Return to main articleStrangest Jobs in the Travel Industry
Hotel Falconer
Biltmore Four Seasons, Santa Barbara
Apparently, nothing says five-star resort like a giant bird of prey. At Santa Barbara’s Biltmore Four Seasons, a falconer comes twice a week to shoo seagulls from the pool at the resort’s new Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club, located on Butterfly Beach. His tactics, the resort stresses, are nonviolent: just strolling the pool’s perimeter with a falcon, hawk, or owl perched on his arm is usually enough to intimidate the gulls, who otherwise leave droppings or dive-bomb for guests’ poolside snacks. Meanwhile, Qatar’s Sharq Village and Spa, managed by Ritz-Carlton, has a falconer—reminiscent of the old local hunting methods—perched in the lobby to greet evening guests alongside the hotel’s traditionally dressed “coffee man“. Where to Spot Him: The Biltmore’s falconer comes Tuesdays and Fridays for his regular duties, but has become so popular with guests that the resort is now planning for him to host a Jack Hanna-like “Hawk Talk” program for guests.
