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Shared Foundation · Every Role

Welcome to Horizon

Before your role begins, this is who we are, what we believe, and how a great hotel really works. Every new associate starts here.

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Horizon · Company Orientation
Welcome & Foundation
Prepared by
The Training Desk
01 · Our Story

A family of hotels, not a chain

Horizon began in 2011 with a single restored inn in Charleston and a simple belief: that a small hotel, run with care, can give a guest something a big one never will. Today we own and operate 38 boutique hotels across the American South, historic inns, coastal resorts, mountain lodges, and city boutiques, each with its own character, and all sharing one standard of hospitality.

We are still family-owned, and we still believe the same thing. Every property is small enough that a guest is a person, not a room number, and that’s only possible because of the people who work here. That’s you.

“We don’t sell rooms. We welcome people. The room is just where the welcome happens.”
02 · Mission & Values

What we believe

Our mission: owning and running boutique hotels across the South where every guest, and every associate, feels at home.

Genuine welcome
Warmth you can’t script. We greet people, not transactions.
Care in the details
A folded towel, a remembered name, small things make the stay.
Take ownership
If you see it, it’s yours to handle or hand off. No “not my job.”
Respect the craft
Every role, desk, housekeeping, kitchen, is skilled work done with pride.
03 · How a Boutique Hotel Runs

The guest journey

A great stay is a relay, every department carries the guest for part of the journey and hands off cleanly to the next. Knowing the whole journey helps you play your part well.

Reservations & Sales book the stay; the front desk prepares for VIPs and special requests.
Front Desk welcomes and checks the guest in; Housekeeping has the room spotless and ready.
Housekeeping, F&B, Concierge & Maintenance keep the room, the meals, and the experience flawless.
Front Desk settles the folio and sends the guest off warmly; Housekeeping resets the room for the next arrival.

The departments you’ll work alongside:

Front DeskHousekeepingMaintenance & EngineeringFood & BeverageConciergeSalesManagement
04 · The Horizon Standard

Hospitality basics, every role

No matter your department, these are the habits that make you a Horizon host. They show up in every role’s training.

1
The 10-and-5 rule
At 10 feet, make eye contact and smile. At 5 feet, offer a warm greeting.
2
Use names
Learn and use guest and colleague names. It’s the heart of boutique service.
3
Own the problem
If a guest has an issue, it’s yours until it’s solved or handed to someone who can.
4
Leave it better
Every space you pass through, leave tidier than you found it.
05 · What’s Next

Now, your role

With the foundation in place, your onboarding continues in your department, the specific craft, procedures, and systems for your role. Your buddy or lead will guide you from here.

Continue to your role track
Front Desk: Front Desk Associate Onboarding  ·  Housekeeping: Housekeeping Associate Onboarding  ·  more roles coming.
Horizon · Company Orientation v1.0Prepared by The Training DeskFictional · for demonstration