Best place to work in Whistler, BC?

Question

I worked in hotels in Banff, AB last year and LOVED it, I don't ski or board so its not really about that for me, just really love being in resort towns. I've also worked in Lake Louise, but I want to try something different and I've heard great things about Whistler. Just a few questions tho- Is it really as expensive as everyone says it is? Who has the best staff accom? Is it better to work/live right in the village or just outside? (i don't have a car). What are the best hotels to work for? Any hotels I should steer clear sending my resume to? Any information would help... just trying to get a vibe of the town :) Would love to hear from people who have actually worked there...thanks!

Answer 1

I've lived in Whistler for the past two-and-a-half years and I'm a career hotelier so I think I can answer your questions.  Whistler can be expensive, but I don't think it would be any more so than Banff or Lake Louise.  The Fairmont Chateau Whistler is the only hotel with actual on-site staff accommodations that I'm aware of and I can't say that I've heard very good things about it - by all accounts it's pretty much like a college dorm.  Most of the major hotels will offer some sort of assistance in finding you a place to live.  I work at the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa and this past winter we actually rented two houses in town in order to help our seasonal staff secure a place to live.  This worked very well and I would expect that we'll do the same thing again this year.  The local bus service is cheap and very convenient, so being in the village certainly isn't a must.  In the winter, local transit actually offers free bus service between the village and certain other areas of town.  There is never any shortage of jobs to be had in Whistler and many hotels (especially Hilton - shameless plug!) have various programs in place to attract and retain quality staff for the season.  I won't get into slagging any of our competition, but generally I would say that the major branded hotels in town will offer you the best wages and benefits, not to mention a steadier number of hours.  I recommend checking out Whistler's local weekly newspaper at www.piquenewsmagazine.com for a wide variety of job opportunities, or www.hcareers.ca for hotel jobs in Whistler and all over the world.  Recruiting for the winter won't kick into high gear until October and November, but as I said before there is always something available.  Good luck!