PurposeTo investigate the factors predicting the career progression of hotel managers working in international hotel chains in Ireland, Europe and Asia.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a cross‐sectional questionnaire design consisting of 337 respondents. It investigates individual‐ and organisational‐level factors that potentially explain the career progression of hotel managers.FindingsThe study reveals significant differences in managerial progression in the three sub‐samples. A multiplicity of factors explains differences in advancement. These include demographic, human capital, psychological characteristics of the manager and organisational characteristics. The model developed in the paper explained significant variance in three measures of managerial advancement: salary level, number of job moves, and position reached in the hierarchy.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is based on self‐report data and the response rates are slightly below those reported for behavioural science research. The study does not gather the perceptions of the managers' superiors. The findings indicate that managerial advancement is explained by a complex set of factors, which would benefit from further investigation.Practical implicationsThe study findings suggest important practical implications for the provision of training and development, individual and organisational career strategies, the role of networking in advancement and the respective roles of managers and organisations in managing careers.Originality/valueThe paper has a cross‐cultural dimension which to date is largely absent from this area of research.