The Hotel Magazine June 2023

You might have noticed that our cover differs slightly this month from our usual luxe lifestyle or interior image and the reason for this is a very special one. We are honoured to feature Sir Richard Branson on our front cover to mark the opening of Edinburgh’s Virgin Hotel. Lucky enough to attend the official launch party in March, we learnt about his Edinburgh roots and how the success of the American Virgin venues inspired the first hotel carrying his Virgin brand in the UK and Europe. Delving into all things Edinburgh and how the hotel’s on-site restaurant ‘Eve’ was a tribute to his late Mum, we share an unforgettable exclusive interview with the billionaire entrepreneur himself which sits beside a Venue Profile of Virgin Hotels Edinburgh bursting with inspiration.

Although the Virgin coverage is a tough act to follow, we promise our unique features this month won’t disappoint. The Bedroom feature looks at how to make your hotel bedrooms unique whilst providing an exceptional stay suited to a range of guests. In line with the focus on sleeping quarters at an overnight stay venue, we share ‘Housekeeping 101’. This piece does exactly what it’s set out to do and includes details on organisation surrounding on-site cleaning and maintenance in order for guests to feel like their room has never been slept in before.

With our coverage this month really ranging in topics, including the showcase of an exceptional piece which shares an interview with Uta Scheurer, Group Vice President People and Culture at the Ruby Group, detailing her specialist role, the group’s popular 35-hour working week and the success of their innovative ‘tattoo campaign’ recruitment scheme, our regular features are still a staple in the issue. With London’s Greenest Hotel featuring as our Hotel of the Month and Gravetye Manor being showcased in a Venue Profile, there is plenty to get your teeth stuck into!

Enjoy, and thank you, as always, for the ongoing support.

JUNE 2023 JADE EVANS, EDITOR

CONTENTS

8 COVER STORY

In an exclusive interview with Sir Richard Branson, we find out what brought Virgin Hotels to Edinburgh as he details how the success of the American venues has impacted the newest opening.

13 THE BEDROOM

With the bedroom being the primary stand-out element to guests at an overnight stay, we reveal how you can make your bedrooms unique whilst providing an exceptional stay suited to a range of guests.

29 HOUSEKEEPING 101

We share a guide to getting your venue’s housekeeping right so guests feel like their room has never been slept in before.

40 HOTEL OF THE MONTH

All things green and a firm favourite for consumers across the globe, we delve deep into the amenities on-site at The Corner London City as we share an exclusive piece for June’s Hotel of the Month.

46 VENUE PROFILE

This month shares an interesting standpoint for our Venue Profile as we delve into one of the highly-acclaimed PoB Hotels – Gravetye Manor as they explain how the accreditation contributes to a greater marketing strategy.

50 HM PICKS

We share yet more of our Editor’s picks for interior inspiration.

EDITOR

Jade Evans jevans@cimltd.co.uk

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Brooke Tremain bt@cimltd.co.uk

PUBLICATION MANAGER

Declan Wale

dec@cimltd.co.uk

Tel: 01795 509 112

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Jazmine Davis

jazmine@cimltd.co.uk

Tel: 01795 509 112

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Manjeet Griffiths manjeet@cimltd.co.uk

Tel: 01795 509 112

CREDIT FACILITIES MANAGER

Lauren Sharpe creditcontrol@cimltd.co.uk

Tel: 01795 509 103

ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

Natalie Murray admin@cimltd.co.uk

Tel: 01795 509 103

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

Grant Waters grant@cimltd.co.uk

James Taylor james@cimltd.co.uk

SALES DIRECTOR

Tom Woollin tom@cimltd.co.uk

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

John Denning

The Montenotte Hotel welcomes new Executive

One of Ireland’s leading hotels, announced the appointment of Rudi Liebenberg as the new Executive Chef. The South-African acclaimed Chef brings with him a wealth of experience, most recently as Executive Chef at the Belmond Mount Nelson, and previously The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg. Rudi is committed to elevating the hotel’s cuisine.

Rudi resonates with The Montenotte Hotel’s vision of a relaxed yet holistic approach to the dining experience and the use of fresh and seasonal produce to ensure that the ingredients keep its natural flavour.

Rudi Liebenberg, Executive Chef at The Montenotte Hotel, commented: “As a Chef, I am passionate about using the finest quality of local ingredients to create a menu of varied, seasonal and approachable dishes for

Chef

every diner to enjoy whilst overlooking the views of Cork City.”

www.themontenottehotel.com

Hospitality sector celebrates a successful 2023 edition of HRC

Hotel, Restaurant & Catering returned to ExCeL London on 20-22 March to connect hospitality business owners and operators with a wide range of innovative suppliers. Together with co-located trade shows IFE and IFE Manufacturing, HRC welcomed over 27,000 industry professionals across three days to learn, network and streamline their product sourcing. This year’s event saw a range of new features including Chef HQ, curated by Chef Publishing, a demo kitchen stage and networking area showcasing the latest culinary innovations and a line-up of leading British and European chefs. James Page, Managing Director at Wentbridge House Hotel, added: “I’ve been attending HRC now for many years. To find the vast range of

products and services, innovation and heavy equipment under one roof is hard to equal at any other exhibition.” hrc.co.uk

Aldwark Manor Estate tees up for £15m Golf Course renovation

Aldwark Manor Estate is renowned for its luxurious North Yorkshire stays and experiences, and this summer will delight golfers with the launch of its renovated course following the estate’s £15m investment.

Bringing 15 new jobs to the area, the course, which will launch on the 1st of June, includes an 18-hole golf course, golf shop, luxury golfing accommodation featuring 11 bedrooms, and a sports bar and restaurant aptly named Bunkers.

Chris Lawton, golf manager at Aldwark Manor Estate said: “Our new golf offering has been eagerly anticipated, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to be launching our new course, in true Aldwark style, the new offering is no

ordinary golf course, and we look forward to surprising golfers with some difficult yet incredibly enjoyable holes.”

www.aldwarkmanorestate.co.uk

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BUILT ON MAGIC

Upon opening his latest Virgin Hotel in Edinburgh, Sir Richard Branson told Hotel Magazine that he believes it is ‘magic’ which creates cohesion across venues when looking to expand. Being fortunate enough to attend the official launch of the venue, we sat down for an exclusive interview with Sir Richard Branson and CEO of Virgin Hotels, James Bermingham, as they speak on topics including the importance of appealing to locals as well as what’s next for the Virgin brand.

What made you choose Edinburgh as the first Virgin Hotel outside of America?

Sir Richard: Edinburgh is rich in history, it’s rich in our history - we used to have Virgin Records and Virgin megastores here. I don’t sound like it, but my roots are Scottish. First of all my grandmother was from Edinburgh, my wife is from Glasgow, and I think technically I’m about three quarters Scottish, so I have been coming up for many, many years. Virgin normally goes where we feel there’s a need for us.

When we came across this site, it needed a lot of imagination and our team had an eye to see how they could turn it into something very unique and bring the whole place back to life again. It was important that we achieved this in a really cosy way that reflected the music heritage and the art of Edinburgh, rather than the stuffy side a lot of hotels in Scotland are built on.

James: Launching into Europe, it’s very important that we are first into one of the most important cities which ticks all the boxes. European expansion is very important to us and Edinburgh is a great place to launch, especially because we’ve got two magnificent heritage buildings here and we always want to create that sense of spirit and place - this is a magnificent example of that.

How do you ensure each Virgin Hotels venue still has that element of cohesion, what is it that brings them together and why is this important?

