How to Use the Hotel Assistant Manager Performance Review Template
Recording your performance reviews in Pilla means every assessment, objective, and development conversation is captured in one place. Instead of paper forms that get filed and forgotten, you build a continuous record that connects to one-to-one notes, tracks progress against objectives, and gives both you and your hotel assistant manager a clear reference point. When pay or progression decisions come up, the evidence is already documented.
Key Takeaways
- Metrics to Review checklist ensures you gather GM-absence performance, guest escalation resolution, department coordination, and duty management quality data before writing anything
- Previous Objectives Review documents what was achieved, partially achieved, not achieved, or blocked since the last review
- Technical Competencies assessment covers GM support, department coordination, duty management, guest recovery, and team development with Exceeds/Meets/Below descriptors
- Behavioural Competencies assessment covers leadership development, commercial awareness, cross-departmental thinking, and stakeholder awareness
- Compliance and Standards confirms fire safety, guest safety, employment law, and licensing
- Key Achievements and Development Areas use specific evidence, dates, and measurable outcomes
- Objectives for Next Period sets SMART targets covering operational performance and career development
- Overall Assessment selects Exceeds, Meets, or Below expectations as a holistic rating
- Meeting Notes and Review Summary capture the review conversation and agreed next steps
Article Content
Why structured hotel assistant manager performance reviews matter
Your hotel assistant manager is your operational right hand — the person who ensures the hotel runs smoothly, coordinates departments, handles guest escalations, and develops the supervisory team. A well-written performance review helps them understand exactly where they stand, what they're doing well, and what they need to develop to reach the next level. Unlike informal feedback, a formal review creates a record, sets clear expectations, and directly connects their performance to GM-readiness.
This template walks you through a complete performance review: gathering evidence, assessing competencies, documenting achievements and development areas, setting objectives, and recording the review meeting. Each section is designed to produce a fair, evidence-based assessment that both you and your assistant manager can reference throughout the next review period.
Metrics to Review
Metrics to Review
Review objectives set at the last performance review. Note which were achieved, partially achieved, not achieved, or blocked.
Before writing any assessment, gather data on each of these metrics. Tick each one as you collect the information. Having the evidence in front of you prevents vague feedback and ensures your assessment is grounded in observable performance.
GM-absence performance — This is the definitive metric for an assistant manager. How did the hotel perform when you were away? Review guest satisfaction scores, incident logs, revenue data, and operational reports from your absence periods. Compare with your own presence periods. An assistant manager whose absence performance matches or exceeds your presence is demonstrating GM capability.
Guest escalation resolution — Review escalated guest complaints during the review period. How many were there? How were they resolved? What was the outcome — guest recovery, compensation, or unresolved departure? An assistant manager who resolves escalations effectively and turns unhappy guests into loyal ones is adding measurable value.
Department coordination — Assess how well departments worked together during the review period. Were cross-department issues resolved proactively or escalated unnecessarily? Did the handover between shifts run smoothly? Department coordination is invisible when it works and painfully visible when it doesn't — look for both.
Duty management quality — Review the quality of their duty management shifts. Were incidents handled well? Were staffing issues resolved? Did they maintain standards across the property? Check duty logs, incident reports, and feedback from department heads about their duty performance.
Customisation tips:
- For properties with significant events business, add event coordination quality as a separate metric
- For hotels with seasonal patterns, compare duty performance across peak and off-peak periods
- For assistant managers with specific departmental responsibilities, add relevant departmental KPIs
- Consider gathering 360-degree feedback from department heads — they see the assistant manager's leadership most directly
Previous Objectives Review
Review objectives set at the last performance review. Note which were achieved, partially achieved, not achieved, or blocked.
Pull up the objectives from the last performance review. For each one, document whether it was:
- Achieved: They met or exceeded the target — note the evidence
- Partially achieved: Progress made but not complete — note what was done and what remains
- Not achieved: No meaningful progress — understand why before judging
- Blocked: External factors prevented progress — GM priorities changed, budget constraints, departmental restructuring
Be honest about blocked objectives. If you promised to involve them in owner meetings but didn't, or said they could lead a project that was then reassigned, that's not their failure. Acknowledging your own gaps builds trust and makes the review feel fair.
If this is their first review and no previous objectives exist, note that and use this section to document the baseline you're measuring from going forward.
