Major: Hotel and Motel Management
With the right management, hotels can be a lot more than just a place to sleep. In fact, some become a part of history. The Algonquin in New York City is one such hotel. The great singer Marion Anderson slept there. So did authors Gertrude Stein, Simone de Beauvoir, and William Faulkner.
But the Algonquin is most famous for the group of writers who lunched there daily for a decade beginning in 1919, dishing out sharp-tongued opinions about the world around them. While others called them the Algonquin Round Table, they called themselves the Vicious Circle.
Students in this major learn how to manage hotels, motels, and other lodging businesses such as resorts. Course work covers hospitality law, employee management, financial management, and more.
Did You Know?
- In 1900, people could rent rooms in elegant hotels for as little as $2 a night. By 1990, the average room rate was $58.70.
Are You Ready To...?
- Study various subjects from law to marketing to communication
- Do a lot of hands-on learning
- Learn computer software programs
- Join campus clubs related to hotel management
- Join the national honorary society for hospitality and tourism management students, Eta Sigma Delta
- Visit the website of a professional organization such as the American Hotel and Lodging Association
It Helps to Be...
An outgoing person who enjoys interacting with people from various backgrounds. You'll need to be comfortable with computers and have good organizational and problem solving skills. Be prepared to present yourself professionally at school and during visits to hotels and motels.
College Checklist
- Is the program accredited by the Accreditation Commision for Programs in Hospitality Administration (for four-year programs) or the Commssion on Accreditation of Hospitality Management Programs (for two-year programs)? Check out the ACPHA-CAHM website.
- Are there special requirements for acceptance into the program?
- Do the professors have experience and contacts in the hotel and motel industry?
- Does the program operate student-run hotels?
- What other hands-on learning opportunities does the program offer?
- Are there on-campus clubs related to hotel management?
- Will the program help you find work after graduation?
- What are recent grads doing now?
Did You Know?
- Vicious Circle member Dorothy Parker was famous for her one-liners such as "I don't care what is written about me so long as it isn't true."
Course Spotlight
Before you graduate, you'll complete an internship where you learn by doing. You'll receive college credit to work in a hotel or motel and learn the ropes from the pros. You might work at an intimate bed and breakfast, an elegant resort, or a bustling downtown hotel. Wherever you intern, you'll see managers in action as they supervise employees and make sure that the whole operation runs smoothly.