Sir Richard: I think we experimented on the Americans, because we obviously didn’t want to open something in the UK until we’d perfected it and got it right. First of all creating the Chicago hotel and then Nashville, New Orleans and Vegas, it allowed us to learn a lot. Every time we start something and open a new venue, we learn something to make sure that even more magic can be created in the next one. Edinburgh’s is not the sort of stuffy, traditional hotel that people think you should create when you’re building a

hotel in Scotland, it almost goes against the grain a bit. We wanted to create a hotel that had a touch of Scotland but was really welcoming, extraordinarily fun, full of modern art with wonderful people working here that can welcome our guests. All the things that Virgin is, hopefully, renowned for and the team managed to convert this building in a way that I think reflects well on tradition and the Virgin brand, but also on what people actually want in this modern day and age.

You mentioned the word magic, would you say that it is that element of magic which ties all of the Virgin Hotels together?

Sir Richard: I’d like to think so. There’s no point in repeating something that’s been done before, everything we do has to have a bit of magic sprinkled on it and our team have done that here in Edinburgh.

What helps to ensure that Virgin Hotels Edinburgh is at the forefront of a consumer’s, local’s and tourist’s mind when they go to book an overnight stay?

James: I think, as Richard said, it is bringing that magic, that sense of fun and playfulness and hiring great people

to let them be themselves - that’s hugely important to us to express service their way. Really embracing the local community here and making sure we are as appealing to locals as anyone else is essential for us; we want the venue to be considered as the centrepiece of their community. If we continue to achieve that then we can bring in more and more hotels, because there’s only one Virgin.

Where is next for Virgin Hotels?

Sir Richard: Glasgow will be on the horizon very soon and obviously New York has just opened very near Times Square. We’ll break ground in Denver this year and also in Miami, so, we’ve got a lot of exciting things coming up.

@virginhotelsedi @virginhotels

OLD TOWN, NEW COMPETITION

Embodying the historic architecture of Scotland mixed with contemporary design, Virgin Hotels Edinburgh aims to entice a broad array of guests. In this exclusive piece, James Bermingham, CEO at Virgin Hotels, shares details on the elements the team chose to add in order for guests to feel ‘like they never want to leave’.

Please introduce Virgin Hotels Edinburgh and the inspiration behind the venue.

Edinburgh – the location for the first Virgin Hotel in Europe – was the natural choice given the vibrancy of the City and all that it has to offer.

Located in the landmark India Buildings in Edinburgh’s Old Town, a stone’s throw from Edinburgh Castle, the hotel features 222 Chambers and Grand Chamber Suites and multiple dining and drinking outlets including Eve and Commons Club, all with their own unique space and distinct design. The hotel site is home to a 19th century church, known as Greyfriars Hall, that has been beautifully restored and repurposed as a special event venue.

The hotel’s design takes inspiration from a variety of sources, such as the local culture and history of Edinburgh, the Virgin brand’s overall aesthetic, and the shared vision with our capital partners Flemyn Group, inspired the creative vision of the hotel’s designers and architects.

Edinburgh is known for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant arts scene. The hotel’s design incorporates key elements of Edinburgh’s history and culture, such as traditional artwork and architectural details, keeping the heritage of the India Buildings alive.

Within the hotel’s 222 chambers, each is equipped with top of the range technology and elegant finishing touches. All the smallest details have been thought out in each room, with luxurious materials such as high-quality bedding and furnishings throughout.

Who is the target audience for the hotel and how have you made this apparent through the elements inside the venue?

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh aims to appeal to its affluent target market who value a personalised and stylish stay, by providing a unique experience through various luxurious elements that cater to their specific needs and preferences.

Showcasing a first-class look into Scottish luxury, the hotel is perfectly situated for both international travellers and locals looking for a staycation in the heart of the city.

Firstly, the hotel’s design is modern and sleek, with a touch of Scottish elegance, appealing to guests who appreciate contemporary aesthetics. Each of the 222 chambers and suites comes with a custom bed, large flat-screen TVs, and a Smart thermostat, all designed to enhance the guest’s comfort and convenience.

Furthermore, the hotel offers a unique dining experience with its on-site restaurant and bar, Eve. This lively venue

is known for its culinary delights, signature cocktails, and exciting events. Guests can indulge in delicious meals, from breakfast to dinner, and enjoy their favourite tipple in a vibrant atmosphere.

Eve regularly hosts events, including live music performances, DJ nights, and themed parties, attracting locals and guests alike. These events provide an opportunity for guests to socialise and enjoy live entertainment, without even stepping foot outside.

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh is also home to its elegant flagship restaurant Commons Club, which offers a premium dining experience and is perfect for hosting private functions and corporate events within the Commons Club Kitchen space.

The restaurants were also both designed with locals in mind, offering city dwellers an outstanding dining experience or chic spot for a cocktail on their doorstep, and local businesses a unique meeting space to get out of the office.

There are a selection of food and beverage outlets on-site at the venue, why was this important upon opening and what benefits has the variation presented?

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh’s first outlet is Eve, the all-day dining space providing a range of food, drinks and entertainment. Having the opportunity to use Eve as more than a dining space was important during the conception of the hotel. Located within the hub of arts culture, Edinburgh is worldrenowned for its festivals, particularly the Edinburgh Fringe, and Virgin Hotels was eager to get involved. Since Virgin’s first foray into the music and performance scene with Virgin Records, music has always been at the heart of the Virgin brand.

Eve’s interiors are also unlike anything other. Unique paintings from floor to ceiling cover the walls, which were specially chosen for the location by Studio Giftig, a renowned Dutch graffiti artist collective. These unique artworks create an immersive environment that simultaneously commemorates and transcends the brand and region’s rich past by incorporating themes of Scottish history and Virgin heritage.

Commons Club is Virgin Hotels Edinburgh’s flagship restaurant. A modern take on a classic social club, Commons Club features Scottish ingredients of the highest calibre prepared with creative flair. As Virgin Hotels flagship, The Commons Club Restaurant was a must to provide guests the finest experience in food and beverage without having to leave the property.

Recently, Commons Club launched the ‘Chef’s Table’, a 5-course tasting menu where guests can experience the magic up close, from kitchen to plate. Virgin Hotels aims to be a modern brand, offering guests unique and memorable experiences. From the high standard of its dining, to unforgettable events and culinary experiences, the dining venues were a pivotal part of the hotel’s inception and continue to be one of the main draws, attracting both overnight hotel guests and visitors of the city.

Looking to provide a variety of function spaces, Virgin Hotels Edinburgh is also home to Greyfriars Hall, a gothic church that has been carefully restored according to its original architecture. The breath-taking event space is an integral part of the hotel, tying the old history of Edinburgh into the modern party atmosphere that the capital is known for. It was important for Virgin Hotels to have a multifunctional space that would be front of mind for both local events as well as private functions and special celebrations, and Greyfriars does this in a spectacular way.

GOING BEYOND SLEEP

With the help of some expert commentary, we reveal how to make your hotel bedrooms unique whilst providing an exceptional stay suited to a range of guests.

Despite hotels often being seen as ‘somewhere to sleep’, due to consumer demand, bedrooms go much further than simply providing a place to rest. The room itself is often the pinnacle of a guest’s stay and, therefore, making a hotel bedroom unique can be a great way to set your venue apart from the competition and provide an unforgettable experience for your guests.

Ultimately, your role is to provide a temporary home to those who visit you and, with such a rise in the travel industry, the hospitality scene is seeing a spike in new competitors which is only fuelling the race. The focus has now shifted to that of the crucial design details and adding amenities that can capture guests’ attention and deter them from choosing a competing venue.

The conclusive factor in this power struggle is the

bedroom at the hotel itself and how to make it welcoming in a way that will stick at the forefront of your visitors’ minds.