Technical Competencies
Technical Competencies
Record your rating and evidence for each technical competency. Use specific examples and data.
Assess each competency based on observed behaviour over the full review period — not just the last two weeks. Tick each competency as you assess it.
| Competency | Exceeds expectations | Meets expectations | Below expectations |
|---|---|---|---|
| GM support | Anticipates GM needs, proactively manages hotel operations, seamlessly takes over during GM absence, identifies and resolves issues before escalation | Supports GM effectively, handles delegated responsibilities, manages operations during absence with acceptable outcomes | Requires constant direction, struggles during GM absence, doesn't anticipate needs, over-reliant on GM for routine decisions |
| Department coordination | Departments work together seamlessly, proactively identifies and resolves cross-departmental issues, consistent handovers and communication | Coordinates departments adequately, addresses cross-departmental issues when flagged, maintains reasonable communication | Departments operate in silos, cross-departmental friction unresolved, poor handovers, inconsistent communication |
| Duty management | Exemplary duty management — incidents handled decisively, standards maintained, staff feel supported, guests well-served | Competent duty management, handles routine and moderately complex situations, maintains standards | Struggles with duty decisions, incidents poorly managed, standards slip during duty shifts, staff feel unsupported |
| Guest recovery | Turns complaints into loyalty, resolves escalations with minimal cost and maximum guest satisfaction, proactive service recovery | Handles escalations appropriately, resolves most complaints satisfactorily, follows guest recovery procedures | Escalations poorly handled, guests leave dissatisfied, relies on compensation rather than genuine recovery, avoids confrontation |
| Team development | Actively coaches supervisors and HODs, identifies and develops talent, creates succession pipeline, addresses underperformance constructively | Manages team effectively, provides guidance when asked, supports development through existing programmes | Limited team development, avoids performance conversations, no succession planning, team stagnates |
Avoiding common rating errors:
- Recency bias: Check your notes from six months ago. Did they handle a major incident brilliantly early in the period?
- Halo effect: Excellent guest recovery doesn't mean excellent team development. Rate each competency separately.
- Comparison with GM: Rate them against the AM standard, not the GM standard. They're developing — don't penalise them for not yet being a GM.
Customisation tips:
- For assistant managers who also manage a specific department, add that department's performance as a competency
- For properties in transition (renovation, rebranding), add change management as a competency
- For new assistant managers in their first review, weight learning trajectory more than absolute performance
Record your rating and evidence for each technical competency. Use specific examples and data.
For each competency, record your rating (Exceeds, Meets, or Below) with specific evidence. Use dates, numbers, and examples rather than general impressions.
Example phrases:
"[Name] managed the hotel independently during a 10-day GM absence in March, maintaining guest satisfaction at 4.6 and resolving three significant incidents without escalation."
"[Name] resolved 28 guest escalations during the review period with a 92% positive outcome rate, including recovering a corporate client relationship worth approximately £30,000 annually."
"[Name]'s department coordination has improved significantly — introduced a daily 15-minute cross-departmental handover that has reduced inter-departmental issues by an estimated 40%."
"[Name] has not yet addressed the underperformance of the front desk supervisor despite it being raised in three previous one-to-ones."
Behavioural Competencies
Behavioural Competencies
Record your rating and evidence for each behavioural competency. Use specific examples.
Assess each behavioural competency across the full review period.
| Competency | Exceeds expectations | Meets expectations | Below expectations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leadership development | Visibly developing own leadership style, coaches others effectively, takes ownership of outcomes, leads with confidence | Leads team adequately, supports colleagues, takes responsibility when required | Lacks leadership presence, defers excessively, doesn't own outcomes, team doesn't look to them for direction |
| Commercial awareness | Understands hotel P&L, identifies revenue opportunities, considers commercial impact of operational decisions | Aware of basic commercial metrics, follows budgetary guidelines, understands the link between operations and revenue | Limited commercial understanding, makes decisions without considering financial impact, doesn't engage with business metrics |
| Cross-departmental thinking | Thinks whole-hotel rather than departmental, anticipates how decisions affect other areas, builds bridges between teams | Considers other departments when making decisions, communicates across functions adequately | Thinks departmentally, doesn't consider wider impact, creates or ignores cross-departmental friction |
| Stakeholder awareness | Understands needs of owners, guests, and staff simultaneously, navigates competing demands effectively | Aware of different stakeholder needs, responds appropriately to most situations | Focused on one stakeholder group at the expense of others, doesn't understand the full stakeholder picture |
Record your rating and evidence for each behavioural competency. Use specific examples.
