You are in the interview. The manager leans forward with a polite smile and asks, “Tell me about a time you had to handle a truly impossible guest.” Your answer to this question, and others like it, will decide everything.Welcome to the intermediate interview. You are no longer being tested on your basic skills. You are being tested on your mindset, your resilience, and your judgment. At this level, managers are not just interested in what you did. They are obsessed with how you think about what you did. This guide will teach you how to show them.

What Are Behavioral Questions (And Why Do Hotels Use Them)?

As you move up, simple questions like “What is your weakness?” are replaced by behavioral questions. These are the “Tell me about a time…” or “Give me an example of…” questions. Why the change? Because past behavior is the single best predictor of future performance.

Any candidate can say, “I am a great problem solver.” But an intermediate candidate can prove it with a real story. A hiring manager for a luxury property needs to know how you react under pressure, how you handle conflict, and how you learn from your mistakes. Behavioral questions are their window into your true character and emotional intelligence.

When you hear one of these questions, do not panic. It is not a test. It is an invitation to tell a story. Your only job is to structure that story correctly. For that, you need a framework.

The Foundation: A Quick Refresher on the STAR Method

You probably learned the STAR method when you started. It is the solid, reliable foundation for answering any behavioral question. It ensures you provide a complete, logical answer instead of rambling.

STAR stands for:

Situation: Set the scene. “We were fully booked on a Saturday, and a pipe burst.”

Task: What was your specific responsibility? “My task was to handle the three displaced guests.”

Action: What did you do? “I called our sister property, arranged a transfer, and…”

Result: What was the outcome? “The guests were relocated and thanked us for the smooth handling.”

This is a good, clean answer. It gets the job done. But “good” is not what gets you promoted. “Good” is the intermediate standard. To move to the next level, you need to show you did not just do the job, but you learned from it.

The Upgrade: Moving from Good (STAR) to Great (SOARA)

The SOARA method is the intermediate candidate’s most powerful tool. It is a mature, reflective version of STAR that demonstrates leadership potential. It proves you are not just an employee who follows steps, but a professional who grows from experience.

SOARA stands for:

Situation: Set the scene. (Same as STAR)

Objective: What was your strategic goal? This is different from a “task.” A task is “what I had to do.” An objective is “what I wanted to achieve.” This shows intent. “My objective was not just to move the guests, but to ensure they still felt cared for and would want to return.”

Action: What did you do? (Same as STAR)

Result: What was the outcome? (Same as STAR)

Awareness: This is the magic step. This is what managers are listening for. What did you learn? How did it change you? What would you do differently next time? It shows self reflection and maturity.

An answer without Awareness is just a report. An answer with Awareness is a story of professional growth. Let’s see it in action.

10 Common Hotel Behavioral Questions (with Full SOARA Answers)

Here are ten common intermediate level questions. Study these sample answers. Notice how the “Awareness” part connects the story to a larger lesson about service, teamwork, or leadership.

1. Tell me about a time you had to handle an extremely unhappy guest.

Situation: “We had a VIP guest who was a regular. He arrived late at night to find his reserved suite had a severe water leak. The hotel was completely sold out, and he was, understandably, very upset.”

Objective: “My official task was to find him a room. But I knew my real objective was to salvage this critical relationship and make him feel respected, even when we had failed him.”

Action: “First, I apologized sincerely and took full ownership. I explained the situation honestly without making excuses. I immediately walked him to our best available standard room, which I had housekeeping pre stock with a bottle of his favorite wine from his guest profile, along with a robe and our premium amenities. I then personally called our sister hotel’s GM at home to get him into their Presidential Suite for the remainder of his stay, and I arranged for our hotel car to transfer him first thing in the morning, all at our expense.”

Result: “He was still unhappy about the situation, but he visibly calmed down. He thanked me for taking charge. He stayed at the sister hotel but returned to our property for his next visit. We kept his business.”

Awareness: “I learned that night that you cannot always fix the problem, but you can always fix the person. The wine and amenities were nice, but the real service recovery happened when I took personal ownership and showed him I was willing to do whatever it took to make it right. Honesty and immediate action are more valuable than any amenity.”

2. Describe a conflict you had with a colleague.

Situation: “During a busy check in, a sales manager, who was not at the desk, promised a walk in client a specific suite type and a very late check out. He did this without checking our inventory, which put our front desk team in an impossible position.”

Objective: “My objective was twofold. First, I had to honor the promise to the guest. Second, I needed to address the issue with the sales manager to ensure our departments were working together, not creating problems for each other.”

Action: “I honored the rate and the room type, which meant I had to personally call an arriving guest and upgrade them to a different suite to make it work. After the rush, I found the sales manager. I did not confront him publicly. I asked for a moment in private and said, ‘I know you were working hard to secure that client, but when you promised that room, it created a difficult chain reaction for the front desk. In the future, can we please double check with each other first?'”

Result: “He was actually a bit embarrassed. He apologized and admitted he got caught up in the moment. We agreed on a better communication process moving forward, and the issue never happened again. Our departments actually felt more aligned after that.”

