Position Overview
We are seeking a Front-of-House Resort Manager to lead the guest-facing operations of an established boutique Caribbean resort.
This is a pure guest-experience leadership role, with primary responsibility for Front Desk, Food & Beverage, and overall guest satisfaction. The position is ideal for a mature, personable hospitality leader who enjoys creating meaningful relationships with guests and leading a close-knit team in a relaxed island environment.
The resort operates at a low-volume, high-touch pace, with approximately 60 dinner covers per night and restaurant operations typically wrapping around 9:30 PM.
The ideal candidate is someone who wants to genuinely embrace island living while maintaining strong professional standards, accountability, and a commitment to exceptional hospitality.
Key Responsibilities
Guest Experience
- Serve as the visible and welcoming face of the resort.
- Personally engage with guests, learn names, anticipate needs, and build lasting relationships.
- Ensure guests receive personalized, attentive, and memorable service throughout their stay.
- Monitor guest feedback and proactively address concerns.
- Create a culture centered around genuine hospitality and guest satisfaction.
- Encourage repeat visits and guest loyalty through exceptional service.
Front Desk & Resort Operations
- Oversee day-to-day Front Desk operations and guest services.
- Ensure smooth check-in, check-out, reservations, and guest communications.
- Establish consistent service standards and operating procedures.
- Coordinate communication between Front Office and Food & Beverage teams.
- Ensure departments remain aligned on guest requests, arrivals, special occasions, and VIP needs.
- Identify operational issues and implement practical solutions.
Food & Beverage
- Oversee front-of-house restaurant and bar operations.
- Ensure consistent service standards and a welcoming dining experience.
- Work closely with F&B leadership and staff to maintain quality and efficiency.
- Monitor guest satisfaction and service execution.
- Support team development and ensure employees understand hospitality expectations.
- Maintain strong communication between F&B and Front Desk operations.
Leadership & Team Development
- Build trust with a long-tenured hospitality team through consistency, humility, and hands-on leadership.
- Coach and mentor department leaders and guest-facing employees.
- Establish clear expectations while maintaining a positive and collaborative environment.
- Address performance concerns fairly and professionally.
- Encourage accountability while respecting the experience and institutional knowledge of existing team members.
- Introduce improvements thoughtfully and gain team buy-in before implementing changes.
Ownership & Communication
- Work closely with the owners, who remain actively involved in the resort.
- Provide regular updates regarding guest experience, staffing, operational challenges, and opportunities.
- Collaborate with department heads to improve communication and coordination.
- Act as the central point of leadership connecting the resort's guest-facing departments.
What We're Looking For
- 5+ years of hospitality management experience, preferably in a boutique hotel, resort, luxury property, or destination hospitality environment.
- Strong Front Office and Food & Beverage experience.
- Proven ability to lead guest-facing operations and multiple departments.
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.
- Strong emotional intelligence and the ability to earn trust with established teams.
- Hands-on leadership style with a willingness to be visible and involved.
- Ability to balance empathy with accountability.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
- Experience working closely with ownership is highly desirable.
- Caribbean, island, resort, or international hospitality experience is a strong plus.
- Spanish or Dutch language skills are a plus but not required.
Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a mature, emotionally intelligent hospitality leader who understands that success on an island requires more than operational expertise.
You should be someone who:
- Leads with humility rather than ego.
- Builds relationships naturally with both guests and employees.
- Can earn the trust of a long-tenured team.
- Is comfortable working directly with involved ownership.
- Has strong hospitality instincts and a genuine passion for guest service.
- Can adapt to island culture without losing professional standards.
- Wants to make a meaningful long-term commitment to the property.
- Is comfortable living and working on-property in a close-knit resort environment.
Lifestyle & Location Requirements
This role requires a genuine interest in island living.
- Must live on property.
- On-property housing is provided.
- Ideal for a single professional, couple, or empty-nester.
- Candidates must be comfortable relocating to Bonaire and adapting to the island lifestyle.
- Candidates should be prepared to make a 2–3 year commitment to the opportunity.
- No pets.
- The peak operating season runs approximately December through April.
Important Screening Considerations
Before submitting a candidate, confirm that they:
- Are genuinely interested in relocating to and living on an island.
- Are comfortable living on-property.
- Understand that this is a hands-on guest experience role, not a corporate executive position.
- Are comfortable working with actively involved ownership.
- Have experience beyond purely restaurant operations.
- Are looking for a meaningful long-term opportunity rather than a semi-retirement position.
- Can demonstrate examples of successfully earning trust from established teams.
- Are comfortable working in a smaller, close-knit hospitality environment.
Compensation & Relocation
- $80,000–$85,000 base salary
- On-property housing provided
- Relocation assistance provided
- Potential flexibility for an exceptional candidate based on experience
- Opportunity to live and work in a premier Caribbean resort environment
Best-fit backgrounds: Boutique Resort Manager, Hotel Operations Manager, Front Office Manager with strong F&B exposure, Assistant General Manager in a luxury resort, or a seasoned hospitality leader from a Caribbean/island or high-end boutique property.
The Restaurant Zone is a leading hospitality recruitment agency specializing in connecting top-tier talent with restaurants, hotels, and hospitality groups across the United States. We partner with growing brands and established operators to deliver high-quality candidates for management, executive, and specialized roles. Our team combines industry expertise, a vast candidate network, and a results-driven approach to help businesses build strong, reliable teams. At The Restaurant Zone, we focus on speed, quality, and long-term fitensuring both clients and candidates succeed.
