This episode we are joined by Mark Lewis, CEO of UK-based benevolent charity Hospitality Action. We discussed all the ways the charity helps those in need, giving support to those in the sector who often have nowhere else left to turn, some of the reasons why 2024 was their most challenging ‘year yet’ and how operators can better support their workers and also help raise funds so the charity can continue its vital work.
Apr 14, 2025•36 min•Season 3Ep. 10
In this episode we speak to Robert Bates, Executive Head Chef at The Belfry Hotel & Resort. Rob spoke about his experience working with Albert Roux, and the lessons learned from his time at Joel Robuchon and Le Gavroche, how respect and recognition is key to high morale and staff retention in the kitchen and his approach to seasonal menu creation. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-out. https://www.howdengroup.com/hotel-insurance...
Apr 04, 2025•55 min•Season 3Ep. 11
In this episode we’re joined by Mark Spanton, the Pre-Opening General Manager of Dakota Newcastle. Mark speaks about his transition to managerial roles and background in F&B and Operations, how to best navigate the thorough process of a hotel’s snag stage alongside a supportive, communicative team, and why Newcastle is well positioned to be a prime hub for hospitality. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-out. https://www.howdengro...
Mar 28, 2025•53 min•Season 3Ep. 10
In this episode we speak to Ben Harper, CEO of the Watergate Bay Hotel and the recently launched SeaSpace, an experience-led, lifestyle aparthotel on the Cornish coastline. Ben discusses his time at SACO, where he helped launch and scale the innovative Locke brand, how SeaSpace fosters a community-led ecosystem and the benefits this brings, and how experience-led stays are forging the way in hospitality. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel busine...
Mar 21, 2025•52 min•Season 3Ep. 9
This episode we speak to Mark and Sherene Fuller, co-owners of the legendary Karma Sanctum Soho hotel. They talk about their vibrant background in the music and nightlife industry, and the colourful characters they’ve met along the way, how the hotel has fostered a creative community through its exclusive membership model, and how Karma Sanctum Soho became London’s ultimate rock ‘n’ roll hotel. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-...
Mar 17, 2025•39 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In this episode we're joined by Eric Jafari, co-founder and managing director of AENDRE. We discussed how listing all the things he disliked about his experiences as a guest led him to create the first innovative extended-stay lifestyle brand, how AENDRE is looking to meet the needs and tastes of today’s ‘Zillennial’ traveller, and his advice for hoteliers looking to work with private equity firms to create their ideal hotel brand . This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broke...
Mar 07, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 7
In this episode we speak with Joe Cainey, co-founder of Sunbeam, an AI platform that helps hoteliers get useful insights by processing masses of guest feedback. We spoke about the surprising things hoteliers learn from the data, the importance of text as opposed to star ratings in making insights useful, and how customer feedback in the future will get hoteliers ever closer to the truth about their performance. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel...
Feb 28, 2025•43 min•Season 3Ep. 6
In this episode we speak to Robert Alley, Brand Development Director at BWH. He talks about the emergence of soft and hard brands under the Best Western umbrella, how BWH allows its independent hoteliers to benefit from the heritage power of Best Western whilst enjoying flexibility in their own operations, and the importance of forging strong relationships with owners through open communication and respect. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel bus...
Feb 21, 2025•53 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this episode we speak to Lorraine Copes, the Founder and CEO of Be Inclusive Hospitality, a not-for-profit organisation aiming to accelerate racial equity in hospitality. Lorraine spoke about her own career journey and what inspired her to launch the organisation, the barriers that still exist when it comes to people of colour’s representation in senior hospitality roles, and how Be Inclusive is restructuring attitudes through EDI education. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global ins...
Feb 14, 2025•50 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this episode we're joined by Chris Wayne-Wills, the CEO of Crerar Hotels. We discussed the advantages of working in some of the smaller regional markets, what it was like leading the repositioning of the hotel group, helping to elevate its average daily room rate across its portfolio and the work he does for UK Hospitality Scotland and HIT Scotland in ensuring the sector’s future success. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-out...
