Blue Mountains Hotel School

History
Since its establishment in 1991, the Blue Mountains Hotel School (BMHS) has enjoyed remarkable growth. With a placement success matching its growth rate, the School continues its proud tradition of integrity, quality and educational excellence. Today, over 1000 students from over 40 countries have studied at the school.

Of those who have completed their studies, most are presently working in the hospitality industry around the world.

Accreditation and Associations
The School is a university level institution, recognised and accredited in Australia by the Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board.

It is a member of the Alliance of International Hotel and Business Management Schools , a group of progressive institutes dedicated to providing world class programs in Hospitality and Tourism Management.

The School also operates in partnership with the International Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (IHTTI), Neuchatel , Switzerland and the University of New England (UNE), Armidale NSW Australia ..

Course Overview
Hospitality and Tourism Management – Certificate to Degree
The Blue Mountains Hotel School offers courses in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Certificate to Degree level. The Bachelor of Commerce (Hospitality and Tourism Management) is conferred by The University of New England (UNE), Australia 's oldest regional university, and is delivered on the BMHS campus. To obtain the Bachelor of Commerce (Hospitality and Tourism Management), all three years of study (6 semesters) must be completed. Four semesters are spent at the school and two in industry placement in Australia or abroad. Students who complete the Bachelor of Commerce will be graduates of both UNE and BMHS.

Integrated hospitality and tourism study pathways
Recognising the integration of the hospitality and tourism industries and the opportunities for career transfer between sectors, the School has developed a parallel hospitality and tourism program; a fully integrated course that allows students flexibility of choice in study pathways.

When students enrol in Level 1 of their course they apply for either the Hospitality or the Tourism strand. All students take the Core subjects and the specialist units for the strand. They may be able to transfer between strands at the completion of Level 1.

Study facilities – The School contains three main lecture theatres equipped with data projection systems linked to the School Intranet. There are also seminar and tutorial rooms and fully equipped teaching kitchens. The School's Computer Laboratory contains networked PCs used for training in Microsoft Office, MYOB Accounting and Fidelio (Front Office and Facilities Management) software. Each student room is equipped with a networked PC with 24-hour access to Internet, Intranet and Email services. The professionally staffed Student Resource Centre holds all current trade, business and academic journals relevant to courses. Students have full access to scanning, photocopying and A/V services.

Study in a National Park
A peaceful location with easy access to Sydney – Located in the Blue Mountains village of Leura, the campus is an ideal study location without the distractions of a large city. Famous for its European-style gardens, including those on the campus, the village is a blaze of colour in the spring and autumn. Nearby cliff top walks offer spectacular views of unspoiled Australian wilderness as well as close-up views of native flora and fauna. For weekend breaks and industrial placements, the cosmopolitan city of Sydney is 1.5 hours away by car or train.

Popular tourist destination – As a World Heritage listed national park and one of Australia's top ten tourism destinations, the Blue Mountains combines breathtaking natural beauty with a large variety of tourist attractions. The School's location provides students with an extended classroom and field research centre for their studies. Students can also gain part-time work and industrial placements with local hotels, restaurants and other tourism attractions.

Rest and recreation – The Blue Mountains is one of Australia 's leading arts and cultural centres, renowned for its first class restaurants, hotels and cafes. It also offers a wide range of outdoor and indoor recreational activities including a sports centre, several golf courses, and off-campus gymnasium, bush-walking groups led by experienced guides, and all levels of trail and mountain-biking, horse riding, and other forms of adventure sports.

Live in a Hotel!
“Guests” of No 1 Chambers – When students join the Blue Mountains Hotel School , they become guests of No 1 Chambers – the hotel. As “guests” of the hotel students follow the normal hotel check in and check out procedures at the Front Office and use BMHS currency to settle their simulated accounts.

No 1 Chambers facilities – Set on two hectares of magnificent, well-established gardens, No 1 Chambers has a central landscaped courtyard where students socialise and relax. The grounds also provide a sheltered barbecue area, an outdoor swimming pool, and outdoor sports facilities including volleyball, basketball and tennis courts, and on site parking is available. No 1 Chambers has its own on-site laundry and offers dry cleaning services, while the student recreational lounges contain cable television and video facilities, pool tables and table tennis. A fitness centre at the nearby Mercure Hotel is also available to students.

Accommodation – No 1 Chambers contains more than 120 rooms of single and twin-share hotel-style accommodation. Each room has its own private toilet and shower facilities and is fully equipped with linen and towels, networked personal computer with 24-hour Internet access, and its own STD phone. Some upper level rooms have views to the sandstone clifftops of the national park.

Food and Beverage facilities – The food and beverage areas of the School – the Bistro-café, the Chambers signature restaurant and the Fitzroy functions room – provide a variety of dining experiences. For students who wish to dine in their rooms, a limited room service is available. The hotel also operates a licensed student bar.

The restaurant areas also provide students with a range of learning experiences in operating food and beverage businesses. Students can learn about a variety of service styles and menu types from the simple to the more exotic including Gueridon (where food is prepared and cooked in front of customers). The self-service style of the bistro – café incorporates a purpose built buffet offering a variety of hot and cold Australian and International cuisine, while the bar provides opportunity to learn all aspects of bar service, wines and cocktails.

The Student Body
Currently students from 31 different nationalities are studying at the School. This means the School is truly international and multi-cultured. The lecturers are also international and have a broad professional and academic base. Well qualified, they are engaged in research and publications in addition to high quality teaching.

A majority of students are school leavers with the balance being mature aged students

An International Reputation
The school enjoys an excellent reputation in the industry as a leader in quality training with an industry-validated curriculum designed to prepare students for the many new career opportunities emerging within the fastest growing industry in the world. Most of the graduates begin their career in Australia 's major hotels with many moving into high level positions.

BACK TO TOP