INNspire Management Training Program

Who We Are

Built in 1913, this grand resort maintains its Old Florida charm, and is defined by its historic, pale yellow wooden frame, white pillared entrance, and gabled roofs. The Inn is listed on The National Register of Historic Places and is a member of Historic Hotels of America. Frequently receiving top honors from the likes of Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast and Wine Spectator, The Gasparilla Inn has been known for over a century as the height of refined service. The resort is situated in the heart of Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island and occupies 180+ acres of well-manicured grounds with breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico and Charlotte Harbor. The Gasparilla Inn & Club takes its name from the legendary Spanish pirate Jose Gaspar, who reputedly plundered the seas and stashed his treasure on Gasparilla Island in the 18th century.

Who You Are

The Gasparilla Inn & Club seeks hospitality-minded individuals to join our INNspire Management Training Program. Our curriculum is designed to provide the tools and hands-on experience needed to advance and succeed as a future hospitality leader. As The Gasparilla Inn & Club continues to grow, our program intends to create exceptional candidates for future opportunities. Our program provides participants with a wide variety of on-the-job experiences over a two-year period of rotations through different departments at the Inn, including various food & beverage operations, housekeeping, reservations, and front office. Participants will gain a wide range of experience that any hospitality professional can utilize to succeed in today’s industry, as well as support and guidance from a selected mentor to provide practical application of academic learning.

Dining Operations, INNspire Program

The Gasparilla Inn Main Dining Room is an old world, fine-dining, heritage experience. In this portion of our program you will learn the more elevated aspects of fine dining as well as the behind the scenes of how a comprehensive food & beverage program works in one of the top hotels in Florida. The Main Dining Room rotation will focus on understanding the fundamentals of food & beverage service, whether it be our daily breakfast and dinner services, morning and afternoon tea, room service, meetings/events and BZ’s Bar. In this portion, you will also have the opportunity to work as a manager during this rotation, which will focus on shadowing managers and assisting with various types of events.

The Gasparilla Inn Beach Club is open exclusively to our hotel guests and club members. The recently renovated Beach Club offers a range of amenities including a private beach, 3 family pools, event space, a fitness center, The Inn Spa and Inn Adventures Rentals. The Beach Club provides an environment to manage a multi-faceted facility and understand how each position works in relation to the others. In this rotation, you will have the opportunity to cross-train and work in all Beach Club Departments. Another critical component to this rotation is working events. The Beach Club can be transformed to accommodate large groups as well as family celebrations and weddings. During this period, trainees will learn how to set up for and run events to experience the planning and execution aspects.

The Pink Elephant Restaurant is a freestanding island casual restaurant owned by the Gasparilla Inn. It is open for lunch and dinner. The Pink also offers private banqueted events. At The Pink Elephant, you will receive a full understanding of a fast-paced dining establishment. This rotation will be a progressive experience, beginning with support level positions working as host/hostess and slowly working their way up within the restaurant. During the last part of the rotation, you will learn what it takes to successfully manage and lead alongside The Pink Elephant team.

Hotel Operations, INNspire Program

The Gasparilla Inn Front Desk and the teams that support it usually have the first interaction with a guest upon their arrival. The experience a guest has with this team will set the stage for the entirety of their stay. During this aspect of your program, you will be able to work on customer service and leadership skills. The front desk rotation will focus on defining and implementing front desk objectives and procedures, supervising staff in addition to providing exceptional customer service and tending to guests’ concerns and questions.

The Gasparilla Inn Housekeeping and Maintenance departments are the backbone of our resort. These teams keep our historic property pristine. During this rotation, you will practice time-management and attention to detail. Within these departments you will focus on planning, organizing, and the development of the overall operation of the departments while ensuring the highest degree of quality guest care is maintained at all times.

The Gasparilla Inn Reservations Department is paramount to the success of the hotel. In addition to booking reservations, the team maintains records of the hotel occupancy, which help in planning sales and marketing strategies. The reservation department plays an important function for both the guest and the hotel. While performing this role, you will apply the skills of communication, data entry, and accurate reporting. Your focus will be on assisting and advising guests who are choosing from a variety of accommodations, processing payments, sending confirmation details to guests, and providing support to customers who may need to amend or cancel a reservation.