Join 76,117+ global travellers

  • Overview
  • Inclusions
  • Details
  • Location
  • Itinerary
  • FAQ
  • How It Works
Global Exclusive

USA Hotel Professional

5(2 reviews)
Experience
Working Holiday
Destination
United States
Duration
12 months
Ages
18 to 35

142 others looking at this too. Next opening is Jul 2023, with limited spots.

Trip overview

The United States – as big and diverse a country as they come, loaded with must-tick bucket list items. And this iconic country can be your home for up to 12 months on our USA Hotel Professional trip. 

You can wing it and do everything yourself. The visa alone will be confusing, expensive, and time-consuming with no guarantees. Not to mention all the other logistics. Or you can:

  • Secure a guaranteed paid internship with a 4 or 5 star hotel or upmarket restaurant before you leave home.
  • Get help securing your elusive J-1 visa. As well as help with flights, travel, insurance, accommodation, & more.
  • Save time, money, and stress with your Dedicated Trip Coordinator taking care of all your logistics.
  • gWorld app to meet up with other travellers, organise your trip, and save big on your next trip!

 

 

This is the ultimate way to learn some of that famous American hospitality. A stint at a top-rated hotel or restaurant in America will look smashing on your resume. And a year in the States will give you enough adventure for a lifetime. 

Can you picture it? You’re working the front desk at a boutique hotel in Napa Valley. Not only are you learning how to serve the elite with a smile, but you’re also enjoying the perks of working at this high-class venue and living in the famous Napa Valley. 

All this without spending months – and a whole lot of dollars – agonising over your J-1 Visa. 

Because our epert team will take care of the stressful essentials while you apply – including a US-Government-approved visa sponsorship and J-1 visa application advice.

This is a paid internship and training program in hospitality. You’ll be trained up in dedicated divisions of the hotel during the 12 months you’re there, learning anything and everything about your position. 

This could be you, without spending months – in a foreign country with no income – hunting for a job. 

Because you’ll have a paid internship (up to USD $20/hr) and accommodation assistance  before you leave home.

When you have time off, you’ll have the freedom (and savings $) to hit the road and explore more of the country. Rent a van for a cross-country road trip or stock up on body glitter for the summer festival season.

To help, we’re offering 5 nights at a hostel anywhere in America as you explore this huge country. 

Nervous about being there alone? 

Don’t be! You’ll have an instant friend group wherever you end up – even if you decide to take a position at a fancy lodge way out in the mountains

Because our social network app – gWorld – connects you with other Global Travellers in your area. So you can go on a hike, meet at the pub, or just talk to someone with the same accent as you. 

We take care of pretty much everything so you don’t have to. 

BUT! There’s a catch….

Most travellers book their trip 6-12 months in advance. Dates are flexible, but spaces are limited. So if you’re serious about levelling up your hospitality skills in the USA, don’t delay. 

With our Book Now, Decide Later feature, you can get started with a small deposit today, and take a full year to choose your dates. 

We’ll take over from there, helping you with visas, flights, accommodation, and finding you a paid position before you go. This is the trip for you if you’re after the ultimate working holiday experience. Complete with everything you need and round-the-clock support.

Inclusions

Paid internship/traineeship

You’ll be placed at a 4 or 5-star hotel (or a top restaurant for some culinary placements) in the US that is bound to look incredible on your resume/CV. You can earn up to $18USD per hour (plus tips if applicable) while gaining invaluable skills to further your career.

J-1 visa sponsorship

We will organise your coveted J1 visa sponsorship through our US partner office, authorised by the US Department of State.

J-1 visa guidance

Receive the expertise from our well-versed team who’ll help you apply for and validate your J1 visa prior to leaving. This is your ticket to being allowed to legally work in the USA! Get your visa approved as cheap and easy as possible with our step-by-step instructions and personal guidance by your Trip Coordinator.

Dedicated Trip Coordinator

Handpicked from an experienced team who’ve been there, done that and are ready to guide you through your entire journey and leave no question unanswered.

