Overview
This position is currently filled
Hostel of Maine is looking for an excellent, down-to-earth yet detail-oriented solo Innkeeper/Manager or couple to join our small team. This is a full-time, year-round position. While we offer a relatively laid-back work environment, we do get very busy and expect our team to rise to the fast pace while maintaining high quality. We are hiring immediately for this position, but would entertain a slightly delayed start for the right candidate.
Our ideal candidate(s) will have:
Hospitality & some management experience.
A bachelors in business, hospitality, or similar.
A true passion for making all guests feel welcome & well taken care of.
A positive & professional demeanor.
Exceptional attention to detail.
Confidence to take charge; you will be the head of house and we need to know you can handle anything that might arise in a cool, calm, and collected manner. In addition, the confidence to ask for training, explanation, help, or similar is equally important, especially to start out.
A valid driver’s license & spotless record (we operate a transportation service during the summer/fall).
Ability to pass a background check with flying colors.
Additional desirable skills include social media, gardening/landscaping, carpentry & handyman skills, baking & cooking, bartending, and event planning/coordination.
Hostel of Maine (HoME) is an 8-room Bed & Breakfast with quality of space & guest experience held paramount. This business is a boutique hostel/bed & breakfast hybrid as we have a combination of room types and high-quality space that appeals to many types of guests; from solo travelers to groups of friends and families, wedding parties, and Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. We have a great rate of repeat guests because they know they’ll feel comfortable, well taken care of, and truly at home here. Many of our guests literally send us holiday cards & thank you notes - it’s pretty incredible. HoME is dog-friendly (in private rooms), so a canine aversion would be challenging!
We’re busy year-round (with roughly 6 weeks of closures in May & November for rest, relaxation & sometimes projects) with our primary demographic being outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Experience with or interest in the Appalachian Trail, skiing/snowboarding, hiking, mountain biking, and other outdoor activities will greatly benefit you in this role and locale! If you haven’t heard of Carrabassett Valley, it’s a remarkable place if you love all that nature has to offer. If you’re looking for nightlife, this isn’t your spot. We’re at the base of Sugarloaf Ski Resort and minutes away from hundreds of miles of incredible trail networks maintained for skiing, biking & hiking year-round. CV is truly an outdoor lover's paradise.
Key Responsibilities
Overseeing operations & housekeeping staff - providing direction, being a servant leader, verifying completion of tasks & quality. Working with owners on budget, hiring, and termination as needed.
Managing inventory - taking stock, procuring, and managing payment/invoices of all necessary products for day-to-day operations (breakfast, shop, linens, cleaning, etc).
Sales/Marketing - keeping pricing and availability up to date based on market trends, ensuring social media and other content is regularly updated.
Preparation of continental breakfast - prep, placement, refilling, cleaning, and safe handling/storage.
Reception - phone calls, emails, in-person check-in.
Housekeeping - helping when needed, and keeping the common areas tidy at all times.
Guest correspondence & customer service - helping people through information, empathy, and action.
Basic property maintenance - keeping the building and grounds both presentable and maintained.
Additional Details
Housing is included: An on-site one-bedroom apartment is provided. Your private bedroom has its own entrance, and your attached bathroom is private. The kitchen and living room are shared with the rest of the team. The space is clean and comfortable, with ample light in the bedroom. The space is a daylight basement, and those who struggle with noise (from guests moving about in the dining room above) when sleeping may find it challenging. We ran an air purifier or fan while sleeping when we lived in the space for 4 years, and had no issues.
In addition to the housing we include the following as part of the compensation package:
Weekly salary of $1,135 ($50-52k/year)
Year-round memberships to the Maine Huts & Trails system, Freeman Ridge Bike Park, the local gym at the AntiGravity Center, a discounted season pass to Sugarloaf Ski Resort & Outdoor Center
Minimum of 5 weeks (unpaid) vacation a year
A small paid time off benefit, accruing at 1 hour per full-time week worked
As the Manager and Innkeeper, this role requires you to be on call 24x5. We pride ourselves in systems that reduce/nearly prevent overnight issues, but they have and will happen. We expect the person in this role would end up working roughly 50 hours per week on average, but it can vary significantly with swings from 35-60. Every will be different, but a day in the life might look like the following:
7:15am - ensure breakfast is going smoothly, grab your morning coffee and chat with guests/opening staff, help do a shuttle to the trailhead, check out some guests and start laundry
8:30am - work on the social media posts for the week and answer emails
10am - go for a mountain bike ride (straight from our driveway)
12pm - help clean a room, keep laundry going
1pm - lunch
1:30pm - ensure housekeeping is complete, discuss employee concern
2:30pm - run a personal errand
4pm - help do check ins and answer phone calls
6pm - personal time
7pm - respond to new emails, fix small maintenance issue, serve alcohol
8:30pm - personal time
10pm - let team member go home and stay up til 10:30 for a late check in
All applicants must be willing to undergo a background check and be legally able to work in the United States.
Ready to apply?
Please send an email to owners@hostelofmaine.com with a cover letter and resume. Include the job you’re applying for in the title. Don’t forget to let us know what makes you interested in the role and any questions you may have!