Record your rating and evidence for each behavioural competency using specific examples.
Example phrases:
"[Name] developed a noticeable leadership presence during the review period — department heads now seek their guidance proactively rather than waiting for direction."
"[Name] identified an opportunity to increase breakfast revenue by extending service hours on weekends, which generated an additional £12,000 during the review period."
"[Name] needs to develop greater commercial awareness — approved three overtime requests during the review period without considering the impact on labour cost targets."
Compliance and Standards
Compliance and Standards
Record any compliance concerns, training needs, or positive observations.
Confirm each compliance area has been assessed. Any gaps must be addressed immediately — compliance is pass/fail, not a development area to work on gradually.
Fire safety — Do they understand the fire evacuation procedure thoroughly? Can they lead an evacuation? Do they ensure fire safety checks are being completed across departments during their duty shifts? As the duty manager, they're often the most senior person on site during an emergency.
Guest safety — Do they understand their duty of care to guests? Can they handle medical emergencies, security incidents, and safeguarding concerns? Do they ensure risk assessments are being followed across departments?
Employment law — Do they understand the basics of employment law relevant to their supervisory role? Can they handle disciplinary situations, grievances, and absence management correctly? Do they ensure working time regulations are observed across departments?
Licensing — Do they understand the hotel's licensing conditions? Can they manage licensing compliance during duty shifts? Do they know when to refuse service and how to handle licensing-related incidents?
Record any compliance concerns, training needs, or positive observations.
Record any compliance concerns, training gaps, or positive observations. If any area is below standard, document the required action and timeline for resolution. Note any compliance incidents during the review period and how they were handled.
Key Achievements
Document 3-5 specific achievements with evidence, dates, and measurable outcomes.
Document 3-5 specific achievements with evidence, dates, and measurable outcomes. Achievements should be things that went beyond basic job requirements — moments where this assistant manager created particular value.
How to write strong achievement statements:
- Be specific: dates, numbers, names, outcomes
- Show impact: guest satisfaction improved, costs saved, team developed, problems resolved
- Use their contribution, not the team's: what did they do?
Example phrases:
"[Name] managed the hotel independently during a 10-day GM absence in March, maintaining guest satisfaction at 4.6 and handling three significant incidents without requiring escalation."
"[Name] introduced a cross-departmental morning briefing that improved coordination and reduced guest complaints related to inter-departmental communication by 35%."
"[Name] coached the front desk supervisor through a performance improvement plan, resulting in the supervisor meeting all targets and being retained — saving an estimated £8,000 in recruitment costs."
"[Name] managed the coordination of the December corporate events programme, delivering 12 events with zero complaints and generating £45,000 in F&B revenue."
"[Name] achieved 100% attendance during the review period and voluntarily covered 8 additional duty shifts during a staffing shortfall."
Customisation tips:
- For assistant managers being developed for GM, highlight achievements that demonstrate GM-level capability
- For those in their first year, acknowledge the learning curve and highlight improvement trajectory
- For properties going through change, recognise the additional complexity of managing through transition
Development Areas
Document 2-3 development areas with specific evidence and improvement actions.
Document 2-3 development areas with specific evidence. Each development area should link to a concrete improvement action — not just a label.
How to write constructive development feedback:
- Focus on behaviour and outcomes, not personality
- Use specific evidence: dates, observations, data
- Connect each area to an action or opportunity
- Be direct but fair — vague feedback helps nobody
Example phrases:
"[Name] needs to develop greater confidence in decision-making during duty shifts — observed checking with GM on three routine decisions that were within their authority during the review period."
"[Name]'s commercial awareness needs strengthening — approved overtime and expenditure without considering budget impact on four observed occasions."
"[Name] has not yet taken ownership of team development — no development conversations or performance reviews conducted with direct reports during the review period."
"[Name] needs to improve whole-hotel visibility during duty shifts — department heads reported limited floor presence during evening shifts."
