HOTEL SCOTLAND
INTERVIEW: BETH REHMAN
PERLE HOTELS FOCUS ON: AI
WELCOME
was very sorry to hear about the death of Stewart Spence. We met a number of years ago when I interviewed him; he was an inspiration. His obituary is on page 31.
This month, I caught up with Beth Rehman—she too is inspirational. She runs the Perle Hotel Group and recently celebrated receiving the King’s Award for Enterprise
Meanwhile, I asked Nicola Young to take a look at AI and compare a few of the providers. She asked them to outline a marketing plan. It really is fascinating— I’d be curious to learn what you think. Manorview celebrated their profit share this month, and the crew celebrated. See the pictures on page 26.
Last, but not least, we have a preview of ScotHot on page 22. Until next month.
Susan Young Editor
susan@mediaworldltd.com
@hotel_scotland
hotelmagazinescotland.co.uk
BOTHWELL BRIDGE HOTEL
Seaton House, which is due to open this spring, has welcomed confirmation from the R&A that the 155th Open will make a return to St Andrews in July 2027. This will be the 31st time St Andrews has hosted the Open Championship.
The hotel, which sits near the first tee and the 18th green of the famous Old Course, opens in March and will be operated by Valor Hospitality Partners in partnership with USbased Links Collection.
Michael Davern, General Manager of Seaton House, said, “The return of the Open Championship in 2027 is wonderful news for St Andrews – the home of golf.
“This is the place where Tiger Woods lifted the Claret Jug for the first time at the turn of the century and where a record 290,000 fans came to see the drama unfold in 2022.
“All of us at Seaton House are humbled and honoured to have the opportunity to play a small part in making what I am sure will be the biggest Open Championship ever a resounding success.”
Seventeen hotels from across Scotland have been awarded with Green Key certification following audits by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful taking the total in Scotland to 41.
Jamie Ormiston, Training and Accreditation Coordinator at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said, “We congratulate all of the establishments across Scotland receiving Green Key certification for the first time and those who have met the criteria for a second year.
“These establishments join a prestigious group, not only in Scotland but across the world, who lead the way in sustainable tourism.”
The hotels achieving Green Key status for the first time are: Accor, Aparthotel Adagio Glasgow Central, Fairmont St Andrews, Ibis Edinburgh Centre South Bridge-Royal Mile, Ibis Styles St Andrew Square, Mercure Ayr Hotel, Mercure Glasgow City Hotel, Mercure Inverness Hotel, Mercure Livingston, Moxy Glasgow Merchant City, Novotel Edinburgh Centre, Radisson Hotel Group, Radisson Blu Glasgow, Marriott International, Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood, IHG, and Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel Glasgow.
Rufflets Hotel launches leadership programme with Business Gateway help
Rufflets Hotel St Andrews is getting ready to roll out a new leadership programme, thanks to support from Business Gateway. Starting in March, the three-day course, run in partnership with RESILIRĒ – Psychological Growth, will focus on helping leaders “perform at their best while staying sustainable and balanced.”
Over the last six months, Business Gateway adviser Alasdair Busby has been working closely with Rufflets, offering advice on growing the business and helping to put together a PR and marketing plan to promote the RESILIRĒ programme. He’s also been supporting the hotel’s push to reach net zero, including helping them apply for funding from Business Energy Scotland for energy-saving
Boath House closes
upgrades.
Marco Truffelli, co-owner of Rufflets St Andrews, said, “We can’t thank Business Gateway enough for all of the support as we built this programme and worked towards our net zero goals. Alasdair has been such a fantastic support for the team, and we can’t wait to continue working with him.
“We’re excited with our partnership with RESILIRĒ – Psychological Growth as a way of developing the current and next generation of leaders and helping them to be more psychologically resilient. Attendees will benefit from science and practice-based guidance and support to become fitter leaders and sharper, more emotionally intelligent decision makers.”
The first public programme will run from 5-7 March 2025.
Boath House, located in Auldearn near Nairn, has closed. Management emailed customers last month to inform them of its closure.
Before being acquired in the summer of 2022 by artist Jonny Gent and architect Russell Potter, the venue had obtained a Michelin star and had been family-run for 30 years.
When Gent and Potter took over, they said that they planned to transform the nine-bedroom venue into a “sanctuary for creatives” and create a “landmark” in the area.
In an email to customers informing them of the closure, the hotel stated, “Boath House Hotel and Restaurant has ceased trading and the business is closed with immediate effect. Your dining reservation with us is therefore cancelled. We sincerely apologise for this situation and any inconvenience it may cause you.”.
Roy Brett
First Prize to launch in Glasgow in 2026
The UK’s first Prize by Radisson hotel is set to open in summer 2026 in Glasgow on the SEC Campus in time for the Commonwealth Games, after Forrest Hotels Ltd, owners of the Radisson RED Glasgow, acquired the Campanile Hotel next to the Rotunda site, which it purchased last year.