Personal Travel Concierge

You'll get a personal Travel Concierge to plan your flights, travel insurance or any add-ons to synchronise perfectly with your trip. Deal with a real human and get a personalised booking experience that ticks all your boxes.

Airport Transfer Assistance

Arrive seamlessly. You will either have an airport transfer arranged or we will assist you in figuring out the best way to get to your host company.

5 nights hostel accommodation

During your trip, we’ll give you 5 nights to stay in a 4-bed hostel anywhere in America, so you can keep travelling on us.

Medical insurance

Rest assured that in the unusual event that something happens to you during your placement, you are covered for medical care in the US. (General travel insurance is still required)

Local life essentials

We'll deliver a prepaid US SIM card to you before you go with unlimited national calls & texts, international SMS and 2GB of data for the first 2 months of your trip. You'll receive help with your Social Security Number and bank account once you arrive.

Online orientation

You’ll arrive in the US completely prepared for the unexpected and knowing absolutely everything you have to know. From the legalities of your new role, to the arrival process when you get there. Having completed your online orientation, you’ll be ready to go.

Permanent accommodation support

If permanent accommodation isn’t provided with your job opportunity, our local team can give you the tools and advice to help you find your perfect home.

Ongoing local team support

From our team and in-country project partners, think of them as your family away from home. Whether you need advice or a shoulder to lean on, you’ll be provided with unlimited support.

24/7 Global Emergency Line

Feel confident knowing we have a worldwide emergency team on standby, 24/7/365, so you can feel safe and secure throughout your whole trip no matter where you are in the world.

gWorld access

Stay organised with your personalised portal where you can keep all of your important documents and trip details in one spot and gain insider access to everything Global.
NEW

Social

Travel alone but never lonely with Social! An exclusive social network inside our gWorld app to talk, share & meet-up with other Global Travellers in your region, with a dedicated Community Manager.

NEW

Global Academy

Gain access to an ever-growing range of skills & languages to learn before & whilst you travel.

NEW

Marketplace deals

Get exclusive access to deals and discounts through our online Marketplace. Save big on a huge range of products and services from our brand partners worldwide.

$250 off your next trip

The “Travel Bug” is a very real thing! Once you catch it, it really doesn’t go away! Book any other trip with us later and save $250. Why would you ever stop travelling?

Just in case it’s not clear already, we’re not an employment or recruitment agency. Read more

Qualification

To qualify for this trip you must meet the following requirements:

  • Be between 18-35 years of age
  • Be a citizen of an eligible country
  • Have no criminal convictions in the past 5 years

Ask a question

Chat with us online now, or we can call you back for free, 24 hours Mon-Fri.

Trip details

Our USA Hotel Professional Trip is designed to help you get set up in your paid hospitality internship as smoothly as possible. Our goal is to save you time, money, and stress while eliminating the risk of returning home early. Here’s how we do it: 

We’re on your side from the moment you get started. 

You’ll be assigned a Dedicated Trip Coordinator. They’ll guide you through the next steps and answer all your questions. 

The J-1 visa – a requirement for this trip – is notoriously difficult to get. Your Dedicated Trip Coordinator – and our contacts in the USA – will guide you through your application and give you the best chance at getting your visa approved. 

Your Personal Travel Concierge will help with flights, insurance, and any add-ons you’d like for your trip. These are real humans too – no robots here. 

Once you arrive at the airport closest to your placement there’ll either be transport waiting for you or we’ll guide you through how to get to your host. 

What happens next depends entirely on your placement position. Most hotels will give you a few orientation sessions with fellow exchange participants and new employees before you get to work. 

Whereas at restaurant placements you might be given a bit of a crash-course before diving right in, learning on the job. 

Finding a paid internship at a top-rated establishment is one of your main challenges. Not all establishments offer paid internships and even fewer accept foreigners. 

Which is why we maintain relationships with a huge network of local businesses who want foreign interns just like you! It’s how we can confidently guarantee that you’ll have a placement lined up before you leave home. 

Our support doesn’t end there. We’ll be in touch during your trip to make sure everything is going smoothly. If you have any questions or concerns we’re one quick message, DM, email, or carrier pigeon away. 

