Overview
Hostel of Maine is looking for an excellent, down-to-earth yet detail-oriented solo Innkeeper/Manager or couple to join our small team. This is a full-time, year-round position. The pace here is steady and there's always something that needs doing, but we're not a high-pressure environment; we expect quality over urgency, and the ability to prioritize well is more valuable here than the ability to rush. We are hiring for a mid-late May start for this position.
Our ideal candidate(s) will have:
Hospitality & some management experience.
A bachelor’s in business, hospitality, or equivalent experience.
A true passion for making all guests feel welcome & well taken care of.
A positive & professional demeanor.
Exceptional attention to detail & follow through.
Confidence to take charge; you'll be the head of house and we need to know you can handle anything that comes up in a cool, calm, collected manner. The confidence to ask for help or clarification, especially early on, is equally important.
A valid driver’s license & spotless record (we operate a transportation service during the summer/fall).
Ability to pass a background check with flying colors.
Additional desirable skills include social media, gardening/landscaping, carpentry & handyman skills, baking & cooking, bartending, and event planning/coordination.
Hostel of Maine (HoME) is a 9-room Bed & Breakfast with quality of space & guest experience held paramount. This business is a boutique hostel/bed & breakfast hybrid as we have a combination of room types and high-quality space that appeals to many types of guests; from solo travelers to groups of friends and families, wedding parties, and Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. We have a great rate of repeat guests because they know they’ll feel comfortable, well taken care of, and truly at home here. Many of our guests literally send us holiday cards & thank you notes - it’s pretty incredible. HoME is dog-friendly (in private rooms), so a canine aversion would be challenging!
We’re busy year-round (with two closures in spring & fall for rest, relaxation & sometimes projects) with our primary demographic being outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Experience with or interest in the Appalachian Trail, skiing/snowboarding, hiking, mountain biking, and other outdoor activities will greatly benefit you in this role and locale! If you haven’t heard of Carrabassett Valley, it’s a remarkable place if you love all that nature has to offer. If you’re looking for nightlife, this isn’t your spot. We’re at the base of Sugarloaf Ski Resort and minutes away from hundreds of miles of incredible trail networks maintained for skiing, biking & hiking year-round. CV is truly an outdoor lover's paradise.
Key Responsibilities
Staff management - leading, scheduling, onboarding & developing our small hospitality team. Providing clear direction, verifying quality, and handling performance conversations as needed. We believe in servant leadership; a happy, well-supported team makes for happy, well-supported guests.
Hands-on daily operations - breakfast preparation, front desk (phones, email, check-in & check-out), housekeeping support, and guest correspondence. This is a working manager role and these tasks are as much yours as they are your team's.
Financial & operational awareness - monitoring performance across Cloudbeds & QuickBooks (occupancy, revenue, cashflow, P&L), keeping pricing & availability current based on market trends, and taking other actions as needed.
Sales - proactively identifying & pursuing revenue opportunities beyond standard bookings; outdoor groups, local organizations, retreats, events, nonprofits, and more. Converting inbound inquiries well is the floor; finding new ones is the goal.
Marketing - maintaining an active social media presence, robust and accurate website, and ensuring HoME's content across all channels reflects who we actually are.
Property & inventory management - procurement & invoicing for day-to-day necessities (breakfast, shop, linens, cleaning supplies, etc), keeping the building & grounds in good shape, flagging maintenance issues early, coordinating with contractors as needed, and owning seasonal opening & closing procedures.
Additional Details
Housing is included: An on-site one-bedroom apartment is provided and required for the role. The space has a private entrance and direct lockable access to the rest of the Hostel. The space is clean and comfortable, with ample light in the bedroom. It is part of a daylight basement level, and those who struggle with noise (from guests moving about in the dining room above) when sleeping may find it challenging. We ran an air purifier or fan while sleeping when we lived in the space for 4 years, and had no issues.
In addition to the housing we include the following as part of the compensation package:
$52,500 annual salary, paid weekly year-round
Year-round memberships to the Maine Huts & Trails system, Freeman Ridge Bike Park, the local gym at the AntiGravity Center, a discounted season pass to Sugarloaf Ski Resort & Outdoor Center
5 weeks of paid time off: 4 during our planned spring and fall closure periods, and 1 flexible week you can use any time with advance notice
Performance bonus of up to $2,500 annually, tied to shoulder season revenue
As the Manager and Innkeeper, this role requires you to be on call 24x5. We pride ourselves in systems that reduce/nearly prevent overnight issues, but they have and will happen. We expect the person in this role would end up working roughly 50 hours per week on average, but it can vary significantly with swings from 35-60. Each will be different, but a day in the life might look like the following:
7:15am - ensure breakfast is going smoothly, grab your morning coffee and chat with guests/opening staff, help do a shuttle to the trailhead, check out some guests and start laundry
8:30am - work on the social media posts for the week and answer emails
10am - go for a mountain bike ride (straight from our driveway)
12pm - help clean a room, keep laundry going
1pm - lunch
1:30pm - ensure housekeeping is complete, discuss employee concern
2:30pm - run a personal errand
4pm - help do check ins and answer phone calls
6pm - personal time
7pm - respond to new emails, fix small maintenance issue, serve alcohol
8:30pm - personal time
10pm - let team member go home and stay up til 10:30 for a late check in
All applicants must be willing to undergo a background check and be legally able to work in the United States.
Ready to apply?
Please send an email to owners@hostelofmaine.com with a cover letter and resume. Include the job you’re applying for in the title. Don’t forget to let us know what makes you interested in the role and any questions you may have!