How to Write a Hospitality Cover Letter (with Examples)

Researching the Position for the Cover Letter

Write your resume first. It's much easier to write your resume before your cover letter, as you can draw on your resume to write your cover letter. In addition, your resume connects the dots for your future employer. In other words, you show that what you present on the resume is integral to the job you are seeking.

Find the keywords in the job description. The job description will tell you what you need to know about what the employer wants from you. Highlight keywords, such as "self-starter," "enthusiastic," and "hard worker." Those words will come in handy later.

Match your experience to the description. Look at the the main requirements for the jobs. Also, consider the skills. Make notes on what relevant experience you have for each one. Use your resume to pull out relevant experience. What the hotel will require will vary by position. For instance, if you're at the front desk, you'll need good people skills, as well as good organizations skills. If you're in housekeeping, you'll need good time management skills.

Research the hotel. Go on the company's website. Look at how the company presents itself. Find its "About Us" page and the mission statement, if the company has one up. In addition, try reading recent news stories about the company. Another way you can research the hotel is to walk around the hotel. Try to observe the employees in the department you'll be working and watch how they interact with each other. Pay attention to what the environment is like. Is it relaxed? Frantic? Take mental notes for later.

Synthesize what you've learned. Use what you've learned to figure out what the company is looking for. That is, they are looking for someone who fits into their culture, as well as someone who matches the job description. Write out traits that you think the company is seeking, based on the information you've gathered. For example, maybe you've noted the hotel has a relaxed culture and that most employees enjoy having lunch together. That hotel is probably looking for someone who works well with others and can enjoy the company of coworkers.

Starting the Letter

Begin with your header and contact information. That is, your name should be at the top of the letter. You can use a letterhead with your name in the middle, but you can also just place your name all the way to the left in the corner. Underneath your name, add your address, e-mail (professional), and phone number.

Add the date. Put a blank line underneath your name. Underneath it, place the date. You should write out the month, then add the date and year as a number. Your date should look like the following example: December 3, 2015

Add the company's contact information. Leave a blank line underneath the date. Try to find the person in charge of hiring. You can also look to see if the job description includes a name or email, as that can indicate the person you need to address. That name will be the first line of the company's contact information, followed by the person's title. If you can't find a specific person, begin with company's name on the first line.

Find a specific name. Skip another line. Address the letter with Mr. or Ms, such as "Dear Mr. Jeffries:" If you can't find a name, substitute "Hiring Professionals," such as "Dear Hiring Professionals:" Place a colon after the name or "Professionals."

Completing the Body of the Letter

Open with an introduction to you and the hotel. The first paragraph should focus on your interest in the hotel and what you've learned about the hotel. It should explain why you are enthusiastic about the job and how you heard about it. As an example, you could write, "My name is Joe Jeffries, and I heard about this front desk position on Indeed.com. I'm excited to be applying for it, as I have read how much Rattle Hotels values customer service and I am a people-person who loves putting the customer first." This paragraph, as well as the last paragraph, are good places to include bits of information connected to what you found out about the culture. For instance, if you noticed that the people working at the hotel are close-knit, you could write, "I can see your hotel values its employees, as well, and I look forward to working with this great group of people."

Lay out your skills to show your relevancy. You've noted what the hotel is looking for in your preparation. In the second paragraph, you must write how your experience is relevant. For every major skill or requirement in the job description, you should match that in your cover letter with a relevant sentence. Be sure to be very specific about your skills and how they match up with the hotel. This paragraph should be tailored carefully! For instance, maybe you've noted that one of the required skills is interpersonal skills. You could write, "In the past, I've worked with many different types of people at a variety of retail jobs, which helped to develop my interpersonal skills. I learned to stay calm when dealing with stressful situations by taking a deep breath and thinking about the best possible solution to the problem, which I think will be a huge asset when working the front desk at Rattle Hotel." Focus on the impacts that you had in your other positions, such as changes you made or projects you completed. This will show what you are capable and can give an idea of what you bring to the table.

Include the keywords. You've highlighted keywords in the description. Be sure to include some of those keywords in your letter. For instance, if you highlighted "enthusiastic" and "hard worker," you could include those in this way: "I'm an enthusiastic about coming to work, as I love people, and I use that enthusiasm to work as hard as I can to please the customer."

Closing the Letter

Close with a summary. In the final paragraph, make it explicit why you would fit well into the organization. You should also spend a moment asking for what you want, such as an interview. As an example, you could write, "I have noticed that you encourage a professional culture, and my experience as a front desk clerk in Regalia Hotels has given me the needed experience to be the professional you need at the front desk. I would be a good fit for your hotel, and I request that you give me the chance to prove that in person at an interview."

Thank the person for his or her time. It's always polite to include a note thanking the person for the time he or she took to read your application. For instance, you could close with "Thank you for your time and consideration."

Sign the letter. Skip a line, and write "Sincerely," After that, skip four lines, which is the space you need to leave for your signature. Spell out your name to end the letter. You can use other closings, such as "Thank you," or "Yours truly," to end your letter instead.

Proofread your letter. While spellcheck will catch some errors, it's important to proofread your letter before sending it in. Ask someone else to read over it as well, as he or she will catch mistakes that you won't. Having an error-free letter proves that you can communicate well, at least on paper.