When the bedrooms were designed at the French hotel, Crillon le Brave, it was important that they could provide modern comforts such as high-quality bedding as well as offering a sense of place.

General Manager of Crillon le Brave, Dagmar Lombard, said: “The choice of materials, as well as lighting and art decoration, are in balance with our historic Provincial Houses and these are elements which make our rooms memorable.”

Dagmar recognises that, yes, a bedroom must have an

inviting aesthetic, but also must be functional for the guest and there should be a logical sense of movement in the room. In line with this, she believes that the position of the bed is important: “The guest should not have the view of the toilets while lying in bed. The basics are always the same, no matter the guest.”

Measures can be taken ahead of a guest’s arrival to ensure their bedroom is right for them during their stay, and Dagmar sees that, at the time of booking, it is important to question the guest about the occasion, the number of people travelling, the specific needs or expectations they have and whether they have any health issues.

“The guest should not have the view of the toilets while lying in bed.”

When a guest books a luxury hotel, the standard is already dictated with the star rating. The amenities provided meet what the guest is expecting. Dagmar recognises that a guest chooses a property because they correspond with the style and personality of that hotel.

“On the other hand, the in-room amenities are chosen to meet a broad range of guests, to provide comfort, whilst also being in total harmony with the hotel’s character.” Dagmar concluded.

Mollie’s Motel & Diner Bristol and Oxfordshire have worked tirelessly to refine every detail, from the design and technology to the product. They have carefully considered the key touchpoints to try and make every visit to Mollie’s memorable, premium in feel but reasonable in price point.

Darren Sweetland, Managing Director of Mollie’s Motel

& Diner Bristol and Oxfordshire, explained how the venue has partnered with some great brands, such as Conran furniture, Dyson Hairdryers, ghd Hair Straighteners and Cowshed wash products to really elevate guests’ experience.

“For us, simplicity was key in terms of creating the best guest experience. We wanted to move away from kettles in-room, so our motel has high quality water taps on each floor offering ambient, chilled and hot water where guests can enjoy Mollie’s own artisanal house coffee blend in their room or lounge space.”

In terms of actions which can be taken prior to a guest’s arrival to ensure their bedroom is right for them during their stay the Mollie’s app provides a number of benefits for guests looking for digital convenience. Darren explained:

“There’s no better way to welcome a guest to their stay than including fresh florals in their space.”

“Guests can check in when it’s right for them before arriving. Guests can pick up their room key via their phone and, once they get to the room, Netflix and other TV services are automatically paired, enabling visitors to use their phone as a TV remote.”

Another way to really leave a mark amongst staying guests is by ensuring your in-room amenities suit a range of visitors. Mollie’s ‘budget luxe’ rooms are a masterclass in affordable luxury, featuring Soho Home and Conran lighting, natural oak and terrazzo finishes, chrome details, handcrafted Hypnos mattresses by Soho Home, Egyptian cotton bedding, climate control, contactless room access, smart TV with casting and Cowshed natural products.

In the opinion of many, there’s no better way to welcome a guest to their stay than including fresh florals in their space. Flowers are the pinnacle of luxury when traveling. After planes, trains, and taxis, arriving to a freshly cut arrangement feels like someone is truly thinking of you and taking care of you.

Flowers create a calming moment of natural beauty, just like they might keep in their own homes. Especially if a guest is celebrating a particular occasion — an anniversary, birthday, or wedding — welcoming a guest with their favourite flower is the meaningful touch that most hotels miss out on.

Vice President of Commercial at FLOWERBX, Otto Laghzaoui, said: “Flowers need to be chosen, and they need care to stay fresh: guests feel that extra thoughtfulness upon their arrival. Every flower is inherently unique — the ones in your room are not the ones in anyone else’s, or that you’ve had in any other stay. If guests have a particular floral preference, hotels can raise the bar even higher by including their favourite flowers, making it a welcoming

experience unlike any other. When flowers are specially selected for you and refreshed throughout your stay, it really feels like a hotel is raising the bar on luxury.”

Despite recognising that it can be challenging to find flower arrangements that suit every guest’s needs and preferences, Otto recommends that the venue finds a signature look that suits the style of the building and design, and the hotel’s philosophy, and tailor that look to guests once you’re able to understand their tastes.

FLOWERBX helps hotels understand and develop their floral style to help deliver beautiful floral arrangements that flatter the environment and that any guest would be truly delighted to encounter.

Bedrooms at Hotel Indigo Bath are designed with the curious guest in mind, with three different room themes reflecting stories from the local neighbourhood of Bath: Romance and Mischief, Architectural Beauty, and Literary Hideaways. No two rooms are the same in the 166-bedroom hotel, making it easy to find a suitable room to match guests’ needs.

Nicola Fender, General Manager at Hotel Indigo Bath, explained: “Reception teams call every guest prior to their arrival to identify any specific requirements they may have. This helps them allocate a well-matched bedroom to the guest whilst creating a warm, initial first impression for them.” Gestures like this always guarantee happy guests, so it is well worth putting a little bit of extra time into doing this to boost your venue’s reputation.

By implementing these ideas told by our experts, along with other creative strategies, you can create unique and memorable experiences for your guests that will keep them coming back for more.

ALL-TIME FAVOURITE

In

an exclusive interview

with David Bone, Foodservice Channel

Manager at Weetabix we explore the range and how it can help your venue’s breakfast offering stand out.

How can using Weetabix help a venue’s breakfast offering stand out?

The Weetabix Food Company is the maker of the nation’s favourite breakfast cereal . One in three households throughout the UK enjoys Weetabix or a Weetabix Food Company product as part of their breakfast routine. This nationwide popularity makes Weetabix a must-stock in the hotel industry. Success in hospitality is all about delivering customer satisfaction, and with only 3% of consumers changing their cereal when away from home, it’s important to have the nation’s favourite breakfast on offer.

How does the range appeal to a variety of guests?

Weetabix is proud of its ability to cater for the whole family. Aside from enjoying an iconic classic Weetabix breakfast, our extensive foodservice portfolio means guests of all ages will find the perfect way to start their day.

For those looking for a light, refreshing breakfast, our Alpen muesli portion packs are full of flavour, fibre and low in saturated fats. Our portion pack Ready brek is also a great breakfast option for children and adults alike looking for a warming and smooth breakfast. For those looking to get up and seize the day, our Weetabix On The Go breakfast drinks can be enjoyed by guests who are keen to be out exploring new destinations. Throughout 2023, Weetabix will be adding even more delicious products to its foodservice portfolio.

There is a consumer demand for wellness, how does Weetabix work in line with this?

Weetabix has proudly been delivering healthy, nutritious breakfasts to the nation for over 90 years - we were compliant before compliance was even invented! Weetabix Original is low in fat, salt, sugar and a source of protein and high in fibre.

In line with the growing need for sustainability, how does Weetabix enhance this?

Sustainability is in our DNA, and something we are very passionate about. As of last month, all of our packaging is now 100% recyclable. We have signed a new contract for renewable green electricity up until October 2025 and we have a rolling programme of replacing and upgrading our infrastructure across our manufacturing facilities where it will help drive efficiencies. By capturing and reusing condensate, we now save over 5 million litres of water per year. We’ve also had a zero waste to landfill record since 2015.

How can our readers work with Weetabix?

Whether it’s the breakfast buffet, meeting rooms and conferences or vending and in-room amenities, Weetabix’s range of tasty, healthy cereals and drinks will meet your needs. Get in touch and talk to us by emailing us at: weetabixfoodservice@weetabix.co.uk

SUMMER WITH KOPPARBERG

As summer arrives it’s crucial that your hotel beverage offering brings flavour and refreshment, whether it’s spirits, fruit cider or something lighter, Kopparberg have you covered.

