Hotel management focuses on the operation of hotels and other lodging businesses. It is often discussed within the broader field of hospitality management, which can also prepare students for careers in restaurants, events, luxury services, and other customer-facing industries.
Schools, colleges, and universities offer specialized education for students interested in hospitality careers. The institutions below are some of the best universities with hotel, hospitality, or related business programs.
Top Hotel Management Schools in the World
1. Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne
- Study Program
- Location: Switzerland and Singapore | Degrees Offered: Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and MBA
Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) was founded in 1893 by Jacques Tschumi, the founder and president of the school’s oversight committee. Its first classes were held in a room at the Hôtel d’Angleterre in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Second World War later forced EHL to close, but alumni fundraising enabled it to reopen in 1943. By 1951, the school was strengthening its academic curriculum and expanding its teaching staff.
In 1998, EHL joined the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO), becoming the first Swiss hotel management school recognized as a university by the Swiss government. EHL now has campuses in Lausanne, Passugg, and Singapore.
2. University of Nevada – Las Vegas
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas traces its origins to a University of Nevada, Reno extension program established in Las Vegas in 1951. Its first classes on the Maryland Parkway campus were held in 1957. The institution gained autonomy in 1968 and adopted its current name in 1969.
Today, the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality offers a 120-credit Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management that typically takes four years to complete. The college also offers graduate options, including master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration.
The undergraduate program includes concentrations in Event Design and Management, Gaming Management, Hospitality Beverage Management, Human Resource Management, Innovative Restaurant Management, and PGA Golf Management.
3. Glion Institute of Higher Education
Glion Institute of Higher Education was founded in 1962. It currently has campuses in Glion-sur-Montreux and Bulle, Switzerland, as well as a London campus within the University of Roehampton.
Glion currently offers two bachelor’s degrees: a Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Business and a Bachelor of Science in Luxury Business. It also offers several master’s and executive master’s programs. Its education model combines academic rigor, hands-on practical skills, and professional internships.
4. Les Roches Global Hospitality Education
- Study Program
- Location: Switzerland, Spain, and the UAE | Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, and MBA
Les Roches Global Hospitality Education traces its roots to 1954, when it opened as an international boarding school. It later shifted its focus toward hospitality education, becoming Les Roches Hotel and Tourism School in 1979 and focusing solely on hotels and tourism by 1983.
Les Roches currently operates campuses in Crans-Montana, Switzerland; Marbella, Spain; and Abu Dhabi, UAE. Its former Les Roches Jin Jiang campus in Shanghai exited the campus network at the end of its joint-venture agreement.
The school’s current catalog includes bachelor’s degrees in Global Hospitality Management and Sports Business Management, several master’s degrees, an MBA in Global Hospitality Management, and executive and advanced-studies options.
5. Swiss Hotel Management School
- Study Program
- Location: Switzerland | Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s and Master’s
Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS) was founded in 1992 with a campus in Les Paccots, Switzerland. It moved to Caux Palace in 1994 and opened its Leysin campus in 2004.
SHMS currently lists a Swiss Professional Degree, a bachelor’s degree, several master’s degrees, a postgraduate diploma, foundation programs, and study-abroad options. Its official site emphasizes learning by doing through real-life hospitality projects. SHMS also states that it has been an Apple Distinguished School since 2017 and that its academic modules include artificial intelligence and hospitality robots.
6. Hotelschool The Hague
Hotelschool The Hague opened on November 11, 1929, and was established in response to the hospitality industry’s need for trained employees. It now operates campuses in The Hague and Amsterdam.
Its current program list includes a Bachelor in Hospitality Management, a fast-track bachelor’s route, a Master in Leading Hotel Transformation, an MBA in International Hospitality Management, and a Professional Doctorate in Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality.
7. HIM Business School
- Study Program
- Location: Switzerland | Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s
HIM Business School’s current catalog centers on a three-year, full-time Bachelor of Business Administration in Hospitality Management or Management.
The school also lists bilingual French-English and Chinese-English BBA tracks, a study-abroad program, an English Foundation Program, and an Immersion Foundation Program.
We hope this article on hotel management schools in the world was helpful. To learn more about studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students.