Feb 07, 2025•55 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In this episode we speak to Samantha van Exter, Head of Hotels at the Montcalm Collection. We discussed her background in working across multiple luxury hotel markets, how she oversaw the extensive refurb of Montcalm’s flagship Mayfair site, her advice for navigating a B-Corp certification journey and what the London hotel market looks like in the year ahead. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-out. https://www.howdengroup.com/hot...
Jan 31, 2025•45 min•Season 3Ep. 2
In this episode we speak to Andrew Secker, RBH Hospitality Management’s Commercial Director. We discussed Andrew’s own career journey, how he leads and develops commercial strategies for RBH’s diverse portfolio, and what it takes to be successful as part of a sales and commercial team. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-out. https://www.howdengroup.com/hotel-insurance
Jan 24, 2025•30 min•Season 3Ep. 1
In this episode we talk to Hasib Rahmati, Business Development Manager at ChargeGuru, a leader in the supply and installation of EV chargers for hotels and beyond. Hasib discusses how ChargeGuru creates a simplified process for hoteliers to implement EV charging on their sites, the many benefits of this, like creating guest loyalty and passive revenue streams, and the importance of getting ahead of the curve when it comes to making your site EV friendly.
Dec 20, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 46
This episode we are joined by Katie Niland, Commercial Director at the Belfry Hotel and Resort. We discuss her journey in the industry, the £80m expansion project currently happening at the hotel and the challenges that come with it.
Dec 13, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 45
This episode we are joined by joined by Tracey Ractliffe and Sarah Baines, Commercial Director and Sales Director at luxury hotel Grantley Hall. We discussed the reasons behind Grantley Hall’s 28% increase in events business over the past year, how the pair strategically plan for the short, medium and long term and how to navigate the challenges that hosting large events may bring.
Nov 29, 2024•43 min•Season 2Ep. 44
In this episode we talk to Francisco Ventura, the General Manager at Sunborn London, the only superyacht floating hotel in the UK. Francisco talks about the experience of joining the hotel at the start of Covid, and how a core team of 13 helped house key workers during this time, the complexities of running a floating hotel, and how the young generation are driving changes in attitude around working culture in the industry.
Nov 22, 2024•56 min•Season 2Ep. 43
In this week's special episode we are joined by Hotel Owner’s very own reporter, Cynera Rodricks. Cynera recently attended a presentation by James Bishop, SiteMinder’s Vice President of Ecosystem and Strategic Partnerships, who spoke about the findings uncovered in SiteMinder’s new Changing Traveller Report, including changing attitudes around dynamic pricing, and what trends are resonating with Gen Z travellers.
Nov 15, 2024•21 min•Season 2Ep. 42
In this episode we speak to Bill Fisher, General Manager of the Hilton London Metropole, a 1,100-room 4-star hotel and conference centre in central London. We spoke about how he climbed the career ladder from his early days as a banqueting waiter, his experience becoming an Area Manager for Hilton in the Sichuan region of China, and what it’s like running one of Europe’s premier hotel properties.
Nov 01, 2024•39 min•Season 2Ep. 41
In this week’s Checking In, we speak to Damien Martin, General Manager of the Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff. Damien talks about his journey from fine dining jobs to wider operational roles, the importance of getting to know your team as individuals, the Master Innholders’ Aspiring Leadership Diploma and its valuable networking opportunities, and how more can be done to nurture new industry talent from a diverse breadth of backgrounds.
Oct 25, 2024•50 min•Season 2Ep. 40
In this episode of Checking In we speak to Karim Malak, the CEO of easyHotel, about his career path from consultancy roles to leading easyHotel today, how the hotel group has maintained high profit margins despite the turbulence of the wider economy, and about his ambitions for easyHotel to leverage its brand and grow from 50 to 1,000 properties.
