Job Ref: DAK1135

Branch: Dakota Manchester

Location: Dakota Manchester, Manchester

Salary/Benefits: Earnings are £14.55 per hour, paid weekly equating to a minimum gross annual salary of £20,807 (inclusive of the anticipated tronc payment).

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: Full Time

Shift pattern: Usually shifts will be varied, working any 5 days out of 7

Hours per week: The role carries a permanent contract with typical hours 27.5 - 35 hours per week

Posted date: 25/03/2026

Closing date: 27/04/2026

We are looking for an organised individual with a passion for hospitality for the role of Head Bar & Restaurant Host

PRIMARY ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

• We’re looking for a Head Host to lead the guest-arrival experience within our Bar & Grill. You’ll work closely with the Restaurant Manager to ensure exceptional service standards, smooth daily operations, and a warm, professional welcome for every guest. Main responsibilities will include:
• Work with our Restaurant Management System to ensure a seamless running of the books and cover maximisation. Have a running knowledge of all upcoming reservations and handling guest enquiries, including walk-ins, special requests, dietary notes, and accessibility needs, ensuring accurate communication to relevant teams.
• Host stand and cloakroom maintenance including menu printing/ up-keep and ad-hoc tasks for the Bar & Grill.
• Focus on providing a Dakota welcome and farewell to all guests to the Bar and Restaurant.
• Liaise with reservations ahead of time to understand guest requirements and special requests.
• Maintain a comprehensive level of knowledge of our food and drinks menu to be able to offer guests personal recommendations based on their tastes
• Consistently deliver service which shows your outgoing personality, always playing the part of host.
• Contribute to pre-service team briefings on upcoming covers, reservation notes, events and VIPs.
• Drive up-sales through service as well as by sincere guest recognition.
• Liaising with the Food & Beverage Reservations team to ensure all dining experiences, group bookings, and special occasions are communicated and delivered seamlessly.
• Handling all pre-arrival checks to ensure guest notes, allergies, celebrations, and requests are properly logged and actioned.
• Supporting the handling of F&B reservation enquiries for parties of up to 20 guests, ensuring all requirements, deposits, and dining details are accurately communicated.

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

The successful applicant will have/be:

•  A personal passion for food and enthusiasm for engaging with people.
• An enthusiastic individual who will promote our culture of positivity.
• Flexible with shift patterns and available around the needs of our business. Be able to work at pace with meticulous attention to detail.
• Confident using reservation and booking systems, with strong general computer skills.
• Experience in a hosting or receptionist role is required, demonstrating the ability to manage guest enquiries, bookings, and special requests.
•  Be task oriented with a great pride for the work they do and attention to detail. 
• Excellent in verbal and written communication, organisation and multi-tasking.
• Successful candidates must demonstrate having researched our brand and a genuine desire to be part of our team.

WHAT WE OFFER

In addition to being part of a culture infused with positivity and opportunity for ongoing development, tangible benefits you could enjoy when you join our team include:

FINANCIAL

• Special discounts on stays and dining at any Dakota
• Bonuses to recommend a friend to join our team and every time you are mentioned on Trip Advisor
• Additional holiday day on the first anniversary of your employment
• Meals on duty and uniforming

WELLBEING

• Access to our Employee Assistance Program which includes free private mental health support and counselling sessions, video GP consultations and private prescription services, as well as access to daily rewards to be cashed out for shopping vouchers
• Support from our inhouse Mental Health Champions
• Family-friendly flexible working options
• Participation in meaningful initiatives such as Macmillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning and the Walk for Wellbeing, Supporting causes that matter while connecting with colleagues

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

• Accredited, certified compliance training given on employment
• Access to a suite of external, certified resources via our Learning Management System
• Supportive continuous professional development culture with an annual appraisal and objectives, or a Personal Development Plan
• Opportunities to undertake both internal and external training courses, including potential for in-house Apprenticeships

Full terms on our benefits can be found in our Handbook.

 

ABOUT DAKOTA HOTELS 
  
Dakota is a growing UK-based lifestyle brand, known for our stylish hotels, bustling brasserie Grills and upscale cocktail Bars. Dakota’s story started with two boutique hotels on the outskirts of Edinburgh, in South Queensferry, and Glasgow, in Eurocentral. We have now expanded into prime city centre locations in Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, and Newcastle with more in our pipeline. 
  
Dakota is synonymous for delivering attentive and genuine guest service. We attract hard-working individuals who are passionate about working to the highest standards and have been voted within The Caterer’s Top 15 Best Employers in Hospitality for the last five years in a row. We were also featured within the Top 10 employers in the 2024 Sunday Times Best Places to Work in the UK, as well as being awarded the Spotlight Award for Best Places to Work for LGBTQIA+ employees.  
  
As recent winners of The Cateys ‘People Team of the Year’, we have award-winning internal training programmes within Dakota Academy fostering continuous development and ongoing training. As a result, over 75% of our leaders have been promoted internally and, for four consecutive years, a member of our team has won a prestigious Acorn Award awarded by The Caterer to the ‘Top 30 under 30’ in the industry, demonstrating our success in developing talent. 

 

APPLY

Please send us your up to date CV.

Our location, 29 Ducie St, Manchester M1 2JL, is centrally located in the Piccadilly Basin, close to Piccadilly Station ideally located for public transport users. We are home to 137 luxuary bedrooms, including 27 suites - the most in the city, a destination cocktail bar with champagne room, and a brasserie style frill with private dining rooms as well as a spectacular terrace.