Polo House Hotel and Bungalows
Santa Ynez, CA 93460
$23.00 per hour | Full-time | In person
Weekends, holidays and occasional evenings required
About Polo House
Polo House Hotel and Bungalows is an intimate 14-room luxury boutique hotel in Santa Ynez.
We are building a highly personalized hospitality experience where guests are known by name, details matter, and every member of the team contributes to making the property feel exceptional.
Because we are a small boutique hotel, this is not a traditional desk-only front desk position.
The Front Desk & Guest Experience Associate is primarily responsible for our guests, front desk operations, reservations and communications. However, when the front desk is covered, everyone on our team is expected to help wherever reasonably needed to support the guest experience and operation of the hotel.
We are looking for someone who genuinely enjoys that type of environment.
The Person We Are Looking For
The right person is warm, polished, proactive and detail-oriented.
You should enjoy interacting with guests, but you should also be the type of person who notices something that needs attention and takes care of it rather than assuming it belongs to another department.
We are looking for someone who combines luxury hospitality with a small-business mentality.
That means being comfortable greeting a VIP guest one minute and helping prepare breakfast service, deliver something to a bungalow, reset a common area or assist another team member the next.
If you prefer a position where you remain behind the front desk for most of your shift, this probably will not be the right fit.
Primary ResponsibilitiesGuest Experience & Front Desk
- Welcome guests warmly and professionally.
- Provide thoughtful, high-touch service throughout each guest's stay.
- Answer incoming calls, emails and guest messages promptly.
- Monitor missed calls, voicemails and guest communications.
- Assist with reservations and guest profiles using Cloudbeds.
- Assist guests with check-in, check-out, property orientation and luggage when needed.
- Review arrivals, departures, special occasions and guest requests.
- Provide recommendations for wineries, restaurants, transportation and local experiences.
- Learn our rooms, bungalows, amenities and surrounding Santa Ynez Valley so you can confidently assist guests.
- Escalate complaints, unusual situations, discounts, refunds or sensitive issues to management when appropriate.
Arrivals & Guest Readiness
- Review upcoming arrivals and special requests.
- Help inspect rooms and guest-facing areas before arrival.
- Assist with welcome amenities, cards, beverages and special occasion setups.
- Make sure the property feels polished, organized and ready for guests.
- Deliver guest items or amenities to rooms and bungalows when needed.
Property Operations
This is a hands-on boutique hotel environment.
When front desk responsibilities allow, you may be asked to:
- Walk the property and identify anything affecting presentation or the guest experience.
- Help reset or organize common areas.
- Assist with breakfast or aperitif service during busy periods.
- Help with dishes, glassware, coffee service or basic food and beverage setup when needed.
- Restock guest amenities and supplies.
- Assist with deliveries and organization.
- Remove or replace guest-facing notices or materials.
- Help prepare the property for arrivals or special occasions.
- Assist housekeeping, kitchen, maintenance or other team members with reasonable guest-related operational needs.
- Help maintain a clean and organized front desk, lobby and service environment.
We do not expect the front desk to become a catch-all for every task at the hotel. Your primary responsibility remains Front Desk and Guest Experience.
We do expect everyone on our small team to help each other.
Technology
You should be comfortable learning and regularly using technology.
Our systems may include:
- Cloudbeds
- Breezeway
- RingCentral
- Email and messaging platforms
- Property access and lock systems
- Wi-Fi, lighting, music and other guest-facing technology
- Control 4
You do not need to know every system before joining us, but you should be comfortable with computers, apps and learning new technology.
Food & Beverage Support
Depending on the shift, you may assist with:
- Breakfast service
- Coffee and espresso beverages
- Aperitif service
- Serving food and beverages
- Clearing and resetting tables
- Maintaining coffee and beverage stations
- Guest snacks and amenities
- Basic inventory monitoring
Required food handler or responsible beverage service training will be provided or required where applicable.
Appearance & Uniform Standards
Polo House is a luxury hospitality environment and presentation matters.
Team members are expected to maintain a polished, professional appearance and wear the approved Polo House uniform and footwear while working.
We will work with employees on appropriate sizing and reasonable accommodations, but employees must be comfortable following the hotel's established uniform and appearance standards.
What We Expect
- Warm and genuine hospitality
- Excellent communication
- Reliability and punctuality
- Strong attention to detail
- Professional judgment
- Comfort working independently
- A proactive rather than passive approach
- Willingness to help teammates
- Comfort receiving direction and following established SOPs
- Ability to stay composed during busy periods
- Respect for guest privacy and confidentiality
- Pride in the appearance and condition of the property
Most importantly, we want people who see hospitality as a team effort.
If breakfast suddenly gets busy, we help.
If a guest needs something, we help.
If something doesn't look right, we address it or communicate it.
We don't operate with a "that's not my job" mentality.
Qualifications
Preferred:
- Previous hotel, hospitality, restaurant, luxury retail or guest service experience
- Boutique or luxury hospitality experience
- Experience with hotel reservation or property management systems
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
More important than a specific background is attitude, judgment, professionalism and willingness to learn.
Physical & Scheduling Requirements
- Ability to remain on your feet for extended periods.
- Frequent walking throughout the property.
- Ability to lift and carry up to approximately 25 pounds.
- Ability to use computers and mobile devices throughout the workday.
- Ability to work days, evenings, weekends and holidays as scheduling requires.
- Ability to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
Compensation
Starting pay: $23.00 per hour
Full-time
Work location: In person in Santa Ynez, California
If you are warm with guests, naturally proactive, comfortable with technology and enjoy being part of a small team where everyone contributes, we'd like to meet you.
Pay: $23.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
