World's Best Job: Beach Tanning Butler

Meet the people with the most unique hotel jobs in the world.

ByABC News
March 22, 2010, 5:21 PM

March 23, 2010— -- Imagine being paid to walk around the beach all day, chatting with beautiful people basking in the Florida sun.

Sounds good? Well, hurry and send in your application to the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach in Miami Beach, Fla., which is looking for a new "tanning butler."

That's right. The luxury hotel actually has somebody on the payroll whose sole responsibility is to help you get lathered up in sunscreen. The service has been in place since the Ritz opened six years ago. The high-visibility butlers, however, usually don't last too long -- the first was discovered on the pool deck and moved to Milan two months later for a modeling career.

"The tanning butler patrols the pool deck and beach in an effort to ensure every guest returns home with a golden South Beach tan," said Michelle Payer, the creator of the program and a spokeswoman for the hotel.

The tanning butler is just one of the unique hotel jobs we found around the globe. From coin washer to peacock manager to fireplace butler, ABC News sought out some of the most unique jobs in the hospitality industry.

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The Ritz Carlton's tanning butler wears a custom-made holster filled with sunscreens of varying SPFs. Not only is the lotion free, but he also offers to apply it to hard-to-reach back, shoulder and neck areas that easily burn.

"His holster also contains a cool water mister and sunglass cleaner for the ultimate in multi-tasking service," Payer added.

Malcolm Vincent held the job for nearly three years and still calls it today "a phenomenal experience." He was born and raised on Maui and said, "I was just a natural at it."

"I just tried to provide a really over-the-top experience for the guest," Vincent said.

He got to meet celebrities staying at the hotel and says he enjoyed providing the service, which was a pleasant surprise to countless sunbathing guests.

So, was it more enjoyable to apply sunscreen to some people than others?

"I was an equal opportunity tanning butler," Vincent said. "For me, a guest is a guest. I was just there to make sure they didn't get that nasty sunburn."

It's not only the ultimate in pampering but also a great story to take home.

"I can't tell you the hundreds of photo albums the tanning butler must be in worldwide, from Stockholm to Tokyo," Payer said. "He's a hit, and a service that guests expect."

A few years ago, a girl even called and asked the tanning butler to be her prom date.

The ideal candidate for the job, Payer said, is outgoing, gregarious, well-spoken, a true people person who enjoys engaging in conversation and understands his role as an ambassador of a luxury brand.