And if there’s an emergency, you can use our 24/7 emergency support lines for anything urgent. 

Our team is well travelled so you can rely on our experience.

We’re with you every step of the way.

Trip itinerary

Arrival

You’ll be advised which airport to fly into depending on where you’re placed. There’ll either be transport waiting for you at the airport or you’ll be told the easiest way to get to your placement.

Week 1

This depends greatly on where you’re placed, so there’s not much of a ‘norm’ we can give you here.  Hotel placements often start with an orientation class with the other exchange participants and new employees.  You’ll learn all about the hotel and what’s expected of you before you dive in.  Restaurant placements usually get straight to business. You’ll be provided a course of what’s expected of you and then it’ll be a learn-on-the-job-from-the-best kinda situation.

Ongoing

You’ll do most of your learning by doing this trip. Although you’ll be working alongside some of the best people in the hospitality world – so there's plenty for you to learn.  When you have some time off, don’t forget to take us up on your 5 nights at a hostel anywhere in America.  You also have Canada to the north, Mexico to the south, and the Caribbean and The Bahamas to the west if you’re interested in travelling after your placement. Whatever you choose to do, we can help make it easy.  We’ll be in touch with you throughout your stay. If you ever need advice or support our team is available to answer your questions. And our 24/7 emergency support line will help with urgent matters.  Don’t go alone. Go with Global.

Traveller placements & locations 

Land a paid traineeship learning everything there is to know around your speciality in the hospitality industry. You’ll improve your skills while also making a great wage and great friends in the process! Located all across the country, here’s a list of the departments within our Partner Organisations you could find yourself working between. 

  • Culinary
  • Food & Beverage
  • Front Office
  • Rooms Division
  • + More

From rubbing elbows with the rich and famous in Aspen, being the fuel behind the party in New Orleans to toe-tapping the night away in Nashville. We’ve got host companies dotted in the best spots around the USA, so you could find yourself in any of these destinations.  

  • New Orleans
  • Orlando
  • Miami
  • Napa Valley
  • San Diego
  • Aspen
  • Nashville
  • Dallas
  • Santa Barbara
  • Seattle
  • San Francisco
  • + More

New on the 'gram

fernierni123
teleneettridge
journey2aupairusa
fernierni123
laurennguyen
fernierni123
fernierni123
globalworkandtravel
nicolejay17
benjsaunders.travel

Frequently asked questions

Why go with Global Work & Travel?

As the world’s leading gap-year and “work & travel” company, we offer you the ability to not only choose from a number of awesome experiences all over the world but, we'll be your support system from the very first moment you become a Global Traveller! We provide a premium service that allows you to pick the destination of your dreams, get our visa & pre-departure assistance, book great flights and organise the perfect travel insurance or tours for when you arrive. Plus, we’ll back it all up with some cool and exclusive tech features that are with you the entire time.

As a Global Traveller, you’ll get exclusive access to gWorld, our personalised app where you can keep all of your important documents and trip details in one spot and gain insider access to everything Global. This is where you will find exclusive Marketplace deals for discounts with our brand partners, a unique social network to connect you with other Global Travellers when you’re overseas, access to our Academy with an ever-growing range of skills & languages to learn as you travel, invites to bucket-list side trips with other travellers, local meet-ups and so much more. Think all of your favourite apps merged into one, but like, better?

And it doesn't even stop there. We continue to be there from the moment you land with a dedicated 24/7 emergency team, over 100 staff and ongoing support ensuring that you have the tools you need to feel like a local. That’s why 65,000+ Global Travellers from all over the world have chosen to turn their travel dream into reality with us and we can proudly brag that we’ve got the most & best reviews in the biz!

Why should I book now?

Covid-19 threw us a curve ball and pretty much halted all travel. This means that we have a backlog of travellers, just like you, who are desperate to get out and explore the world! Global Work & Travel works on a first-in-best-dressed basis. Booking earlier ensures that you don’t miss out on the best intake, season, placements and more! We recommend our travellers take 6-12 months to plan their trip for a reason - to make sure you’ve got everything organised perfectly, stress-free.

