Resort Experience Director
Do you want to be part of a steadily growing family-owned business, running more than 30 hotels & residences in Europe? Would you like to contribute to creating a feel-good home away from home for our guests? At Falkensteiner you can expect a dynamic and open team that values both innovation and tradition. We are looking forward to getting to know you and soon welcome you as part of our team in Arbatax as :
Resort Experience Director-Arbatax Park Resort & Spa
We are seeking an experienced and visionary Resort Experience Director to redefine and elevate the guest experience across our resort. This role is ideal for a hospitality professional with a background in internationally recognized luxury brands.
This is not a traditional quality control role. We are looking for a leader who can create a unique resort identity and guest experience, shaping the atmosphere, energy, and emotional connection guests feel throughout their stay.
The successful candidate will be responsible for building and implementing a comprehensive guest experience strategy across the entire property, creating a distinctive sense of place that sets Arbatax apart from other Mediterranean resorts. Beyond ensuring exceptional quality standards across accommodation, public spaces, and service delivery, the Resort Experience Director will design memorable guest journeys, develop innovative experiences, and foster an environment that inspires both guests and employees.
In addition, the Resort Experience Director holds full accountability for the Rooms Division, acting as the resort's Director of Rooms. Reporting to the General Manager, the role carries direct line, operational, and financial responsibility for Front Office, Reception, Guest Relations, Concierge, Housekeeping, Laundry, Public Areas, and Pool & Beach Services, ensuring that the guest experience vision is delivered every day in the areas guests experience most.
We are seeking someone with a strong eye for detail, creativity, and a deep understanding of premium large scale hospitality, capable of transforming every touchpoint into an authentic and engaging experience while continuously raising the resort's standards and positioning.
Key Responsibilities – Guest Experience
- Develop and implement the resort's overall guest experience vision and strategy.
- Create and nurture a unique atmosphere and sense of place throughout the resort.
- Design memorable guest journeys and signature experiences from arrival to departure.
- Introduce innovative concepts, rituals, and experiential touchpoints that differentiate the resort.
- Conduct regular quality inspections of guest rooms, public areas, restaurants, bars, recreational facilities, and guest experiences.
- Elevate service standards across all operational departments.
- Monitor guest satisfaction scores, online reviews, and feedback, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Lead Front Office and Housekeeping directly and collaborate closely with Food & Beverage, Engineering, Spa, Entertainment, and other operational departments.
- Ensure consistency in the resort's ambiance, storytelling, and guest interactions.
- Coach and mentor department heads and operational teams to deliver exceptional and personalized service.
- Identify service gaps and develop action plans to improve performance.
- Benchmark the resort against leading international luxury destinations and hospitality trends.
- Drive a culture of hospitality excellence focused on creating unforgettable memories for guests.
Key Responsibilities – Rooms Division (Director of Rooms)
- Lead the Rooms Division with full operational and financial accountability for Front Office, Reception, Guest Relations, Concierge, Housekeeping, Laundry, Public Areas, and Pool & Beach Services.
- Prepare and own the Rooms Division budget, forecasts, and P&L; control payroll, operating expenses, and cost per occupied room.
- Work closely with Revenue Management and Sales to optimise occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR, and drive upselling, room upgrades, and ancillary revenue at check-in and throughout the stay.
- Oversee arrivals, departures, room allocation, and guest flow, including VIP, repeat-guest, and family programmes, ensuring guest preferences are captured and acted upon in the PMS.
- Guarantee the highest standards of room cleanliness, presentation, and maintenance through structured inspection routines, and manage inventories of linen, amenities, and guest supplies.
- Coordinate with Engineering on preventive maintenance, out-of-order room management, and refurbishment and soft-goods replacement plans.
- Handle escalated guest complaints and lead service-recovery processes to turn issues into positive guest outcomes.
- Recruit, train, schedule, and develop the Rooms Division team, including seasonal staffing plans and pre-season readiness.
- Implement and maintain Rooms Division SOPs and brand standards, and ensure compliance with legal requirements (guest registration, data protection, health & safety).
- Analyse and report Rooms KPIs (occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, guest satisfaction and review scores, productivity per room attendant) to the General Manager, defining corrective actions where needed.
- Serve as a member of the resort's Executive Committee and act as Duty Manager as required.
Candidate Profile
- Minimum 8 years of experience in premium hospitality.
- Previous experience in a senior operational, guest experience, rooms division, quality, or resort management role.
- Proven track record as Director of Rooms or Rooms Division Manager in a large scale resort, including budget, P&L, and large-team leadership responsibility.
- Solid knowledge of PMS systems (e.g. Opera), rooms revenue principles, and Front Office and Housekeeping productivity standards.
- Experience with internationally recognized brands.
- International exposure preferable in high-end resort destinations such as Dubai, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, French Polynesia, Bali, or other premium resort markets.
- Proven ability to create, implement, and elevate guest experience concepts.
- Strong understanding of service culture and emotional guest engagement.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong analytical mindset combined with creativity and innovation.
- Fluent English and Italian required; additional languages are considered an asset.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in premium resort openings or repositioning projects.
- Experience developing guest experience programs, service standards, and quality frameworks.
- Demonstrated success in creating unique resort atmospheres and guest-centric concepts that drive satisfaction, loyalty, and reputation.
Benefits
- All-inclusive onboarding for a perfect start at work
- Accomodation
- Individual development planning and support through internal and external training and development opportunities
- Opportunities to help shape the future in a dynamic and open working environment
- Team Member Rate and Family & Friends Special Rates with additional discounts on F&B and spa services
- Further benefits can be found here:
- RAL: 65-75K The actual compensation will be determined based on your qualifications, professional experience, and expertise
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail.
Please apply exclusively via the "Apply for this job" button.
We are looking forward to receiving your application!
Contacts: Massimo Martina; General Manager Arbatax Park Resort & Spa; Federica Fluca HR Manager.