Oct 18, 2024•51 min•Season 2Ep. 39
On this episode of Checking we are joined by Jane Frazer, Director of Sales and Marketing at Fairmont St Andrews. We Discussed Jane’s time working in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and their differences from the UK market, her advice for listeners to wanting to attract more MICE business, and how despite being located at the home of golf the hotel makes sure to maximise its attractiveness to guests other than golfers through its strong community relationships.
Oct 11, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 38
In this week’s Checking In, we speak to Grant Peires, Communications Director at IDILIQ Group, who has most recently dedicated his work to Kind Holidays, an initiative where hotel space is gifted to families and individuals going through hardship to provide them with a respite and create priceless memories. Grant tells us more about how the initiative works, the impact it has had on some incredible individuals, and how other hoteliers can get involved in this worthwhile movement. An introduction...
Oct 04, 2024•52 min•Season 2Ep. 37
In this episode we're joined by David Hayden, the General Manager at Mercure and ibis London Earls Court Hotel. In this episode, we talked about the hotel’s soft launch earlier this summer, David’s work in helping to refurb and reposition the hotel as a co-branded property, and how this project has helped boost personal and professional growth for him and the team.
Sep 27, 2024•44 min•Season 2Ep. 36
In this episode we speak with Tony Barker, owner of hospitality tech platform, Chicostay. Tony tells us about his early career building software to help airlines modernise their ancillary businesses, how Chicostay can help smooth the confirmation and check-in process and free up front of house staff, and how thinking like a retailer can help hoteliers drive ancillary revenues higher than they expect.
Sep 20, 2024•37 min•Season 2Ep. 35
In this episode we’re joined by Guy Ivesha, CEO of workspace and lifestyle concept Maslow's. Guy discusses how his love of hospitality runs in the family, his role in redeveloping one of New York's most iconic hotels, how New York hospitality inspired him to set up his own pioneering venture in the UK and the interesting theory behind the name and concept of Maslow’s.
Sep 13, 2024•46 min•Season 2Ep. 34
In this week’s Checking In we're joined by Andrew Kendrick, Managing Director of Hotels at Splendid Hospitality Group. Andrew talks about how his love of hospitality began at his family’s own hotel in Wales, the diversity of Splendid’s portfolio and how this enables it to be an agile and ever-developing business, and how those in hospitality can make positive impacts with the people around them to leave behind a lasting legacy.
Sep 06, 2024•46 min•Season 2Ep. 32
This week we’re joined by Sean Wheeler, Hospitality Action Ambassador and a People and Culture Consultant at Sean Wheeler Consulting. Sean talks to us about the ways in which hospitality leaders can best support the mental wellbeing of their colleagues, how the Walk for Wellbeing initiative has grown to become a UK-wide movement, and how you can get involved in this year’s event.
Aug 30, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 30
This week we spoke with Louise Tawadrous, client services director at the insights and consultancy firm BVA BDRC. We discussed how Louise began her career with an 8-year stint at IHG climbing up the career ladder, how she pivoted into consultancy and now runs the VenueVerdict programme that she had encountered during her time at IHG, and how she she feels there are some straightforward practices hotels can adopt to really wow their guests.
Aug 23, 2024•38 min•Season 2Ep. 29
In this week’s episode we’re joined by Marie-Paule Nowlis, the Area General Manager for Sofitel UK and General Manager of Sofitel London St James. Marie-Paule discusses her experience of hospitality in New York and London, and the differences between working in both cities, the importance of authenticity in luxury hotel brands and her own approach to leadership and building trust with her team.
Aug 16, 2024•37 min•Season 2Ep. 30
In this episode of Checking In, we're joined by Mark Winter, the Pre-Opening General Manager of Holiday Inn Blackpool, which recently opened in May of this year. In this episode, we talked about Mark’s experience with opening branded hotels, his ingenious hiring initiative that resulted in 3,600 people registering interest in joining, and the perks of being a young manager.
Aug 09, 2024•40 min•Season 2Ep. 29