As a Global Traveller you’ll get exclusive access to gWorld, our personalised app where you can keep all of your important documents and trip details in one spot and gain insider access to everything Global. This is where you will find exclusive Marketplace Deals, a unique social network to connect you with other like-minded Global Travellers, access to our Academy with an ever-growing range of skills & languages, and so much more. Think all of your favourite apps merged into one, but like, better?

Why not give yourself something to look forward to by booking that trip!

Can I travel with a friend?

Yes you can! Simply tell your Trip Coordinator after booking that your friend is also going and they can link your profiles. For most of our trips we should be able to have you and your friends placed together or nearby. Meaning that you can live, work, play & travel together!

But wait there's more! Not only can you travel the world with your besties at your side, you can also earn some extra cash towards your own trip just by referring your friends to Global Work & Travel. You can learn more about the great referral rewards program inside your gWorld account once you join.

And for those who decide to go-it-solo, we’ve made it easier to meet other Global Travellers in the same region as you. Just like any other social platform, you’ll be able to interact, share, chat and meet with some really cool people who are doing trips just like you!

What happens if COVID affects my trip?

If you have to make any changes to your departure date, you’re protected with our Lifetime Deposit Guarantee and our Ultimate Corona Booking Flexibility. With this, we will change your trip dates for free. If this doesn’t fit around you and you can’t go on your trip anymore, we will give you a 100% refund in the form of a Trip Credit with us (See terms). If you’re unable to use it, you can also transfer that credit to someone else for them to put towards any trip too.

If you’re affected by Covid-19 while you’re overseas, you will have all the support you need from our team or partners in-country as well as have access to our 24/7 Global Emergency Line. We recommend travellers purchase Global Travel Cover travel insurance that provides Covid-19 medical protection too.

Do I need to be vaccinated to book?

As border restrictions for countries begin to ease, being fully vaccinated will maximise the number of locations you can visit. So while you are not legally required to be vaccinated, and it’s also not a requirement to travel with us, it will limit some of the countries that you can visit and may make it harder to travel through over the next 12-18 months. We highly recommend our travellers look at the current travel restrictions of their destination, speak with a medical professional or get in touch with our team for travel advice.

What happens if I want to cancel my trip?

Our Ultimate Corona Booking Flexibility means you can change your trip’s start date up to 84* days before departure without incurring any charges when you rebook it for any time (or even any other trip) in the next 2 years from your original start date.

In the event that you want to cancel your booking altogether, if you give us over 84* days notice you can do so with only a 50% cancellation fee. Your refund of the balance will come in the form of a Store Credit which you can put towards booking absolutely anything travel related with your Travel Concierge within the next 2 years!

*Some select trips excluded, including Teach (Spain, Italy & Czech Republic) and USA (Summer Camp, Working Holiday and Hotel Professional), and others as listed in Booking Conditions.

How it works

Make your decision

Choose your trip style and destination, and confirm your spot with a deposit. Then, open your gWorld account and celebrate, the hardest part is over and the fun is about to begin.

We become friends

You’ll be matched with a personal Trip Coordinator who knows all the ins & outs. They’ll guide you through everything we need to do together, so you can leave your worries behind.

Time to go

We’ll get your tickets in-hand and your transfers ready. Then, our in-country team or partner will have everything prepared for your arrival. It’s now time for the real adventure to start.

24/7 support

Never stress, knowing we’re there with you when you need us with ongoing & unlimited local team support and check-ins. And just in case, we’ve got an emergency team on stand-by, 24/7.

Still have questions?

Why go Global

Flexible trips

The unexpected can happen sometimes. Can't travel right now? Swap your trip, gift it or save it for later with our Lifetime Deposit Guarantee.

Worldwide support

Know that someone is always ready to assist throughout the journey & they’re only a call, tweet, comment, text or double tap away, 24/7.

We're the experts

With over 10 years in the industry and a team of over 100 passionate pros, you can bet we know our stuff better than anyone else.

Partner network

We have over 1,200 partners around the globe, so we have access to plenty of exclusive opportunities to make your trip the best it can be.

Other trips you’ll love