Gaurav Bhanot

Dedicated hospitality professional with over 20 years of international experience in hotel operations, management, and guest satisfaction across the USA, UAE, UK, and India. Passionate about delivering exceptional service and operational excellence, I am committed to leveraging my expertise to contribute effectively to organisational success. A collaborative team player dedicated to fostering a positive work environment, continuous improvement, and achieving measurable results.

General Manager at Hampton Inn Hopewell Fort Gregg-Adams (2025-12 – 2026-07)

• Oversee all hotel operations of a Hilton-branded select-service property
• Manage P&L, budgeting, forecasting, and cost control
• Lead departments including Rooms, Front Office, Housekeeping, Maintenance, and Sales
• Implement revenue strategies to improve RevPAR and market share
• Enhance guest satisfaction through service quality initiatives
• Develop local corporate and government partnerships
• Reduce staff turnover via leadership and engagement programs
• Oversee capital improvements and brand compliance

General Manager at Courtyard by Marriott Richmond North (2024-10 – 2025-12)

• Managed daily operations of a 150-room hotel generating USD 5M annually
• Supervised 6,000 sq. ft. meeting and event space
• Controlled financials, forecasting, and compliance
• Achieved USD 70,000 reduction in labor costs through workforce optimization
• Improved GOP through strategic commercial initiatives
• Mentored department heads and enhanced service consistency

Front Office Manager at Hilton Richmond Downtown (2023-08 – 2024-10)

• Managed front desk operations for a 250-room hotel with USD 19M revenue
• Increased operational efficiency, saving USD 30,000 in labor costs
• Strengthened guest recovery procedures and satisfaction levels
• Supported ADR and occupancy enhancement strategies

Front Desk Manager at Richmond Marriott (2021-12 – 2023-08)

• Managed front desk operations for a 413-room hotel with USD 40M revenue
• Coordinated large group arrivals and conventions (27,480 sq. ft. meeting space)
• Optimized staffing models during peak periods

Rooms Division Manager at Al Khoory (2019-05 – 2021-05)

• Oversee the daily operations and staff of housekeeping and front office departments for a 250-room hotel
• Provide training to new employees on hotel policies and procedures
• Develop long-term strategic plans for their division to meet company goals and maintain profitability

Front Office & Guest Relations Manager at Grosvenor House Dubai (2015-06 – 2019-04)

• Oversee guest relation operations in a 750-room luxury hotel
• Develop and maintain a database of guest preferences, dietary restrictions, and loyalty history to support personalized recognition
• Train front office and operational staff on guest recovery techniques, loyalty program protocols, and preference management
• Analyze guest satisfaction data trends to identify recurring service failures and recommend operational improvements to department heads
• Manage the property's online reputation: monitor review platforms, draft management responses, and escalate patterns to leadership

Night Manager / Duty Manager at London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square (2011-02 – 2013-12)

Guest Service Associate at Rosewood London (formerly Renaissance Chancery Court) (2007-05 – 2011-02)

Front office Executive at The Westin (formerly Renaissance) Mumbai (2006-06 – 2007-03)

Guest Service Officer at Taj Lands End (2005-11 – 2006-06)

Guest Service Associate at Goa Marriott Resort (2004-06 – 2005-10)

MBA in Hospitality Management – UK (2009-09 – 2010-09)

Post Graduation Professional Development Diploma in Management Studies – UK

Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Administration – India (2001-09 – 2004-09)