Awareness: “I learned that most ‘conflicts’ are not personal attacks. They are system or communication failures. By approaching him with ‘we’ instead of ‘you’, it became about solving a shared problem, not placing blame. It taught me to always assume good intentions and address the process, not the person.”

3. Tell me about a time you failed.

Situation: “Early in my career, I was managing the host stand at our busy restaurant. A guest called to say they were running 30 minutes late for their 8 PM reservation for six people. I said, ‘No problem, we will hold it.’ I did not realize that was our busiest hour, and we had a strict 15 minute hold policy.”

Objective: “My objective was to be accommodating and say ‘yes,’ which I thought was good service. I failed to consider the operational impact.”

Action: “The party arrived at 8:35 PM. Their table was gone. The walk in list was an hour long. They were furious, and it was my fault. I apologized profusely to them and to my manager. I found the party space at our bar, got them a round of drinks on the house, and managed to split them between two smaller tables that opened up 20 minutes later.”

Result: “It was a terrible experience for them, and it stressed the entire floor. My manager was firm with me. I took full responsibility. It was a clear failure on my part.”

Awareness: “That failure was one of my most important lessons. ‘Yes’ is not always the right answer in hospitality. The right answer is the honest answer. I should have said, ‘We can only hold the table for 15 minutes, but please come anyway and we will seat you as soon as we can.’ I learned that managing expectations truthfully is much better service than making a promise you cannot keep.”

4. Give an example of a time you went above and beyond.

Situation: “I was working at the front desk when an elderly couple checked in. They looked exhausted. I overhead the wife quietly mention to her husband that she had forgotten her special orthopedic pillow and was worried she would not be able to sleep.”

Objective: “My job was just to check them in. But my objective became ensuring she had a comfortable stay. I knew this one small thing was going to impact her entire experience.”

Action: “While they were settling in their room, I called three local bedding and pharmacy stores until I found one that sold a similar pillow. It was 30 minutes before they closed. I used the hotel’s petty cash, got my manager’s approval, and had our bellman drive over to purchase it. I sent it up to their room with a note saying, ‘We hope this helps you rest well.'”

Result: “The next morning, the husband came to the desk almost in tears. He said his wife had the best sleep she’d had in weeks. They became repeat guests for years and always mentioned that story.”

Awareness: “I learned that ‘above and beyond’ does not have to be a grand gesture. It is about listening for the small cues, the unspoken needs. They did not ask me to solve their problem. True hospitality is about anticipating and solving a problem before it even becomes a complaint.”

5. Describe a time you had to make a difficult decision without a manager’s approval.

Situation: “It was 11 PM on a Tuesday. I was the night supervisor. A guest called down in a panic. A small, non dangerous fire had started in his microwave from him overheating a food item. The smoke alarm went off in his room, but not the building.”

Objective: “My manager was not reachable. My objective was clear: ensure guest safety first, prevent panic, and control the situation before it escalated.”

Action: “I sent one security guard to his room with an extinguisher, which was all that was needed. But I knew the smell of smoke would travel. I made the immediate decision to proactively call the guests in the adjacent rooms. I explained calmly that there was a ‘minor smoke incident in a neighboring room that is completely under control,’ but that I was offering to move them to a new room on a different floor immediately if they felt at all uncomfortable.”

Result: “Two of the three rooms accepted the move. They were incredibly grateful for the proactive call and honesty. We avoided any panic or negative social media. When my manager came in, I had a full incident report ready, and he supported my decision.”

Awareness: “I learned that in a crisis, clarity and communication are everything. Waiting for permission is not an option. It is better to be decisive, communicate transparently, and overcorrect on behalf of the guest’s comfort. It taught me to trust my judgment in high pressure moments.”

6. Tell me about a time you received difficult feedback.

Situation: “During my first six month review as a front desk agent, my supervisor told me that while my check in times were the fastest on the team, my guest service scores were only average. She said I was ‘efficient, but not warm.'”

Objective: “That was very hard to hear. My objective was to not get defensive, but to truly understand her perspective and create a plan to improve.”

Action: “I took a deep breath and thanked her for the feedback. I asked her, ‘Can you give me a specific example of what ‘warmer’ looks like to you?’ She explained I often focused on my computer screen instead of making eye contact and finding a point of personal connection. So, for the next month, I made it my personal goal. I ignored the computer for the first 15 seconds of every check in. I focused on the guest, smiled, and found one thing to comment on, like the city on their luggage tag or the logo on their shirt.”

Result: “It felt unnatural at first, but it quickly became a habit. My next review, my guest service scores were the highest on the team. I also realized I was enjoying my job more because I was having real, human interactions.”

Awareness: “I learned that feedback is a gift, even when it stings. I realized I had been confusing ‘efficiency’ with ‘service.’ A fast transaction is not the same as a memorable experience. That feedback fundamentally changed how I approach my job and made me a much stronger hotelier.”

7. Give an example of how you’ve worked as part of a team to solve a problem.

Situation: “We were hosting a major wedding. Thirty minutes before the reception, the power went out on the entire city block. This meant no kitchen, no lights, and no music.”