Now the site is being extensively redeveloped into a multi-event and leisure venue, with the former Campanile hotel set to be completely transformed ‘inside and out’ with plans to extend the property.
Forrest’s Donald Stewart said, “We’re thrilled to announce this new hotel, as we again partner with Radisson Hotel Group to bring an exciting new concept to the city.
“We are investing heavily, bringing 65 new jobs to the city and transforming the current tired building into a stunning modern hotel with stylish design and décor – and the sense of personality we bring to all of our projects.
“We have lodged a planning application and plan to have this new hotel open for the Commonwealth Games in 2026.”
Prize by Radisson is a lifestyle hotel brand, and Glasgow’s Prize Hotel will include 163 guest bedrooms, “with comfort key through the design and build process – as well as a unique sense of flair and style.” The ground floor will offer a bar and all-day dining concept.
Donald added, “This extension of our partnership with Radisson brings another option for visitors to the city, conference delegates, concertgoers, and the people of Glasgow as we continue to invest in our city and its amenities.
Since its launch in 2009, Prize by Radisson has been working to redefine the midscale design hotel concept by merging lifestyle elements with affordable accommodation. Currently, the Prize by Radisson portfolio consists of more than 20 properties in operation and under development across Europe, in locations including Vienna, Antwerp, and Hamburg.
RESIDENT EDINBURGH OPENS
Resident Hotels has officially opened its Edinburgh hotel, which is its sixth property in the UK.
The hotel in Drumsheugh Gardens was formerly HMRC’s offices, but it now offers 164 rooms and suites, each equipped with mini kitchens, a dressing area, and ensuites, with most rooms having views of Edinburgh Castle or across the Firth of Forth.
David JM Orr, CEO of Resident Hotels Ltd, said, “We have been longing to let our lovely team bring our heartfelt hospitality to Edinburgh. We look forward to guests enjoying a homely sense of belonging that
comes from the authenticity of the welcome.”
He continued, “Our elegant new hotel also enjoys the verdant amenity of a fine garden square yet offers guests the best of the city right on their doorstep, with many worldclass destinations within a very short flat walk, unusual in a city with as many hills as Rome.”
Gillian Mylles, General Manager, added, “We’re thrilled to welcome guests and introduce them to the charm of Edinburgh. With our local partnerships and bespoke ‘Resident Insider’ recommendations, visitors will feel like true Edinburgh locals during their stay.”
‘EXCEPTIONAL YEAR FOR CRERAR HOTELS
Crerar Hotels Group has reported a strong trading year, with both turnover and gross profit increasing as its significant investment continues in its properties across Scotland.
During the period (to the end of March 2024), the Group reported a £1.9m increase in EBITDA and a 9% increase in turnover and saw a 10% increase in room revenue.
Gross profit, supported by the increase in room revenue, rose by more than £1m (from £7.8 million to £8.8 million), up over 13%.
The Group took on the management of three new hotels in June 2023, including the five-star Fonab Castle in Pitlochry, Perthshire’s Dunkeld House Hotel, and the Daffodil Hotel & Spa in Grasmere in the Lake District.
Crerar Hotels boosted staff numbers and increased basic salaries and benefits, increasing spend across the Group, pointing to the creation of a new Head of People role (Claire Johnston) and a new Director of Learning and Development role (Laura Dunphy), which it says emphasises its belief in the importance of team development to its success.
As well as winning the national title of AA Small Hotel Group of the Year, CEO Chris Wayne-Wills was awarded CEO of the Year by the Scottish Professional Awards, as well as being the only Scottish hotelier to receive the Master Inn Holder award during this period.
Chris Wayne-Wills said, “This is a strong year for the business, reaching higher turnover levels. It is incredibly encouraging to be able to reflect on a positive year for Crerar Hotels, and that’s largely down to our great teams offering exceptional experiences; that is a winning formula that has delivered this sales and profit growth.
“We have demonstrated our ongoing dedication to building and strengthening our proposition, whilst ensuring our people are well looked after and valued. Our executive leadership team, who have worked together for a number of years, have also been a key driver in our success, and these results are testament to the calibre of that team. Crerar Hotels Group has a strong identity and service offering; our guests now know what to expect when walking through the doors to any one of our hotels. One of our biggest additions to the portfolio is the management of three new hotels, which are a fantastic fit for our business. Our job during this period and moving forward is to really bring these new hotels in line with the high standards we place on our seven existing hotels. So far, this transition is going very well indeed, and we have plans to invest in these hotels in the year ahead to drive this ambition further.”
VISITOR LEVY GAINS MOMENTUM AS MORE COUNCILS CONSULT
Edinburgh became the first city to confirm the introduction of the Visitor Levy. However, the Edinburgh Council has pushed back the start of the transition period to October 2025 from May. This means accommodation businesses will have a further three months to prepare to collect levy funds for bookings made from 24 July 2026 onwards, when the levy comes into effect.