"[Name]'s handling of the March staffing crisis was reactive rather than proactive — the situation had been building for two weeks before it was raised."
Objectives for Next Period
Write SMART objectives for the next review period. Include both operational targets and development goals.
Set 3-5 SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) that connect to both the development areas above and their career interests.
Operational target examples:
"Maintain guest satisfaction at 4.5 or above during all GM-absence periods throughout the review period."
"Resolve 90% of guest escalations positively without senior management intervention during the review period."
"Complete performance reviews for all direct reports within the first quarter of the review period."
Development goal examples:
"Attend and contribute to at least 6 owner/regional meetings during the review period, demonstrating commercial awareness and strategic thinking."
"Own and manage the front desk labour budget for the review period, presenting monthly variance reports to the GM."
"Complete an ILM Level 5 qualification in leadership and management by end of the review period."
Connecting objectives to career progression:
| Current role | Typical next step | What to assess |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Assistant Manager | Hotel General Manager | Full P&L accountability, owner/stakeholder management, strategic planning, independent decision-making, crisis leadership, team building at scale |
If they want to become a GM, include objectives that develop the GM-specific skills they haven't yet demonstrated. If they want to stay as an AM, focus on deepening their operational expertise. Set targets that stretch but don't break — building GM readiness is a multi-year process, not a single review period objective.
Overall Assessment
Select the overall performance rating based on the full assessment.
Record the discussion from the review meeting, including their response and any context they provide.
Select the overall performance rating based on the full assessment. This is a holistic judgement, not a simple average of individual competency ratings.
Exceeds expectations — Consistently performs above the standard required. Demonstrates excellence across most competencies, makes a measurable positive impact on hotel operations and guest experience, and is clearly developing toward GM readiness. This assistant manager is a genuine asset who strengthens the entire operation.
Meets expectations — Reliably performs the role to the required standard. Manages duty shifts competently, coordinates departments effectively, and contributes positively to the hotel. Development areas exist but don't undermine overall effectiveness. This is solid, dependable performance.
Below expectations — Performance falls short of the required standard in one or more significant areas. Development areas are affecting hotel operations, guest experience, or team performance during their duty periods. Improvement is needed with clear support and timelines.
Be honest. Rating everyone as "Meets expectations" helps nobody. If they're exceptional, recognise it. If they're struggling, name it — with the support plan to address it.
Meeting Notes
Record the discussion from the review meeting, including their response and any context they provide.
Schedule at least 60 minutes for the review conversation — 45 for discussion, 15 for buffer. Meet outside busy periods in a private space.
How to conduct the meeting:
Give them the written review to read for 10 minutes. Don't hover — get them a drink and let them absorb it privately. When they've read it, ask: "What are your thoughts? Does this feel fair?" Then listen. Don't defend immediately — understand their perspective first.
If they raise valid points, amend the document. If you noted "struggles during GM absence" but they explain that three of those absence periods coincided with major staffing shortfalls, that context matters — add it. If you disagree, explain your reasoning calmly with evidence.
The goal is a document both parties consider fair and accurate — not necessarily one they're delighted about.
What to record: Their response to each section, any context they provided that changes your assessment, points of agreement and disagreement, and their reaction to the objectives set.
Review Summary
Summarise agreed actions, amendments made during the meeting, and next steps.
Summarise the agreed outcome: amendments made during the meeting, final objectives confirmed, next steps, and when objective check-ins will happen.
Both parties should sign and date the final document. Give them a copy. The signature means "I have read and understood this review" — not necessarily "I agree with everything."
Follow-through matters: Schedule brief objective check-ins in your regular one-to-ones. "How's the leadership qualification going?" and "I noticed the duty management was excellent this weekend — what did you do differently?" keep objectives alive rather than letting them gather dust until the next formal review.
Be transparent about how this review connects to pay, progression, and GM readiness decisions. If this review directly influences their timeline for promotion, say so clearly.
What's next
Performance reviews are most effective when they connect to ongoing one-to-one conversations. The evidence you need for a fair review should already exist in your one-to-one notes.
- Read our Hotel Assistant Manager one-to-one guide for how to run the conversations that feed into this review
- Check out our Hotel Assistant Manager onboarding guide if you're reviewing someone still in their first 90 days
- See our Hotel Assistant Manager interview questions for hiring guidance