Objective: “There was no ‘my department.’ Our collective objective as a team was simple: save this wedding.”

Action: “It was amazing. The F&B director ran to a hardware store and bought every candle and battery powered lantern they had. The banquet team and front desk staff formed a human chain to light hundreds of candles. The chef quickly pivoted the menu to salads and cold appetizers he could prepare. I took charge of the bar, moving it to the patio. The hotel engineer found a generator to power one single speaker for the first dance. We all just jumped in.”

Result: “It was not the reception they planned, but the bride and groom said it was magical. It was intimate, romantic, and candlelit. We received a standing ovation from the guests at the end of the night for pulling it off.”

Awareness: “I learned what a team can do when the mission is clear and there are no egos. No one said ‘that’s not my job.’ We all just saw the problem and asked ‘how can I help?’ It taught me that a team with a shared, powerful objective is unstoppable.”

8. Tell me about a time you anticipated a guest’s needs.

Situation: “I was working in room service and delivered a late night meal to a guest. I noticed she was in a business suit, her laptop was open, and there were spreadsheets everywhere. She looked stressed.”

Objective: “My task was just to drop off the food. But my objective became to make her stressful work night a little more comfortable.”

Action: “As I was leaving, I said, ‘It looks like you have a long night ahead of you. Would you like me to bring you a complimentary pot of coffee and some bottled water in about an hour?'”

Result: “Her shoulders just dropped. She looked so relieved and said, ‘That would be absolutely amazing, thank you.’ When I returned with the coffee, she was so grateful. She left a glowing comment card the next day mentioning my name.”

Awareness: “I learned that anticipatory service is about observing the person, not just serving the order. She would never have asked for the coffee, but it was exactly what she needed. It’s our job to look for the unsaid needs and offer a solution before the guest even has to think of it.”

9. Describe a time you disagreed with a company policy.

Situation: “Our hotel had a very strict policy of charging $50 for any check out after 1 PM, with no exceptions. During a blizzard, hundreds of flights were canceled, and we had many distressed guests, including families, who were stranded.”

Objective: “My objective was to balance the hotel’s revenue policy with the human reality of the situation. I felt that enforcing the fee would be damaging to our brand and our relationship with our guests.”

Action: “I did not just ignore the policy. I went to my Director of Rooms and explained my concern. I said, ‘I know this is our policy, but this is an extraordinary event. I believe the long term loyalty we will gain by waiving this fee will be far more valuable than the short term revenue. Can I have your approval to waive it for anyone with a canceled flight?'”

Result: “My director agreed. He empowered me to make the call. The relief on our guests’ faces was incredible. We had dozens of emails and positive reviews after, praising us for our compassion during a stressful time. We turned a crisis into a moment of loyalty.”

Awareness: “I learned that policies are guidelines, not absolute laws. They cannot account for every human situation. It also taught me how to disagree professionally. I did not just break the rule; I presented a business case, balanced revenue with reputation, and asked for permission to implement a better solution.”

10. Tell me about a time you had to adapt to a sudden change.

Situation: “I was the supervisor for a 300 person corporate banquet. Two hours before the event, the client’s CEO made a last minute decision to change the entire floor plan from banquet rounds to a classroom style setup for a surprise presentation.”

Objective: “This was a massive operational change. My objective was to get it done perfectly and calmly, without letting the client or my team see any panic.”

Action: “I pulled my team into a quick huddle. I projected total calm. I said, ‘We have a new plan. It’s a challenge, but I know we can do it.’ I broke the room into quadrants and assigned a small team to each one. I called housekeeping for extra hands and engineering to help with the A/V change. I became the central point of communication, and I was on the floor with them, moving tables.”

Result: “We finished the entire room flip with 15 minutes to spare. The event went off perfectly. The client was thrilled, and my team felt incredibly proud of what we had accomplished.”

Awareness: “I learned that in moments of sudden change, the team does not look at the plan. They look at the leader. My calm was their calm. By breaking a huge, impossible task into small, manageable pieces and projecting confidence, I was able to motivate them to get it done. It taught me that my primary job as a leader is to absorb pressure, not create it.”

Your Deeper Lesson: SOARA is How You Demonstrate Emotional Intelligence

Look back at those answers. The SOARA method is not just a framework for talking. It is a framework for thinking. It forces you to find the lesson in every experience. It proves you are a professional who learns, adapts, and grows.

The “Awareness” step is where you demonstrate your emotional intelligence, your teamwork skills, and your leadership potential. Any candidate can report the facts. An intermediate candidate reflects on the meaning. This is what sets you apart.

The goal of a behavioral interview is not to prove you are perfect. It is to prove you are self aware. It is to show that when you failed, you learned. When you had a conflict, you built a bridge. And when you served a guest, you saw the person.

In your next interview, do not just give them a STAR answer. Give them a SOARA story. Show them not just what you did, but who you are.

Practice one of these questions tonight using the SOARA method. In our next article, we will tackle the Advanced level: handling the high pressure tests and case scenarios that managers use to find true leaders.