Kopparberg are known for their fruity flavours, can you tell us about the categories and the importance of providing a range of tastes?

Your core sales will always come from more mainstream flavours such as Strawberry & Lime or Mixed Fruit, however, it is important to ensure you provide an innovative portfolio to help maximise sales. Kopparberg launched Mixed Fruit Tropical as our first limited edition flavour which has since cemented itself as a firm favourite. In response to the emergence of peach as a rapidly trending flavour we have launched Summer Punch. This builds on Kopparberg’s expertise in premium fruit refreshment and we expect this to strongly perform this summer.

With the low and no category rising, can you tell us about your 0% range and the benefits it provides to guests?

Alcohol free is now a huge opportunity for operators and the category is now the fastest growing of cider. Kopparberg’s alcohol-free variants has evolved to include Strawberry & Lime, Mixed Fruit, Mixed Fruit Tropical and Pear. As consumers become more health conscious, they are actively seeking out a range of low and no alcohol alternatives. The demand is strong all year round so developing an offer is vital in meeting consumer demands and driving footfall. When looking to moderate alcohol intake, the most important factor is the taste of the drink, with them wanting a taste as close to drinking a full-strength drink as possible, Kopparberg’s range of alcohol-free products does just that.

During the summer season, guests are inclined to socialise for longer hours day-to-night, how does the Kopparberg range cater to this?

During the summer months, people tend to spend more time outside, socialising and enjoying the weather. This means that hotels can expect to see an increase in footfall. Throughout the summer period we see spikes in the consumption of fruit cider where consumers are looking for reviving, flavourful and easy to drink options. When the sun

shines fruit cider sales uplift more than any other category so by ensuring you are stocking the most loved fruit cider brand can help make the most of these warm periods and drive sales for hoteliers.

For more information on how you could stock Kopparberg head over to our brand-new digital hub. Behind the Bar, which provides you with free access to a one-stop-shop for all things Kopparberg, including a range of free POS to help drive sales in your venue. To sign up, head to Kopparbergbehindthebar.co.uk.

The

EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES

In an exclusive interview with Uta Scheurer, Group Vice President People and Culture at the Ruby Group, we learn about her specialist role, the group’s popular 35-hour working week and the success of their innovative ‘tattoo campaign’ recruitment scheme.

Tell us about your role as Group Vice President People and Culture.

In my position I currently lead a team of fourteen employees and am also part of the executive board at Ruby. I am responsible for the strategic direction of the ‘People and Culture’ division. This includes, among other things, personal branding with the assurance of the defined corporate values and, in particular, the development and implementation of personnel-relevant measures and instruments that fit the Ruby brand.

Please tell us about the Ruby Hotel’s ‘employment program’ and the benefits this has presented to your staff.

We have implemented a new working model for the operational departments, with a 35-hour workweek at the full salary of a 40-hour week. In doing so, we have followed our employees’ desire to offer more flexibility and work-lifebalance. In discussion with the leads, employees can divide the 35 hours into a five-day week if they wish. Overtime is only worked when absolutely necessary. In addition, we have started an attention-grabbing recruiting campaign and are thus breaking new ground beyond conventional recruiting measures. Every applicant who applies to us and has been with Ruby for at least six months will get a tattoo, piercing or makeover from us, worth up to £500.

What’s your vision for the future of hospitality and how do you feel employment initiatives such as Ruby’s will play a part in this?

I think the hospitality sector is already on a positive path and is becoming more and more attractive for applicants with increasing innovative hotel companies. Unfortunately, the industry is still considered to be one where the working conditions are not so good. This applies to both working hours and salaries. We offer general conditions that make it possible for everyone to get a good start and training in

order to enjoy their job in the long term. Ruby is a modern company that will always question itself and thus break new ground. This does not mean throwing the tried and tested overboard, but rather acting in a contemporary manner and

listening to what wishes and needs are in demand at any given time. The world is colourful, versatile, and diverse, and so are our employees and potential applicants.

What has been the feedback from current employees to the initiatives in place, and have you seen an improvement in recruitment?

The feedback from our employees is consistently positive. They are taking advantage of their new flexibility and the associated work-life balance. We can also see this from the fact that even more of our employees are using our fitness allowance. Our tattoo campaign in particular has made big waves internally and has been met with a very positive response. We have also rolled it out internally for our employees who are recruiting new staff, supplemented by an instant bonus of £1,000.

What has been the biggest impact for Ruby with introducing these initiatives?

The most positive effect for us is probably that we notice that our employees really do have a work-life balance, which they enjoy and appreciate. This, in turn, has a great impact on

their work ethic. Since the introduction of the new working model, we have noticed that employees work even more efficiently which pleases us greatly. In addition, breaking new ground in recruiting with our attention-grabbing tattoo campaign has shown us that we have our finger on the pulse of the times, recording a 25% increase in applications since.

Can you tell us about Ruby’s Lean Luxury philosophy?

Ruby is one of the fastest growing non-standard hotel brands and is breaking new ground in the hotel industry with its Lean Luxury philosophy: a location in the heart of the city, top design, and high-quality furnishings with the essentials. Through a lean organisation and concentration on the essentials, Ruby creates a contemporary, affordable form of luxury for modern, cost and style-conscious travellers. We distinguish ourselves not only through a novel product concept, but also through significantly above-average space efficiency and lean cost structures thanks to structural, technical and process-related innovations. www.ruby-hotels.com

“Ruby is a modern company that will always question itself and thus break new ground.”

WEIGHING IT UP

Hot on the heels of the Welsh Government’s consultation on a proposed short-term lets (STLs) licensing scheme comes the Government’s own sounding period on a STLs registration scheme for England and Chief Executive of UKHospitality, Kate Nicholls, shares her thoughts.

Unlike the Wales scheme, though, what’s being proposed in England affects just STLs, and doesn’t include hotels – a position UKHospitality strongly supports.

Not only do we support a registration scheme, but firmly believe that it must be mandatory if it’s to drive real change and level the accommodation playing field.

Because many businesses across the short-term letting market are simply not operating to the same legal standards as hotels, a scheme with which STLs have to comply is desperately needed if they’re to be brought up to acceptable levels.

It’s important, since the growth of STLs has created something of a hidden economy, with some STLs operating as de facto hotels, letting out a number of rooms in blocks, but without having to adhere to the same regulations as hotels.

An opt-in scheme won’t work, instead providing a loophole through which STLs will wriggle, and continue to fall well below the high standards that hotels have been setting for decades.

What any new licensing scheme in Wales must not do, though, is burden hotels with any further red tape. Instead, they and other businesses already recorded with Government, for example through business rates, should be excluded from additional inspections and red tape, and are granted automatic licences.

UKHospitality has long argued that a registration scheme for STLs is essential to ensure parity across accommodation in the UK, so we’re delighted that the Government is taking action in England.

Consumers deserve to know that wherever they stay, they’ll be experiencing the high standards of health and safety, fire safety and accessibility that they have a right to expect.

Regulating STLs, whether in England or in Wales, will ensure that they offer safe accommodation for guests in a structure that promotes transparency and fairness, and crucially put them on a level playing field with the established hotel sector.

Two good reasons alone for seeing a registration scheme

Kate Nicholls,

and a licensing scheme introduced in England and Wales respectively, sooner rather than later.

Chief Executive, UKHospitality

A GREEN CLEAN

Now, more than ever, providing a thorough clean that isn’t harmful to the environment and is sustainable in the long run is achievable. In this month’s Essential 5 we explore how to complete a clean that cares for your guests and the planet.

