How To Become A Front Desk Host: What It Is and Career Path

What is a front desk host and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

A front desk host operates the reception area of a hotel, motel, or resort. They are responsible for checking guests in and out, processing payments, addressing guest concerns, and communicating with other hospitality departments to ensure optimal guest satisfaction.

On top of these key duties, a front desk host's tasks may include assisting with reservations, managing gift cards, operating the switchboard, and assisting guests with special needs.

Since a front desk host is usually the first person that guests interact with, they have to be pleasant and professional as they play a huge role in guests' first impression of the hotel. Good grooming and a friendly attitude are a must. They must also have great communication skills to ensure guests' needs are properly met and interpersonal skills to maintain good relationships with other departments.

Moreover, a front desk host should be physically fit enough to stand for long periods.

A high school diploma is enough to qualify for the role of a front desk host. Still, a bachelor's degree in hospitality management or something similar can be a great advantage. Experience working the front desk or other customer service jobs may also be beneficial.

ScoreFront Desk HostUS Average

Salary

2.4

Avg. Salary $31,080

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

4.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.31%

Asian 11.00%

Black or African American 9.02%

Hispanic or Latino 22.50%

Unknown 6.55%

White 49.62%

Gender

female 57.88%

male 42.12%

Age - 34

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34

Stress level

8.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.8

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

9.3

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a front desk host

Explore front desk host education requirements

Most common front desk host degrees

Bachelor's

47.4 %

High School Diploma

26.0 %

Associate

15.9 %

Start to develop specific front desk host skills

Skills	Percentages
Front Desk	32.04%
Cleanliness	17.36%
Greeting Guests	11.57%
Hotel Services	6.89%
Front Door	6.79%

Complete relevant front desk host training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New front desk hosts learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a front desk host based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real front desk host resumes.

Research front desk host duties and responsibilities

Manage patients records by keeping all medical history, insurance and personal information update and verify abiding by HIPAA protocols.
Skil with scanners and cash registers, particularly POS machines.
Review arrivals, noting special requests and blocking rooms as necessary for VIP members and group check-ins.
Cashier, operate POS system, fax, handle multiple phone lines, and transfer calls to appropriate division.

Prepare your front desk host resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your front desk host resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a front desk host resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable front desk host resume templates

Build a professional front desk host resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your front desk host resume.