughout the Task Force assignment.
- Oversee Front Office, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Concierge, and other rooms-related functions as assigned.
- Maintain a visible leadership presence throughout the resort and serve as a role model for luxury hospitality.
- Ensure every guest touchpoint reflects the resort's standards for warmth, personalization, discretion, and attention to detail.
- Reinforce and coach colleagues on Forbes service standards, luxury service language, personalization, anticipation of needs, and effective service recovery.
- Partner with department leaders to ensure seamless communication between Front Office, Housekeeping, Engineering, Spa, Food & Beverage, Activities, and other resort operations.
- Monitor room readiness, VIP arrivals, repeat guests, special occasions, guest preferences, and special requests.
- Conduct or oversee room and public area inspections to ensure cleanliness, condition, presentation, and brand standards are consistently maintained.
- Review guest feedback, quality scores, online reviews, and operational trends to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Lead service recovery efforts and ensure guest concerns receive timely, thoughtful, and appropriate resolution.
- Support staffing, scheduling, productivity, payroll, training, and colleague development across the Rooms Division.
- Ensure colleagues receive ongoing coaching and feedback on luxury service expectations and operational procedures.
- Partner with Engineering and Housekeeping to address room conditions, maintenance issues, out-of-order rooms, and preventative maintenance needs.
- Assist with departmental budgeting, forecasting, labor management, inventory control, and expense management.
- Support resort leadership with operational planning and execution during high-occupancy periods, special events, VIP stays, and other key business periods.
- Maintain compliance with resort policies, safety procedures, privacy standards, brand requirements, and applicable regulations.
- Support the transition and continuity of operations during the Task Force assignment.
- Provide clear communication, documentation, and recommendations to resort leadership regarding operational opportunities and challenges.
- Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by resort leadership.
This is a salaried position with a compensation ranging from $94,500 to $130,000. The final offer will be based on experience and prorated based on the assignment time. Onsite accommodations are also provided.
Qualifications: • Previous experience as a Director of Rooms, Assistant Director of Rooms, Rooms Division Manager, Front Office Director, or comparable senior Rooms leadership role strongly preferred.
• Significant experience in a luxury hotel or luxury resort required.
• Previous experience in a Forbes-rated property or with Forbes service standards strongly preferred.
• Previous resort experience strongly preferred, particularly in a destination, boutique luxury, or highly personalized resort environment.
• Strong knowledge of Front Office, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Concierge, and overall Rooms Division operations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams in a high-touch luxury hospitality environment.
• Strong understanding of guest personalization, service recovery, room readiness, quality assurance, and luxury service delivery.
• Proven ability to coach leaders and frontline colleagues on service standards and operational expectations.
• Strong financial awareness, including labor management, forecasting, budgeting, productivity, and departmental expenses.
• Excellent communication, organization, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with property management systems, housekeeping systems, guest experience platforms, and Microsoft Office preferred.
• Ability to build strong relationships with guests, colleagues, vendors, and resort leadership.
• Must be comfortable stepping into a new operation quickly and providing immediate leadership during a Task Force assignment.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and business-demand periods.