USE ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS

When you are purchasing stock opt for eco-friendly products and look out for the ‘Charter for Sustainable Cleaning’ logos. This logo confirms that the product was made by a Charter member and works in line with sustainable legislative requirements. This accreditation means you can market your sustainable clean to guests with confidence that your venue’s housekeeping practices protect the environment and promote efficient use of resources. Eco-friendly products are also safer for human health as conventional cleaning products with toxic chemicals can be highly dangerous if you are over-exposed to them. So, your decision to switch to green will also take care of your housekeeping staff.

LESS WASTE

Limit your waste and packaging consumption by choosing concentrated cleaning products or refillables. Take time to properly dispose of and recycle your cleaning product packaging. For in-room toiletries, choose products that are refillable to reduce the plastic packaging use in your establishment.

CLEAN TOWEL POLICY

An initiative seen widely throughout the industry more and more provides the option for guests to keep their towels instead of exchanging them by placing them in a designated area. This won’t affect the reputation of your hotel or be seen as ‘lazy’, instead this entices the eco-conscious traveller and provides a competitive edge to your venue by showcasing your environmentally responsible initiatives. Fewer loads of laundry and less water use will help to save the planet and your pennies, with less energy, water and labour expenses.

TEAM EFFORT

Achieving an eco-friendly clean is a team effort. To make a positive impact everyone has to be operating sustainably in unity. Hold a monthly meeting with your housekeeping staff where you update one another on your progress and listen to team suggestions to elevate the environmentally-friendly clean further. It’s also important to remind staff to be mindful of using too much product and to remember to recycle waste.

ENERGY-EFFICIENT APPLIANCES

If you have outdated cleaning equipment, it may be time to invest and upgrade! Not only will this achieve a more efficient clean, cutting down the time taken for staff to complete their housekeeping tasks, but new equipment will also use less energy and cut down your energy costs. When you choose your equipment, reach out to experts and make sure that you’re choosing the right product designed for your specific uses. For example, the type of hoover you choose for laminate and carpet will differentiate; by matching the features and functions with the type of floor, size of your venue and schedule of your housekeeping, you’ll find the most efficient products for your desired clean.

HOUSEKEEPING 101

Immaculate housekeeping is a huge contributing factor towards the overall guest experience. A clean and tidy hotel is the guest’s first impression and a spotless room will ensure a comfortable stay. To make sure all your rooms are cleaned to a high standard on time, even during peak times, organisation is key. At The Churchill, Executive Housekeeper, Desislava Petkova, explained how ensuring high housekeeping standards is all about consistency: “Whether it is a quiet period or peak time, the same procedures and standard operations apply. Our departmental daily schedule is the basis of our success. Everything starts with planning from the week before and ensuring that we will have the right manpower to complete all tasks and guest demands.” Their housekeeping team are all provided with a handheld device showing their daily tasks in order of priority, including specific room requests.

The Zetter Hotel and Zetter Townhouse praise their housekeeping app which enables them to elevate their teamwork and believe it is the key to a spotless clean.

Tatjana Jasinska, Head Housekeeper, said: “We use

an app called Flexkeeping which acts as an effective communication tool between our housekeeping, front of house team and maintenance team. This allows staff to submit updates on their room status on-the-go. We follow teamwork with the mantra, ‘work smarter, not harder.’ For example, the linen porters on the app count the linen as they strip the beds.”

At London’s Pan Pacific, their 52 luxuriant one and twobedroom suites are cleaned via a housekeeping schedule based on their occupancy levels. Countryside venue, Farlam Hall Hotel, follows a similar structure. Their Finance Director, Karen Baybutt, said: “Arrival times of guests are established to plan a definitive daily schedule to ensure each room is perfect for our guests’ arrival. Each day, during our operations meeting, any guest preferences are noted, and the housekeeping team make sure these special requests are met.”

Organisation goes further than scheduling room cleans. Other factors include making sure laundry is prepared on time; a pressure which is heightened during peak times. Peter Rankin, Managing Director at Girbau

As the staff who have the biggest impact on guest comfort, with some help from industry experts, we tackle housekeeping and how to make your guests feel like their room has never been slept in before.

UK, recommends their Sapphire cloud-based laundry management system to ease the pressure: “The system helps you to manage your laundry, analysing data, compiling production reports on any device and helping you to minimise running costs. You can analyse how your laundry is working using pre-configured reports and take action to optimise workflow.”

Perfecting your housekeeping schedules promises a spotless room and hotel whilst also saving on costs by delivering your team’s highest level of productivity. Once your cleaning is planned, maintaining these high standards is crucial. Many hotels adopt ‘spot checks’ which are small and easy checks to make sure that rooms exceed guest expectations.

At The Churchill, ‘spot checks’ are a part of their daily routine, and, for their VIP rooms to elevate their cleaning further, these rooms are also checked by management. Furthermore, to maintain their standards, they rely on staff development and training. Desislava elaborated on this: “We carry out a yearly, monthly and daily training program. We always look for opportunities to improve or simplify the operation, and find innovative methods or simply think outside of the box to improve the service provided to our guests.” She also emphasised the importance of feedback,

“We are deeply analysing every guest comment and, even when a mistake happens and things didn’t go as planned, will take that to improve and deliver the best service in the future.”

Over at Pan Pacific, throughout the hotel, spot checks are carried out too. Each floor has a supervisor to check the cleaning and VIP clients have their rooms double-checked by management. Commenting on the maintenance of a prestige clean, Director of Housekeeping, Shahnawaz Khan, said: “We train our team according to Forbes standards, by showing pictures, practicing how to fold guests’ clothing as well as how to arrange toiletries in a bathroom, which ensures consistency.”

Tatjana spoke about the importance of regular training to ensure high standards. Her venues also run an ‘opendoor policy’, where team members can give feedback about obstacles they face and ask for any tools they require to complete housekeeping efficiently and to the highest standard.

Within hotel operations, housekeeping has probably faced the most change in the past few years as COVID has shaken up the hospitality’s cleaning requirements from one extreme to another, undoubtedly emphasising the importance of consistent training.

“We like to personalise the bedroom based on our guests’ preferences and go that extra mile if they are joining us for a celebratory stay.”

Left: Farlam Hall

Below: Pan Pacific

For many venues, a lot of the protocols from the pandemic have remained, simply elevating their housekeeping. Desislava explained that their cleaning schedule is still strong after COVID: “We are still focusing on cleaning critical touch points and we are using the same strict cleaning protocol. During the pandemic, we adopted the routine of cleaning the public areas and bathrooms very frequently, which we continue to this day.”

Now that the pandemic has settled, it can be hard to navigate the extent of cleaning required to meet your guests’ expectations. The key is to maintain an impeccable housekeeping standard whilst offering a more clinical clean to go that extra mile for COVID-conscious guests.

We asked The Montenotte Hotel’s Accommodation Manager, Nadia Dos Santos, if they offer a different service for guests with hygiene concerns surrounding COVID.

Nadia commented: “If a guest has hygiene concerns regarding COVID-19, the team will always accommodate such requests with additional sanitation, and we will fog the room if necessary, something that did happen daily during the pandemic which is still available on request.”

The Zetter Hotel and The Zetter Townhouse share this initiative. Tatjiana added: “Whilst the unease surrounding COVID has dramatically relieved, of course we are still

visited by anxious guests. Our room attendants will use extra PPE if requested and pay extra attention to the disinfection of high touch points while cleaning. The most important thing is that both staff and guests feel comfortable.”

