Host/Hostess

Who We Are

Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.

Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 88 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.

Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Giffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.

About the Position:

Upon being hired for this position, you will enter a Probationary status, working up to 40 hours per week.
Upon completion of the probationary period, you could become benefit eligible.

As a Host/Hostess, you will assist in greeting and seating guests in a hospitable manner and maintaining a waiting list.

Main Duties

• Welcomes guests with hospitality and courtesy by meeting, greeting and seating them as they arrive for meals.
• Verifies reservations.
• Maintains a waiting list and server rotations.
• Performs other duties as required to exceed guests' expectations.

Requirements:

• 6 months public contact and/or food and beverage work experience.
• Must be available to work all shifts including days, nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Experience with computers.
• Ability to handle a variety of rapidly changing priorities and remain calm and professional while seating 400 - 600 guests for lunch and dinner.
• Ability to interact with guests, co-workers and management in a professional manner and work at a fast pace for several hours at a time.
• Physical requirements include but are not limited to: (1) working while standing for long periods of time (2) standing, stooping, and bending; and (4) extensive use of stairs.

Expectations:

• Maintain an upbeat attitude and a positive, enthusiastic mindset.
• Greet guests, employees, managers, and supervisors with a warm smile and friendly demeanor.
• Always treat everyone with respect and work cooperatively with colleagues and management.
• Ensure timely arrival at work according to your scheduled hours.
• Adhere to established uniform and appearance policies.
• Perform assigned tasks accurately and on time.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.