Hotel receptionist in Austria: pay, duties, applying

Key facts at a glance

Reception salary (group 3)

€2,330.00 gross/month in Salzburg, Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Vienna hotels, from 1 Oct 2026

Other federal states

€2,226.00 in Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower and Upper Austria, Styria

Without vocational training (group 5)

From €2,096.50 gross/month

Languages

Very good English, other languages a plus

Working hours

40 hours a week, early, late or night shift

Season

Winter November to April, summer May to October

Room and meals

Depends on the employer; see our guide “Seasonal work in Austria”

What does a receptionist do?

You greet guests, check them in, hand out room cards and explain the hotel. At check-out you prepare the bill and take payment.

You take bookings by phone, email and in the booking system. You help with questions about ski passes, trips or restaurants and deal with complaints. In small hotels the phone and post are part of the job too.

What do I need?

A tourism school or hotel management school is a good basis. Large hotels also train their own staff. You need to enjoy dealing with people, be organised and precise, and have good computer skills.

The AMS lists very good English as a requirement. Other foreign languages are an advantage. You need German for guests from Austria and from Germany, the largest group of foreign guests.

How much do receptionists earn?

Receptionists are classed as salaried employees (Angestellte) in the collective agreement. The salary scale applies. The amounts are gross for 40 hours a week, from 1 October 2026, for the first 5 years.

• Receptionist with completed vocational training (employment group 3): €2,330.00 in Salzburg, Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Vienna hotels; €2,226.00 in Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower and Upper Austria and Styria
• Without completed vocational training, under 10 years in the industry (employment group 5): €2,096.50
• Night auditor and reservations are also listed as examples of employment group 3
• Night shifts: night work supplement of up to €28.50 per night, staggered by time

Is there an allowance for foreign languages?

Yes. If your hotel requires you to speak a foreign language at reception, you get €40 per language under the collective agreement's pay table. For salaried employees there is no allowance if the language was already taken into account in your grading. Ask how it works for you before you sign.

Where are seasonal reception jobs?

Holiday hotels hire before the winter and the summer season. According to Statistics Austria, Vienna also has many overnight stays in winter and in summer.

How do I apply for a reception job?

In your CV, name the hotel software you have used and the size of the hotels. Add your languages with levels, for example English C1, German B2, Italian B1.

Say clearly whether you can do night shifts. Night audit is a separate task, and night work earns you a supplement.

What do I need to sort out before I start?

Address registration, health insurance registration, staff rooms, the regions with the most guests and unemployment benefit between seasons are explained in our guide “Seasonal work in Austria”.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• WKO: Salary scales for salaried employees, valid from 1 Oct 2026 (German)
• WKO: Collective agreement for hotels and restaurants (German)
• AMS career guide: Receptionist (German)
• Statistics Austria: Summer season 2025 (PDF, German)

Information without guarantee, as of October 2026