Food & Beverage Reception Manager

Job description

We are seeking an exceptional Food & Beverage Reception Manager to join the pre-opening team of Delano London. Reporting to the Director of Food & Beverage, you'll lead the reservations and reception experience across our Food & Beverage venues. You'll own the first impression before guests even arrive, combining exceptional hosting with smart reservation strategy and strong commercial awareness. What you'll do... Lead the Food & Beverage reception and reservations function, creating a warm, polished and consistent guest journey from first enquiry through arrival and farewell. Own reservation strategy and daily book management for Lana Lusa and support Rose Bar and Private Dining bookings as required. Lead, train and develop the host and reception team, setting clear standards for telephone etiquette, written communication, guest recognition and arrival experience. Manage table inventory, pacing, booking channels, waitlists, walk-ins and seating strategy to maximise both guest satisfaction and commercial performance. Maintain high-quality guest profiles, preferences, VIP information and visit history, ensuring data is accurate, useful and handled appropriately. Work closely with the Restaurant Manager, Bar Manager and Director of Food & Beverage on covers, demand patterns, special events and revenue opportunities. Use reservation data, guest feedback and booking trends to identify opportunities around capture, repeat visits, average spend and peak-period management. Build strong relationships with hotel Reservations, Front Office, Concierge, Sales and other teams to create a connected experience for residents, local guests and VIPs. Oversee group dining and special booking enquiries, ensuring clear communication of deposits, cancellation terms, menus and operational requirements. Manage guest complaints and booking challenges with confidence, empathy and sound judgement, escalating where appropriate. Ensure menus, reception areas, reservation notes and guest-facing information are accurate and presentation-ready. Support the pre-opening configuration and testing of reservation systems, SOPs, reporting, guest database standards and team training. Maintain awareness of London's restaurant and nightlife landscape and help position Lana Lusa and Rose Bar as relevant local and destination venues. Ensure compliance with data protection, company policies, Health & Safety and all relevant brand and legal requirements. What we're looking for... You have strong reservations, reception or guest relations leadership experience within a luxury hotel, premium restaurant group or high-quality lifestyle operation. You are an exceptional host and communicator with the confidence to manage VIPs, complex bookings and demanding service moments. You have strong commercial awareness and understand how reservations, table management and guest data can influence covers, revenue and loyalty. Previous pre-opening experience would be a real plus and you enjoy building systems, standards and teams from the ground up. You are highly organised, analytical and comfortable balancing detailed administration with a visible guest-facing presence. You are confident using restaurant reservation and CRM systems and understand the importance of accurate guest data and privacy. You build strong relationships across departments and communicate clearly with senior leaders and operational teams. You understand London's dining and nightlife market and are flexible to work evenings, weekends and key hospitality moments. What's in it for you... The opportunity to launch Delano London and help shape the Food & Beverage experience from day one, with real influence over the culture and service style. Join an innovative, fast-growing, international group that's committed to not just building new hotels but building a global brand. The chance to challenge the norm and help create venues that can become both neighbourhood favourites and destinations in their own right, in an environment that is creative and rewarding. Become part of a team that's passionate about creating great hospitality experiences, bringing together design, dining, nightlife and culture in a distinctly Delano way. Plenty of opportunity for development as the hotel and the wider brand continue to grow. Why Delano London? Be part of the team bringing an iconic brand into its next chapter. At Delano London, personality counts, ideas are welcomed and everyone plays a part in creating something memorable. We work hard, make it fun and look out for one another, with opportunities to learn, grow and build meaningful relationships across Delano, Ennismore and Accor. Alongside a supportive and creative team culture, you’ll have access to a range of colleague benefits, hotel stays and experiences across the wider group, and the opportunity to work within a global community of distinctive lifestyle and hospitality brands. Opening in late 2026, Delano London brings the spirit and celebrated heritage of the iconic Delano Miami Beach to London, reimagined for a new generation. Set overlooking Kensington Gardens, the hotel will feature 67 rooms and suites, Lana Lusa, the legendary Rose Bar and Rose Lounge, alongside The Source wellness offering. Delano is a place where personality, creativity and genuine connection come together. We value curiosity, individuality and a sense of fun, creating an environment where our people can be themselves while delivering thoughtful, intuitive and genuinely warm hospitality. Delano London is part of Ennismore , a global collective of entrepreneurial, founder-built brands rooted in creativity, culture and community, and a joint venture with Accor. Joining Delano London means being part of something from the very beginning. It is an opportunity to help shape the next chapter of an iconic brand, work alongside an ambitious and creative team and play a part in creating a hotel that feels distinctly Delano from day one.