Whilst a tidy and spotless room is a top priority, the housekeeping team are still a part of the hotel staff and therefore they have to make sure to greet guests and be polite with any interaction. At the Montenotte Hotel, Nadia noticed their guests’ feedback always praises the cleanliness of their rooms, receiving their ranking as the #1 Hotel on Tripadvisor in Cork. Guests also commend the housekeeping staff’s warmth. She said: “The Montenotte’s housekeeping staff have a great reputation for being friendly and our team are very respectful, always ensuring that the guests are happy for their rooms to be cleaned, that they have everything they need for their stay and greeting them in the corridors.”

We asked Nadia what elements of their housekeeping service helps them stand out, to which she replied: “We like to personalise the bedroom based on our guests’ preferences and go that extra mile if they are joining us for a celebratory stay. Straight lines are important, we want to wow our guests when they walk into our rooms! Remember

“The joy of getting into a hotel bed is that it is more appealing than your bed at home and to achieve this it must look brand new.”

small touches are always appreciated - it’s nice to surprise visitors too. A few obvious elements include no broken sealed toiletries, nothing visible from a previous guest and the room must smell fresh and look inviting.”

Guests want to enter a room that feels, and looks, like it has never been slept in before to ensure comfort and a great night’s sleep and, to master this, Pan Pacific heavily focuses on the bed itself. Shahnawaz commented: “The team always ensure that everything has been ironed, pressed and tightly folded. When this is complete, you can tell if the bed has been sat on, or touched, by anyone else. So the team ensure the bed is left untouched, which assures the guest that no one else has slept in the room. Lining up amenities and accessories in a straight line is also a lovely touch within the bathrooms, giving the guest the feeling of being the very first person to use the bathroom.”

Taking note of guest feedback is vital to elevate the experience you offer and understand what your audience are looking for. Karen at Farlam Hall commented: “We are grateful to have received some amazing reviews regarding housekeeping standards. One recently published by Luxe Bible said ‘Their rooms, suites and cottages are absolutely immaculate – so much so that you’ll think you’re the only one who’s ever stayed in them, despite the cosy feel they all exude.’”

Tatjiana agrees that the bed is the ‘bread and butter of a room’ and notes that mastering this is all about focusing on attention to detail. Tatjiana said: “The ingredients of a perfectly made hotel bed are quality linen, neat corners,

straight lines, and fresh air. Again, the joy of getting into a hotel bed is that it is more appealing than your bed at home and to achieve this it must look brand new.”

Small touches that housekeeping staff deliver can often secure your venue written feedback which, in turn, will help to entice new guests through your doors. This can be anything from enhancing the room’s scent, adding fresh flowers or plumping each cushion for that extra few seconds. To help push this you can incentivise your staff to motivate their efforts, maybe offering half a day’s holiday if their housekeeping is mentioned in guest feedback.

Tatjiana spoke about her housekeeping team’s special touches: “Our team are always thinking of ways to go above and beyond what is expected by providing handwritten cards, flowers and champagne when guests are celebrating a special occasion, or even ensuring we provide city attraction information with a note welcoming them to the area if we know the guest is visiting London for the first time. It is always gratifying for the team to hear that the additional attention they paid resulted in a stay being more memorable.”

Housekeeping is a vital part of your hotel operations; the cleanliness of your venue instantly enhances the guest experience and ensures a comfortable stay. There are a lot of factors that contribute towards perfecting your housekeeping; the organisation is crucial and the small touches will elevate your service to help guests remember their stay.

Left and below: Pan Pacific

LAUNDRY INNOVATION

Girbau is a leader in the installation and maintenance of laundries in the UK and works with many leading hoteliers. Each design is tailored to the individual site and includes all the elements for best practice, high-productivity and high-quality laundry handling and processing.

“With the cost of living crisis affecting every part of the economy, rising energy bills have hit laundry operations hard,” said Peter Rankin, Managing Director of Girbau UK. “As hotels look to control costs without sacrificing quality, there has never been a better time to look at setting up an in-house laundry for your hospitality business.”

The company advises on all aspects of laundry design including site surveys, laundry layout, full M&E CAD drawings and equipment specification to meet capacity needs.

Girbau’s new GS7 Genius washers feature a host of energy saving innovations that lower hotel laundry operating costs and improve sustainability.

The washer’s Care Plus Drum extends linen life and increases productivity by decreasing tangling. The drum perforations also provide faster dispersion of water. An optional integral weighing system measures every load and adjusts programs to optimise cycle time, lower water and chemical usage and improve laundry productivity.

With sustained high spin speeds and a 450G extraction force (the highest available), Genius washers reduce drying time by at least 10% and drying energy consumption by up to 30%. The washers themselves also reduce energy consumption by up to 15%. Girbau’s tests on the Genius GS7018 found that it used 2.5 kWh for a full 18kg load cycle, compared to 3.5kWh for a comparable washer. For a typical machine completing eight cycles per day, that’s a saving of £1,460 a year, based on an electricity price of 50p per kWh.

Six models are available with capacities from 9 to 32kg. All come with Girbau’s Sapphire cloud-based management system that allows users to monitor, manage and configure a laundry, giving control for energy-efficient operation.

Data is stored and processed in the cloud, making it

is easy to view activity reports. You can quickly check machine status and alarms as well as analysing data trends to spot how operational efficiency can be improved.

The software also has a smart-alerts system that sends an SMS text or email when there is any irregularity in how machines are working. Problems are solved effectively, while providing information and data to inform future operational decisions.

Metrics that you can use to analyse your laundry operation include production by weight in kg over an up to 30-day period.

Girbau offers a full range of both commercial and industrial laundry equipment, making it the perfect laundry partner for hospitality businesses of every size. Girbau’s washers, dryers and ironers ensure you have the right equipment for a truly professional finish. This energy efficient, high productivity, robust and reliable laundry equipment is ideal for the ultimate in-house laundry operation.

01462 427780

www.girbau.com

‘NEW STANDARDS IN HOSPITALITY.’

Most customers now expect that every service a company offers will be available digitally, but at the same time, these companies must still capture the essence of what is considered great service – and then exceed it. Words by

Richard Valtr, Founder, Mews:

The new standard of guest expectations

For hotels, this means that everyone expects to find the room online, contextualise price and value online, personalise their pre-arrival requests online, be welcomed and checked in online, and receive their room key via their phone... But then expect to walk in and be greeted by a human who has perfect knowledge of everything that happened online before their arrival.

This guest has sky-high expectations of the experience they’re about to receive. After all, if they already put in the time to engage in their digital guest journey, shouldn’t there be some reward?

Customers are now extremely savvy about their power, but also wary of the omnipotence of companies and their technology. They understand the power of a negative

review, and what a great photo and ringing endorsement can do for a hotel’s standing if they share it with their followers.

They also expect that every exchange made is, in some way, imbalanced. They pay, promote and share their data; their hotel, on the other hand, must perform the service it advertised, both at the property, in the loyalty programme, and through every digital touchpoint. And, of course, the technology must always be fast, seamless and powerful.

How to adapt to rising standards

For technology companies serving hotels, this comes with a double-edged sword and higher expectations. Not only do we need to make this possible, but we must also think about how to incorporate the weight of expectations into existing

hotel workflows. It’s not easy trying to cram the new into the existing, all while expectations have increased and delivery standards exploded.

There are some for whom this is natural. For companies that were born digital-first, it means just taking the best of what has been and incorporating that into the way they would like to build.

For others, it’s going to be about taking the bestin-class tech companies together and thinking about transformation. Alternatively, it’s about working with world-class transformation consultancies and experts to deliver the kind of reorganisation and refocus their business’s need.

