Do You Need Qualifications to Work in Hotels or Motels?

Last Edited 15/01/2026.

I see a lot of people asking if they need qualifications to get into hotel, motel, or hospitality work.

Short answer: no, you don’t need formal qualifications to get your first role. I usually recommend trying the job first before spending big money on study.

Some companies may prefer degrees for senior roles - but many prefer to promote people with a proven track record of performance in a junior role. Entry-level roles definitely don’t require formal qualifications, but it is a bit harder to get your first role without it.

Hotels and motels are busy, often short-staffed, and hire quickly. That gives people without degrees a real chance—if you’re patient and apply to plenty of jobs.

If you can’t get a reception or front desk job straight away, you might need to start in food and beverage. In my experience, housekeeping is the easiest role to enter, but sometimes harder to move from into front office.

Big chains like Hilton, Marriott, Accor, and IHG are more competitive. You might need to start at an independent property, get some experience, then move into a bigger brand later.

Once you get your first role, hospitality has clear career paths. You might need to change properties to move up, but progression is very real.

My advice:

• If you haven’t started a degree, try working in hospitality first. Don’t assume you’ll like it just because you like hotels.

• Learn as much as you can and find good managers to learn from.

• Build relationships with colleagues and stay in touch—this helps a lot long-term.

• Leave every job on good terms. Give notice, help with handovers, and keep connections.

I now run a motel and hospitality management training company, but I’ve worked my way up from housekeeping to cluster GM and group motel manager. Happy to answer questions here. around Hotels, Hospitality Careers or Running a Motel

If anyone’s interested in motels specifically, drop a comment below or email contact@motelcoach.com.au and I’m happy to go through any topics with you (at no cost).

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