Area Reservations Coordinator

Highgate Hotels•Washington DC, DC

About The Position

The Reservation Coordinator is responsible for managing and maintaining accurate hotel reservations to ensure a smooth guest experience from booking to arrival. This position plays a vital role in supporting the Front Desk, Revenue, and Operations teams through accuracy, communication, and a strong understanding of hotel systems and policies. This position is responsible for performing administrative duties for the Complex Director of Revenue Management and Area Revenue Manager.

Requirements

Minimum 2 years of experience as Reservation Agent / Coordinator at a reputed hotel/luxury brand preferred.
Must possess strong computer proficiency to include MS Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Opera, SynXis, etc.
Must be able to speak, read, write and understand the primary language(s) used in the workplace.
Requires good communication skills, both verbal and written.
Ability to be persuasive with telephone sales skills.
Understand hotel’s selling strategies for guestrooms, spa and restaurants.
General knowledge of city and its attractions.
Must be available to work flexible work schedule to include, evenings, weekends and Holidays.
Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with guests and team members.

Responsibilities

Process and handle all reservations including individual, airline, VIP, and employee bookings with accuracy and professionalism.
Respond promptly to reservation inquiries received via phone, email, and online channels, providing friendly, efficient, and accurate service.
Enter all reservations accurately into the PMS, ensuring correct rate codes, payment methods, and market segments are applied.
Send confirmation letters promptly upon request and ensure all special requests are properly documented.
Review and monitor daily arrivals to verify payment methods, routing instructions, special requests, and VIP designations, ensuring all information is complete and accurate before guest arrival.
Complete the daily reservations checklist, confirming all new, modified, and cancelled reservations are correctly updated in the system.
Ensure all routing instructions and billing details (room, tax, incidentals, third-party payments, etc.) are properly attached to reservations and communicate any discrepancies to Accounting or Front Desk.
Process and verify non-refundable reservations, charging deposits or prepayments per policy and documenting payment details.
Follow up on cancellations and no-shows, applying appropriate fees or refunds and updating records accurately.
Conduct routine audits of future reservations to identify and correct missing details, duplicate bookings, or incorrect rates.
Understand and apply the hotel’s selling strategies, rate structures, and revenue management principles to maximize occupancy and revenue opportunities.
Coordinate closely with the Front Desk to ensure smooth guest arrivals, accurate billing, and proper handling of special requests or last-minute changes.
Respond to inquiries from the shared reservations email inbox in a timely and professional manner.
Enter transient reservations from wholesale and flash sale partners (e.g., Luxury Escapes, Gilt, Groupon) accurately and in accordance with partner agreements.
Prepare and distribute daily and weekly reports related to arrivals, occupancy, and reservation updates as requested.
Attend departmental meetings and collaborate with Revenue, Operations, and Front Desk teams as required.
Assist in training new team members on reservation procedures and systems.
Perform other reasonable duties as assigned by supervisors or managers.
Provide support to the Sales Coordinator or Events team with group reservations or related administrative tasks.
Build, monitor, and maintain group blocks including inventory, suite allocations, pickup, and cutoff dates.
Review and approve turnover files for new or amended group blocks and create booking links when required.
Review and process rooming lists for group bookings, ensuring accuracy in guest details, billing, and room assignments.
Identify, block, and process staff and VIP reservations for group and transient accounts.
Respond to group or event-related inquiries from internal and external guests when required.