This week we are joined by Jim Cockell, the owner of the boutique hotel The Old Stocks Inn. We discussed Jim’s decision to acquire the hotel back in 2014 and what he learned during the significant renovation project that followed, what skills he thinks are needed to create a successful revenue management strategy and why hoteliers should always look out for opportunities to diversify their revenue streams.
This week we spoke to Eljesa Saciri, General Manager of The Zetter Marylebone. Eljesa spoke about her strong advocacy for equality within the industry, what can be done to break down barriers for other women in hospitality, how to encourage young people to begin their own career journeys, and the importance of having difficult conversations to further progress.
This week we are joined by Giles Fuchs, owner of the iconic Burgh Island Hotel. We spoke about how it has been brought up to date with renovations, the new hotel-like staff accommodation that's just opened, and how it's intended to attract and retain staff in a tough recruitment environment, and why Giles feels it's time to sell and get back to full-time on his existing serviced office business.
This week we’re joined by Neil Taylor, the General Manager of YOTEL Glasgow. In this episode, Neil explains how his passion for hospitality developed at a young age, the importance of strong communication with your team as a General Manager, and how the industry can best attract and retain employees.
This week we’re joined by Martin Terry, Director of Sales at Stapleford Park. Martin talks to us about the ins and outs of targeting sales and staying competitive, the importance of connecting with customers to better understand your business, and what we can expect to see in the hotel events market this coming year.
On this episode we are joined by Emlyn Brown, Global Senior Vice President of Wellbeing at Accor. We discussed the challenges of overseeing a wellness and wellbeing strategy across multiple brands, his tips for independent hoteliers and what he calls the 'me to we' revolution.
This week we are joined by Marc Roeberson, the new COO of Clink Hostels. He tells us about the sixth instalment of Clink’s property portfolio, the importance of a strong CSR programme, and what he thinks the accommodation market will look like in the coming months.
This week we speak to Lee Pickersgill, Energy Manager at Valor Hospitality. Lee talks about what he learned during his time with the Royal Engineers, how he helps Valor reduce its energy usage across its portfolio, and what sustainable initiatives are set to emerge in the industry.
This week we’re joined by Chris Eigelaar, Resort Director at The Belfry Hotel & Resort. Chris talks to us about his career beginnings in South Africa, his current role as Resort Director, and how best to attract and retain talent in the industry, and foster a positive people culture.
This week we spoke to Michael Mason-Shaw, general manager at Hyatt Place London City East. We spoke about his career, starting as an art graduate, becoming Accor’s food and beverage country manager, and onward to GM roles working with Cycas Hospitality Management. We touched on his passion for sustainability and how to bring it into hospitality, and how technology is the key change the industry has seen since he started back in 1999.
In this week's special episode we are joined by Hotel Owner’s very own reporter Corina Duma. Corina recently attended Hospa’s annual conference so we have brought her in to discuss who was in attendance and delve into some of the major talking points presented at one of the industry's marquee events.
This week we’re joined by James Horn, F&B Director at The Cumberland in London. James talks about his early career in New York City, what it’s like to work alongside hospitality legends such as Wolfgang Puck, his experience of revamping F&B offerings for hotels and what makes for a successful F&B offering for your site.
This week we are joined by Barbara Van Teeffelen, the owner of exclusive stay country house hotel, Keythorpe Hall. We discussed how Barbara and her partner Giles acquired the property, the benefits of the exclusive stay model and how sustainability is key to their offering.
This week we’re joined by Joe Fox, Head Concierge at Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill. Joe talks about his varied concierge roles over the years, including his time as chief concierge on a cruise ship, the benefits of being a member of Les Clefs d’Or and the most unusual requests he’s received from guests.
This week we speak with Arnaud de Saint-Exupéry, Area Vice President of Hyatt UK & Ireland and General Manager of Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill. Arnaud talks about his journey into hospitality, the benefits of holding his dual role and exciting future plans for Hyatt.
This week we speak to Mark Hills, General Manager of The Gresham Aparthotel. Mark tells us about his transition from F&B to GM roles, how The Gresham transformed a beloved Fenwick department store into an aparthotel whilst retaining its original character, and how recruitment challenges might be the single biggest change Mark has seen during his career.
On this week's episode we talk to Alex Livesey, the managing director of Brama Hotels, as well as COO of co-working space Clockwise. Alex talks about the lessons learned throughout her 25 years in the industry, how co-working spaces can benefit from the hospitality touch, and the process of building a hotel brand from scratch.
This week we spoke to Harro Dorsch, the owner of Weaverham, Cheshire based B&B, The Hive at 52. We discussed his wide ranging previous career in hospitality in both Holland and the UK, why and how he decided to set up his own B&B business, his thoughts on OTAs and his approach to social media marketing.
In this episode we’re joined by Dan Sutton, Head of Hotels at Roadchef. We discussed Dan’s unique career journey, including launching Thorpe Park's first accommodation offering, transitioning from F&B, and the key to Roadchef’s strong relationship with Wyndham Hotels.
This week we speak with Jane Pendlebury, the CEO of HOSPA (the Hospitality Professionals Association). We spoke about her career starting as a trainee duty manager with DeVere, her experience in technology companies and how it relates to her role today, and her thoughts on how the industry has changed and the challenges it faces.
On this episode of Checking In we are joined by Mario Flanagan, the general manager of Andaz London Liverpool Street. We discussed Mario’s journey into hospitality from starting as a concierge in South Africa, brushing shoulders with Michael Jackson and Michelle Obama, and how Andaz uses data to personalise its offering.
This week we're joined by David Anderson, divisional president of EMEA at Aimbridge Hospitality. He has over 20 years of operational experience leading some of the top hotel companies in the world. We spoke about his journey into the industry, adapting to senior roles and his target of doubling its European portfolio over the next couple of years.
