Hospitality · General Manager
Hotel General Manager recruitment.
Retained General Manager search for luxury and premium hotels and flagship properties.
What the role is
A short definition.
A hotel General Manager is the accountable operational leader for a property — commercial performance, guest experience, team leadership, brand delivery and the relationships with owner, brand and franchisor. In luxury and premium hotels the GM is also expected to be personally visible to key guests, to lead the property’s external presence, and to represent the brand at the highest level.
Core responsibilities
What we assess candidates against.
- Commercial performance — occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, GOPPAR
- Guest experience and brand delivery to the property’s service standard
- Team leadership across F&B, Rooms, Spa, Events and support functions
- Owner and brand relationship management
- External visibility — key guest relationships, industry engagement, local community
- Capital projects — refurbishments, brand refresh, new outlet openings
When to run this search
Typical triggers.
On the scheduled rotation of an incumbent GM; on a change of brand; on a property acquisition; on a repositioning or major refurbishment that requires new leadership; when performance intervention is required.
How we search
The specific approach we take.
Retained mandates run under NDA. Candidate pools include sitting GMs at comparable properties, deputy GMs ready for the top seat, and Regional VPs stepping into flagship property leadership. Every mandate is confidential — often including where the incumbent remains in seat — and led personally by a partner.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you handle GM searches for luxury hotels specifically?
Yes. Luxury and premium hotel GM search is a specialism. The candidate pool is small; retained search is the only way to reach candidates who are not looking.
Can you support GM searches for pre-opening properties?
Yes. Pre-opening GM searches are a distinct specialism — the profile requires specific pre-opening experience, capacity to hire the wider team, and comfort operating without an established SOP.
How do you handle discretion when the incumbent is still in seat?
Every mandate is treated as confidential from first contact. The client is named to candidates only in late stages, and only under NDA where required.
How long does a GM search take?
Twelve to sixteen weeks brief to accepted offer is typical. International candidates or roles requiring visa sponsorship add three to four weeks.
How is GM compensation typically structured?
Base, cash bonus tied to property performance, service charge (in some markets), and often accommodation for flagship or resort properties.
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