But what about everyone else? How do you benchmark yourself on the tech enablement axis? How do you determine whether a project is good enough, or whether it could still be moved higher and better?

None of this is restricted to any one type of hospitality or any class. Luxury hotels are just as likely to have an angry client if a high-end service has not been realised in the real world, or if someone’s text message has not been answered in an acceptable time period. Conversely, if you’re a roadside motel, you’re just as likely to have an irate customer if the Wi-Fi is down as if the water doesn’t work – both need someone to fix them immediately or they will get back in their car and drive away, likely leaving a trail of online negativity.

What do you want your business to be known for?

In hospitality, standardisation was what created an industry, but variety is what gives it ubiquity. The lesson of the rise of boutique hotels – and then their logical follow-on, Airbnb – is that humans demand standards, but they crave difference, variety and creativity. A text message asking how the check-

in experience was used to be a novelty; now the possibility of instantaneous feedback is an expectation. A hotel stay that lacks ease of use, variety and surprise, is now the exception, not the rule. Utility has become a race to the bottom, but creativity still only has an upside if we can capture it.

The rise of AI means that certain aspects of the hotel businesses deemed innovative a short while ago are about to become standard. Think of how Stable Diffusion will change the quality of our photos should be; how ChatGPT will standardise the efficacy of a chatbot; how AI-assisted travel agents will weigh quality metrics. Then think of where your business will be found wanting.

What do you want your business to be known for? If technology and innovation can sustain their speed, then we believe hospitality tech companies must also be the catalysts of change within organisations and hotels. We must evolve, not only to be sources of ever-growing lists of feature requests, but rather proactive agents of the hotelier’s success.

The

takeaway:

what to do to embrace change

You might be wondering where to begin. If you’re looking to embrace these new standards, think about the KPIs that drive your business and ask whether there are any tools out there that could help you improve them.

If you care about guest spend, how has this improved year on year? Could you implement digital ordering tools to help you achieve this? How about the amount of time your guests spent in queues? Perhaps a mobile key could be the answer? What about lowering your cost of acquisition whilst improving your revenue strategy? Could you use some help there?

As with all things, every journey towards finding your new standards begins with the first steps. mews.com

LONDON’S GREENEST HOTEL

In line with the growing demand for sustainability in hospitality, London’s Greenest Hotel is always looking to see how it can stay ahead of the curve. In an exclusive interview with The Corner London City’s Executive Sales Manager, Germaine Joseph, we highlight some interesting green initiatives and learn about how sustainability is in the venue’s DNA.

Marketed as The Greenest Hotel in London, The Corner is on the footsteps of what is the city’s most lively square mile with some of the best street food, art galleries, boutiques, creative businesses and nightlife, all glued together with local people who make it more than just a tourist spot.

In 2021, RBH Hopsitality Management were appointed to operate the former Qbic Hotel where they refurbished the venue and re-launched as The Corner London City, continuing to build on the hotel’s DNA which is made up of a plethora of sustainable initiatives, drawing in guests from all over the world.

Germaine explained that the rebrand wasn’t so much of a change of concept, “it was more keeping the notion but switching to different hands.”

Germaine revealed how Qbic was built with Scandinavian, minimalism in mind and the simplicity of design, including repurposing of materials and this has been continued through the shift in becoming The Corner London.

The bedrooms are unique in design, featuring an all-inone, cube-shaped pod, which includes the bed and the bathroom. Sustainably built, in-line with their green title, the rooms feature Super-King beds with comfy organic handmade hypoallergenic mattresses.

Each en-suite bathroom has a powerful rain shower with water-saving technology, a steam-free mirror and organic toiletries.

“The reason why we didn’t change much of the concept is because the venue was built upon viable products as it was and it didn’t make sense to deviate from that”, added Germaine. In line with the eco-friendly grounds the hotel

isn’t just a marketing technique, it’s the future.”

is built upon, The Corner London City features solar panels on the roof and rainwater showerheads.”

Germaine explained that ten years ago when it was Qbic hotel, these were all pretty novel ideas but realised now, these factors are imperative to the hospitality sector.

The venue also offers a unique answer to guest’s allimportant morning coffee. Despite there not being in-room coffee machines or kettles, there is a station on each floor where visitors can help themselves which helps to cut down on energy usage.

Germaine explained that amongst their plethora of sustainable initiatives, they offer guests rewards if they don’t opt to have their room cleaned every day: “Guests can redeem a voucher for a drink at the bar if they opt out of getting their room cleaned. This is a way to save on cleaning materials, water and energy.”

With all of these fantastic techniques to be London’s Greenest Hotel, we were intrigues to find out how the label makes up and contributes to the venue’s successful marketing strategy. Germaine revealed that the hotel is now at a stage where the team feel like they have to do more: “Before, the title was solidly ours but other venues

are catching up and that’s a good thing, it’s great and it keeps us all on our toes.

“Sustainability isn’t just a marketing technique, it’s the future.”

There are many elements which other hotels can learn from The Corner in order to take and apply to their businesses to boost footfall. Germaine admitted that through his experience in hospitality, he has witnessed a behavioural change in both the hotels themselves and guests to not be afraid of leading the way - people will follow.

Germaine finished by advising other overnight stay venues to “be bold.”

“Back yourself on how you’re going to implement your own sustainable programme.” As a venue that waves the flag for all things sustainability, it’s always good to hear about how success is impacted from the horse’s mouth in someone like Germaine. With green initiatives becoming a necessity for the hospitality industry, now is the time to learn from venues like this one, take various measures and reduce your environmental impact.

@thecornerlondoncity

“Sustainability

ADVENTURE AWAITS

City of Dreams Mediterranean situated in Limassol, Cyprus, is Europe’s first integrated resort encompassing an unparalleled array of offerings, including luxury suites, Europe’s largest casino, exquisite fine dining, leisure and entertainment facilities, and world-class meeting and conference amenities.

The new resort is set to become the ultimate destination for luxury hospitality and entertainment, Grant Johnson, Property General Manager of City of Dreams Mediterranean, explained his vision: “We believe that this project will establish Cyprus as a globallyrenowned destination for tourism and entertainment, expanding the island’s tourism product and contributing to sustainable economic growth.” The new resort is set to boost Cyprus’ economy by creating numerous job opportunities and a chain of value for the local community.

Targeted at a sophisticated traveller, the facilities allow it to stand out from any competition, comprising 500 stylish guest rooms, including the largest Presidential Suite on the island; eight innovative restaurants and bars; the largest casino in Europe; almost 10,000 sq. metres of indoor and outdoor event space, including the largest expo centre in Cyprus. The venue’s hub for wellness and regeneration can be found at the Renu Spa, for guests looking to treat themselves they can head to the designer shopping promenade, and to catch DJs and legendary acts from around the globe the venue provides a world-class entertainment programme.

The interior of the resort is designed to evoke a sense of international luxury, specifically customised for Cyprus. The bedrooms and public areas feature a soft and welcoming palette of colours, including Mediterranean influences. To enhance the guest experience all guest rooms and suites feature private balconies with picturesque views overlooking the Akrotiri Lake, the Trodos Mountain range and the famous Lady’s Mile Beach.

The City of Dreams Mediterranean is the third property under the brand of City of Dreams and is a member

of the Melco Resorts & Entertainment Group. Grant explained how the brand was born: “Melco’s Chairman and CEO, Lawrence Ho, saw the potential in highspending, quality-conscious consumers. So, it was decided to create a destination for these people, we needed something different, that’s how City of Dreams was first born in Macau, and then in Manila. The next-generation integrated resort, focused on modern style and worldclass quality, offering the finest in entertainment and experiences.”

