Cottage Resort Managers (Couple), Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Les Cheneaux Islands Area

Hessel On The Lake consists of eleven cottages on the northern shore of Lake Huron in a one-time small fishing village in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  Home of the first Chris Craft dealer, the area is a mecca for antique wooden boats featuring perhaps the top antique wooden boat show in the nation every August. Fishing, recreational boating and other outdoor activities make the Les Cheneaux Islands and area a top vacation destination in the Midwest.

The Resort Managers will live “on the water” in Hessel, Michigan, and will have property management as well as guest management responsibilities.  The resort is highly seasonal such that on-site guest management is required predominately during the summer months. During off-season months significant time must be devoted to increasing off-season guest volume, overall marketing, and reservation planning for the following year.

Resort Managers will have full responsibility for the 11 cottage resort including beach, dock, routine maintenance, and grounds care.  Bookkeeping and office management experience required.  Housekeeping is subcontracted, but could provide an opportunity for additional income.

A residence and 10% of revenues provide a base income. Currently, annual revenues are 100 to 150K.  The manager may also be compensated for Repairs and Maintenance beyond normal or routine tasks. Current low off-season revenues are evidence of the up-side income potential. Additionally, the area provides an opportunity to build a property management business by contracting with other area property owners. The resort differs from a hotel in that there is no on-site food & beverage nor is there daily housekeeping service available - two areas of potential growth.

Bookkeeping and Office Managementexperience required.  Candidates must have basic bookkeeping and computer skills, including a solid familiarity with Word and Excel documents. 

Marketing Talentwill be needed to increase and enhance the reservation volume.  The ability to market the resort for increased volume in off season times is a must.  Experience in web page management will be required unless such talent is covered by overall management experience.

Hospitality Skills are vital to Resort Management.  Managers must be enthusiastic and be “people-persons” with excellent hosting skills.  Managers must demonstrate empathy, charisma, and a sense of urgency and intuition to anticipate guests’ needs.  Managers may need to act as concierges when weekly guests need activity suggestions, especially after the initial few days of stay.  In brief, the Resort Managers are the “face” of the resort.  Some guests who have been coming every year, some for a decade or more, look forward to the camaraderie with fellow guests as well as the owners and/or managers.  We might call it “old school’ family vacationing - complete with shuffle board courts, horseshoes, grills, picnic tables and walks to the general store’s ice cream window.

Ideally, in addition to the above stated Office, Marketing, and Hospitality Skills, the successful couple will have mostof the following traits or abilities between them:

*Entrepreneurial Talent – self starters and problem solvers. The lodge has re-established itself under new owners.  Therefore, the successful applicants will be responsible for the initiation of new routines and systems. Initiative and imagination are key factors.  If the successful couple wishes to “grow” their business, there is significant opportunity for additional property management in the Les Cheneaux area.  As stated above, increased housekeeping offerings and perhaps food vending are examples of potential expanded opportunity.

* Jack-of-all-Trades– plumbing, electrical, carpentry... a general construction handyman.  Managers may be compensated for work considered beyond normal daily operations.

*Supervisory Skills–ability to supervise a small housekeeping staff as well as manage all vendors, contractors, etc.

The resume review process will begin March 1^st followed by on site visits.  Please reply to: