The Top 15 Drury Hotels Interview Questions and How to Answer Them Like a Pro

Drury Hotels is one of the largest family-owned hotel chains in the United States. With over 155 hotels in 28 states, Drury has built a reputation for providing excellent value and stellar customer service.

So how do they find employees that fit their culture? Drury Hotels is known for having a rigorous interview process with scenario-based and behavioral questions to assess candidates.

In this article, we will look at the 15 most common Drury Hotels interview questions why they ask them, and examples of strong responses to each one. Mastering these questions will help you stand out and land the job!

Why Drury Hotels Asks These Questions

Drury Hotels looks for candidates that demonstrate

• Customer service orientation – Providing an amazing guest experience is core to Drury’s values. They want to see you are passionate about service excellence.

• Problem-solving skills – Things go wrong in hospitality. They want to assess how you remain calm and resolve issues.

• Communication abilities – Interacting with guests and team members with care is crucial. They look for active listeners who communicate effectively.

• Leadership qualities – Managing a team to deliver consistent, quality service under pressure is vital. They look for confidence, empathy, and adaptability in leadership styles.

• Attention to detail – The hospitality industry requires vigilance and care for guest safety and satisfaction. You need to showcase these abilities.

• Ability to work under pressure – Hotel operations can be intense and hectic. They need to see you can multitask and focus when times get tough.

With these requirements in mind, let’s look at the key interview questions and how to nail your responses.

1. How would you handle an unhappy guest who has a complaint?

This tests your empathy, conflict resolution skills, and commitment to the guest experience.

Strong Response: I would listen attentively without interrupting them, expressing empathy through my body language and words like “I understand this must be frustrating…” Once they have shared their full perspective, I would apologize sincerely for the issue, take ownership, and assure them I will do everything I can to make it right. I would then research options aligned with hotel policy to resolve the complaint, such as room upgrades or dining credits, presenting these politely while reinforcing my eagerness to ensure their stay improves. Finally, I would follow up later to confirm they are now satisfied.

This shows you listen intently, take accountability, aim to delight, and follow through.

2. How would you motivate your team during a period of low occupancy at the hotel?

This assesses your leadership abilities in maintaining staff morale and engagement during tough times.

Strong response: During low occupancy periods, I would motivate my team by focusing on development opportunities and cross-training. With the bandwidth available, I would schedule coaching sessions and training workshops to strengthen skills and enhance career readiness. I would also initiate team bonding activities like monthly recognition breakfasts or inter-departmental competitions to foster camaraderie and remind everyone that we are one team with shared objectives. To keep spirits high, I would frequently highlight examples of excellent work and celebrate wins, no matter how small. Together, these strategies reinforce staff skills, morale, and loyalty to prepare us for busier times ahead.

This shows you take a learning approach and sustain team spirit during slow times.

3. How would you go about developing rapport with guests?

Building connections with guests is central in hospitality. This tests your interpersonal skills and service mentality.

Strong response: I build rapport with guests by taking a genuine interest in them as individuals. I look for cues from their profiles or conversations to connect personally – perhaps complimenting a loyalty member on their milestone stay, or discussing local attractions that fit their hobbies. Utilizing active listening skills, I engage guests in a way that makes them feel welcomed, valued and understood. Small touches like remembering names or preferences cultivate meaningful interactions. I also empower staff to foster personal connections and celebrate exemplary guest service, promoting an organization-wide commitment towarm, authentic engagement with each and every guest.

This highlights your efforts to engage guests in a personalized way that makes them feel special.

4. Tell me about a time you had to deal with an angry customer. What was the situation and how did you handle it?

Here they want to hear a specific example of your customer service skills in action during a high-stress situation.

Strong response: When working as a server, I once had a customer who was upset because their steak was undercooked. They were very agitated and raising their voice. I apologized sincerely, validating their frustration, and immediately had the kitchen re-fire their dish, expressing the urgency to the chef. While they waited, I proactively served complimentary appetizers and drinks to help improve their mood. When the new steak arrived, I checked in multiple times to confirm it met their expectations and was cooked perfectly. They were not only satisfied with the end result but also impressed by my constant efforts to make things right, leaving a generous tip in recognition. This experience taught me the power of owning mistakes, acting swiftly, and winning back trust through determination to exceed expectations.

This example shows you can diffuse anger through empathy, urgency, and service recovery.

5. How would you promote teamwork in your department?

They want team players who foster collaboration and unity. This probes your leadership abilities.

Strong response: I promote teamwork by establishing common goals tied to shared rewards and recognition. For example, I might initiate a monthly team award for the department that receives the highest guest satisfaction scores. This incentivizes collaborative troubleshooting and idea sharing to achieve a common goal. I also nurture cross-training and peer mentoring, which breaks down inter-departmental silos. Team bonding is encouraged through weekly huddles, team meals, and social events that reinforce community. With this collaborative foundation set, I empower the team to self-organize, providing the autonomy to innovate solutions together. By keeping the focus on our unified purpose, I foster a culture where the team’s success is recognized as every individual’s success.

This demonstrates you incentivize collaboration, create connections, and give autonomy for teamwork to thrive.

6. Tell me about a time you had to quickly adjust your work priorities to meet changing demands. How did you handle it?

The fast-paced hotel environment requires adaptability. They want to hear an example of your agility under pressure.

Strong response: When several housekeeping staff members called in sick one morning, it posed an urgent challenge with so many checkouts scheduled. I immediately re-prioritized my day, postponing less time-sensitive inspections so I could pitch in on room turnovers. I coordinated with the front desk to stagger check-out times where possible to ease the pressure on housekeeping turnover. Simultaneously, I worked with operations and marketing to offer late checkouts and upgrade incentives to guests to help spread departures throughout the day. My sole focus became supporting the housekeeping team however I could, while ensuring guests were accommodated. By maintaining clear communication, confronting the issue head-on, and adapting my efforts to support the team, we overcame the resource gap smoothly with no major guest disruptions.

This example shows your ability to rapidly re-prioritize and adapt when demands shift.

7. How do you typically deal with pressure or stressful situations at work?

Working under pressure is common in hospitality, so they want to know you can handle stress well.

Strong response: When facing stressful situations, I employ a few key strategies to manage the pressure. First, I take a moment to breathe and clear my mind before responding, so I avoid reactive decisions. Next, I focus on the most time-sensitive actions needed to stabilize the situation. If emotions are running high with team members, I acknowledge their feelings before guiding focus back to solution-focused thinking. I also leverage experience and training to consider the options rationally. Finally, I tap into my personal reservoirs of resilience, reflect on accomplishments, and visualize a successful outcome. This process allows me to steady my mindset, ground emotions, and tackle even the most stressful circumstances in a composed, thoughtful manner.

This shows your self-management, priorities, and visualization techniques to perform under stress.

8. How do you gather and use guest feedback to improve service?

They want candidates passionate about continuous improvement based on guest insights.

Strong response: I gather guest feedback through multiple channels – surveys, online reviews, and conversations with staff. I analyze it rigorously to identify key themes and areas of opportunity. For example, if check-out delays are frequently cited, I would approach the team to brainstorm solutions like adding stations or implementing an express checkout system. I share feedback widely across the organization, so staff feel invested in meeting guest needs. To close the loop, I report back to guests on the changes made based on their input through thank you emails or at-hotel communications. This feedback loop helps me continuously improve while showing guests that their voice drives meaningful change.

This demonstrates you actively seek feedback, respond thoughtfully, and engage guests in the improvement process.

9. Describe a time when you increased efficiency in your department. What steps did you take? What were the results?

They are looking for analytical abilities to streamline processes while improving service.

Strong response: *When I