Grant encourages other venues to take note of the trend towards high-end, all-inclusive resorts as visitors are enjoying the convenience of having all facilities in one place. City of Dreams aspires to fill this gap in the industry and tap into new consumer groups.

The focus on limitless luxury facilities hasn’t meant that the issue of sustainability has been forgotten. The resort was the first development in Cyprus to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating – the leading sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure and buildings. As well as their accreditation, the resort affirms its commitment to social and environmental sustainability with initiatives to protect the environment, strengthen local communities, and develop the resort in accordance with the highest sustainability standards – from sourcing materials through local vendors, its high-tech water refuse system, and focusing on operational waste elimination, to the energy-saving optimisation and incorporating sustainable modes of transport across the resort.

The City of Dreams Mediterranean seamlessly invites a guest searching for a luxury venue providing a plethora of unforgettable experiences with mindful initiatives to benefit the environment.

www.cityofdreamsmed.com.cy/en

“The next-generation integrated resort, focused on modern style and world-class quality, offering the finest in entertainment and experiences.”

ALFRESCO

Woodberry, the award-winning experts in commercial outdoor furniture, share their advice to make the most of your outdoor hospitality space.

The key to outdoor furniture for hospitality venues is the longevity of use, materials that are easy to clean and fit in with your venue and brand look. Below are the best materials for outdoor furniture.

HDPE Recycled Plastic

Recycled plastic outdoor furniture is durable, easy to clean, won’t rot, is virtually maintenance-free, doesn’t weather and has good green credentials in line with sustainable initiatives. Picnic tables, dining tables and chairs should last at least ten years of high-frequency hospitality use. Remember to consider whether this will suit your venue. Recycled plastic furniture products are starting to get more refined in design with a wide range of colours.

High-Pressure Laminate

HPL (high-pressure laminate) is used extensively in table tops. It can be printed in a wide variety of finishes, it is scratch resistant, very durable, and shouldn’t weather over time. This material needs an under frame which is usually aluminium.

Hardwood

Teak is a durable hardwood, recognised as one of the best hardwoods for outdoor furniture. It will fade and weather over time to a lovely silver-grey but during this weathering process, good quality teak won’t lose its integral strength. For

a smaller budget, Robina wood is a cheaper hardwood option than teak with similar qualities.

Softwood

Pine is most commonly used in picnic table manufacture; this is a lot cheaper than hardwood and can be treated to help it to last as long as possible. To best preserve softwood furniture, you would need to re-treat it annually and with the appropriate care it can last up to ten years of commercial use.

Aluminium

This lightweight, weatherproof metal is good for tables and chairs; generally the material will be powder coated, its important to bare in mind that it can scratch quite easily when it’s coated on tables and chair legs.

Polypropylene

Polypropylene plastic is one of the cheapest options available for tables and chairs. It is durable depending on the thickness and quality you choose but over time it can become brittle and break. It is fairly maintenance-free but lacks the classy look that more premium chairs display.

Woodberry has been supplying hotels with quality outdoor furniture for over 15 years. Your outdoor furniture needs to contribute towards a great customer experience, for any advice please call Woodberry on 01926 889922 or visit our website at www.woodberry.co.uk

GRAVETYE MANOR

A place of timeless tranquillity, combining calm with luxury, is Gravetye Manor. Burrowed in the picturesque Sussex countryside, the PoB venue is showcased in all its glory; and we caught up with members of the team at the manor to find out about how the finer details, paired with a prestigious accreditation, offer an exquisite guest experience.

As a venue who prides itself on attention to detail, how do you raise the level of guest experience - through which particular elements?

Our desire is to get to know our individual customers in order to personalise and tailor their stay to meet their specific needs. To raise the level of engagement, personalise interactions and pay specific attention to their likes and dislikes, this is how we provide intuitive service whilst continuing to offer warm and genuine hospitality, making the customers feel relaxed and comfortable in the hotel. General Manager – Paul Skinner

Boasting a menu of high-quality food in the onsite restaurant, how do you work to ensure your standard of dishes stand out and leave a lasting impression?

From George’s (the hotel’s Executive Chef) point of view, it’s about presenting a plate of food that speaks about the time and the place it is served. What grows best at Gravetye and when that can be picked dictates what appears on plates. George’s food is not overly fussy and is presented in a very

natural way. The strength of the ingredients and unequivocal passion behind the cooking speaks for itself in many ways, and promises to deliver an unforgettable experience.

Director of Sales and Marketing – Celine Leslie

During our visit, we noticed that the different entities worked so harmoniously together - tell us about the importance of this and the benefits it can offer to visitors and the hotel staff alike... Communication is key to ensuring a seamless guest journey, and personalisation is critical regardless of occasion. Developing an intuition to the needs and requests of guests requires continuous training.

Hotel Operations Manager – Emma Greenwood

You are a PoB Hotel. What does this mean for the hotel standards and how does this accreditation affect your marketing strategy?

We have exacting standards at all levels of the business and being a member of PoB helps ensure these standards are maintained with both the inspection process and the pride we take in being a member. We don’t want to let the team down! The membership is an excellent source of referral for a small independent property like ours, and being a member of PoB is like having a powerful marketing agency on your side and is something we are very proud of. Director of Sales & Marketing – Celine

Leslie

@gravetyemanor

“Communication is key to ensuring a seamless guest journey.”

INACTIVITY IS STIFLING

Philip Johnston MRICS, Founder of Guildprop, Hotel and Leisure Property Consultants and former Head of Hotels at Savills gives an insight to the current state of the hospitality market.

The stagnation of the hotel sector is causing considerable concern within the industry, with many of the large property corporates reporting the quietest transactional market for over 20 years.

This inactivity is primarily caused by uncertainty in the lending and finance markets, as interest rate rises continue to dominate thinking and policy amongst buyers and sellers alike. A significant adjustment in pricing will need to occur, as investors will be dissuaded from an investment yield of 6% when they see interest rates at 4.5% and commercial lending 2-3 % above this.

The continuation of high inflation and increasing staff costs, both from finding and paying people, is causing much disillusionment amongst owners and operators. It appears that the continued policy of a rate rises from the Bank of England will do little to ease these pressures. The annual inflation rate sits stubbornly high, as the core CPIH annual inflation rate rose from 5.3% to 5.7% between January and February 2023.

In addition, the price of food in the UK rose at the fastest pace in 45 years last month in, keeping inflation above 10% for a seventh straight month amid a cost-of-living crisis that has fuelled a wave of strikes by government workers.

The arrival of summer, plus government intervention appears to have eased some of the worry around utility bills, but the general cost of living crisis has not gone away. Businesses are concerned, over both corporate and leisure spending particularly in Q3 and Q4.

Many operators have been turning their hotels over to ‘Humanitarian Contracts’ via the Home Office. These can be an assured form of income, but concerns over the potentially short lease length and the anticipated wear and tear, combined with poor press and local reaction has meant several of these deals have fallen away in the last two months, despite continued demand.

Now more than ever innovation is required in the ownership, development, and investment into the hotel sector. Many of my conversations within the industry is to

remind people that is it not often the fault of the operator or owner, and that this is an industry and nationwide problem.

Trading remains strong in many well-run establishments, and although we have not seen a significant number of distressed sellers, there are major price adjustments occurring and despite it all now is a good time to find opportunities, some at below the cost of building.

Even with current market conditions and inactivity, the hotel sector is remarkable at evolving and we are seeing new entrants into the UK market, taking the opportunity to acquire market position whilst the competition is hesitant.

I remain optimistic about the sector’s ability to adjust and hopefully the wider economic issues will subside significantly during 2023.

guildprop.com

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