Hospitality Summer Rotational Internship

Rotational Internship Program

About Retro Hospitality:In 2011, Retro Hospitality had one simple goal in mind and that was to help fellow hoteliers put more “heads in beds”. Since that time, Retro has expanded its portfolio to include some of the finest boutique hotels in the south along with signature restaurants, trendy rooftop bars and the first food hall in central Virginia. Based in Richmond, Virginia, Retro features a team with diverse and highly experienced backgrounds. The company's primary focus is engaging with ownership and operating teams to provide the necessary support they require with a hands-on approach.

Management Portfolio:

• Quirk Hotel – Richmond, VA

• The Blackburn Inn and Conference Center – Staunton, VA

• The Bee Hotel – Danville, VA

• The Holbrook Hotel – Danville, VA

• The Lofts at Downtown Salem – Salem, VA

• Hotel Petersburg – Petersburg, VA

• Hotel Fauna – Bedford, VA (Under Construction)

• The Laurel Hotel – Danville, VA (Under Construction)

• Schoolfield Hotel – Danville, VA (Under Construction)

Learning Goals:

• Gain hands-on operational and leadership experience in the hospitality industry.

• Apply current hospitality trends and techniques to practical work projects.

• Enhance teamwork and communication skills.

• Strengthen problem-solving and decision-making skills.

• Increase event knowledge through the execution of various on-site programming and special events.

Overall Skills and Expectations: 

• Be highly motivated and able to work in a fast-paced environment.

• Think outside the box and be willing to shift direction at a moment’s notice.

• Provide guests witha personalized customer experience.

• Assist each department with a variety of operational functions. 

• Work well with others and perform the job responsibilities in a team setting.

• Follow company policies and procedures for each department in a satisfactory manner.

Overview of Internship:

• 10-weekprogram where individuals will be able to learn the key functions and responsibilities of the hotel’s departments: hotel operations, front desk/guest services, housekeeping, food and beverage, and sales/marketing/events/catering. This is a great introductory experience for anyone who has an interest in the hotel industry. We are firm believers that in order to be a strong leader in the hospitality field, an individual must gain an understanding of how each department contributes to the overall success of the hotel.

• Each intern will report to the General Manager along with an assigned supervisor. The intern will begin their internship with an orientation where they will complete the appropriate onboarding and training for their position. The assigned supervisor will then meet with the intern on a regular basis to evaluate job performance and assign projects and tasks as needed.

Departments:

Front Desk/Guest Services

Supervisor: The Guest Services Manager will supervise the front desk and guest services portion of the internship.

Job Description:

During the front desk rotation of the internship, the intern will be expected to perform the following job responsibilities and duties: 

• Learn the standard policies and procedures for operating the front desk.

• Work scheduled front desk shifts and provide personalized customer service to guests.

• Communicate with each department to ensure guest needs and expectations are met. 

• Act as the concierge, engaging with our guests, selling special packages, add-ons, and providing quality recommendations for community-based activities.

• Manage and properly respond to guest reviews on sites like TripAdvisor according to company standards.

• Regularly attend and participate in team meetings. 

• Complete any special projects and tasks that are asked of you from the Front Desk Manager.

Housekeeping

Supervisor: The Housekeeping Supervisor will supervise the housekeeping portion of the internship. 

Job Description:

During the housekeeping rotation of the internship, the intern will be expected to perform the following job responsibilities and duties: 

• Learn the standard cleaning and inspection procedures for rooms and public areas.

• Work housekeeping shifts and communicate with the front desk department.

• Perform room inspections for daily arrivals.

• Assist the Housekeeping Supervisor with weekly inventories and organizational systems.

• Regularly attend and participate in team meetings.

• Complete any special projects or tasks that are asked of you from the Housekeeping Supervisor.

Food and Beverage

Supervisor: The Director of Food and Beverage will supervise the food and beverage portion of the internship. 

Job Description:

During the food and beverage rotation of the internship, the intern will be expected to perform the following job responsibilities and duties: 

• Work host/hostess, server, kitchen, and supervisor shifts in all food and beverage outlets of the hotel, i.e.the restaurant, conference center, rooftop, café, etc. 

• Assist the Director of Food and Beverage with inventory, ordering, and creating menu specials on a weekly basis.

• Monitor the retail shop to ensure that it is stocked and labeled properly.

• Assist withmanaging breakfast and room service each day. 

• Assist the catering department with execution of in-house programming, weddings, and special events.

• Complete any special projects or tasks that are asked of you from the Director of Food and Beverage.

Sales, Marketing, Events and Catering

Supervisor: The Director of Saleswill supervise the sales, marketing, and eventsportion of the internship. 

Job Description:

During the sales, marketing, and eventsrotation of the internship, the intern will be expected to perform the following job responsibilities and duties: 

• Work closely with the Director of Sales to learnsales techniques such as prospecting, competitive research, and networking.

• Assist with special event preparation and day-of execution.

• Learn how to create marketing materials according to brand standards.

• Contribute to the content calendar to assist with social media posts andadditionalmarketing opportunities.

• Complete any special projects or tasks that are asked of you from the Director of Sales. 

An Example of a Rotational Internship Schedule

(Subject to the Property’s Departments and Subject to Change):