Edinburgh has put forward a levy of 5% on overnight accommodation will be applied to a maximum of five nights.
UKHospitality Scotland, which lobbied for the delay, has said the decision was critical to give businesses and booking platforms an appropriate amount of time to implement new systems to collect levy funds. It also urged the Council to continue working closely with UKHospitality Scotland and its members to support businesses preparing for the levy’s introduction.
Leon Thompson, Executive Director of UKHospitality Scotland, said, “Not only has Edinburgh’s visitor levy been confirmed, but so too has the hit to the city’s competitiveness as a leading tourist destination. Our fundamental concern has always been that this levy will only serve to make visitors’ trips to Edinburgh more
expensive, ultimately reducing their spending in the wider visitor economy and deterring future visits. It’s now the job of the Council to use these funds wisely to improve the capital’s attractiveness as a visitor destination and mitigate the impact of the levy on businesses. I am pleased that throughout the process the Council has listened closely to and acted on UKHospitality Scotland’s concerns, and those of our industry partners, through the introduction of business support measures and the change to the scheme today to delay when businesses will have to collect levy funds. That was critical to help businesses and booking platforms, which needed more time to put in place the systems required to collect the levy. As we now head towards July next year when the levy comes into force, I look forward to working closely with the Council, as part of the partnership approach it has taken so far, to help make the scheme work as best as possible for hospitality and tourism.”
Highland Council is currently considering adopting a levy; it is out for consultation, and the same situation applies in Aberdeen. Argyll and Bute Council have also launched its consultation, which ends on 10th April. Research just published suggests 75% of Scottish councils could adopt a levy..
Martin Property snap up Virgin Glasgow hotel site
The Virgin Hotel site in Glasgow has been sold to Martin Property Group, a Northern Irish family-run business, by the administrators of Lloyds Development.
Administrators Geoff Jacobs and Richard Heis from Interpath said in a statement that “following an extensive marketing process (supported by Savills),” they have completed a sale of the hotel located on Clyde Street “to a Martin Property Group entity.”
Geoff Jacobs, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator of Lloyds Developments Limited, said, “The hotel occupies a prime position on the Glasgow riverfront. We look forward to seeing the hotel back in operation and wish the purchaser every success in the future.”
The 17-storey hotel, which overlooks the River Clyde, has 240 guest bedrooms (165 of which are completed), in addition to a ground floor restaurant and bar, mezzanine bar and lounge, terrace area, and conference and meeting facilities. It opened in August 2023 before the building owners, Lloyds Development, fell into administration in December that same year.
At the time, James Bermingham, CEO of Virgin Hotels, who had tried to purchase the property, said, “Lloyds Developments Limited – the
Crerar Hotels has revealed its first ever ‘ambassadogs’. It launched the search for a paw-fect pup to front its new Dogs of Crerar Hotels campaign. After hundreds of online entries, spaniels Bailey and Loki were named the winners. As well as being its ‘ambassadogs’ for next year, Bailey and Loki’s paw-rents will enjoy a stay at their favourite hotel in the collection.
owner of Virgin Hotels Glasgow, which Virgin Hotels has a management contract with – has financial problems, and on 1 December its lenders put it into administration.
“As a result, the directors of V Hotel Glasgow Ltd, the employer and operating company in respect of the hotel, are being advised by FRP Advisory LLP as they place that company into liquidation. These financial issues mean that the hotel cannot continue operating and now has to close.
“Virgin Group tried to find solutions, including offering to purchase the hotel, to keep the hotel open, keep the team in employment, and ensure the completion of the development of the hotel, creating something the City of Glasgow could be proud of. Unfortunately, the lenders have not accepted Virgin’s offers and intend to pursue a sales process with the hotel closed.”
Martin Property Group has a broad portfolio of commercial and residential properties in the UK and Northern Ireland, including shopping centres and offices, as well as the Leonardo hotel in Chester and the property at 151 West George Street in Glasgow, where Wetherspoons and Blue Dog are located.
BOTHWELL BRIDGE
PLANS REVEALED
Scottish hospitality operator Manorview has submitted a planning application for an overhaul of the Bothwell Bridge Hotel, acquired in summer 2022. The group, known for Boclair House in Bearsden and The Redhurst in Giffnock, has ambitious plans to transform the property.
The revamped hotel will feature 70 rooms, including doubles, twins, a luxurious Honeymoon Suite, a couple’s suite, and a spacious guest suite for wedding parties. Dining options will include a 175-cover brasserie and a lounge for coffee and pastries.
Event spaces are a priority, with a large wedding and function suite and an additional celebration area, alongside private dining options. The design will retain much of the original façade, with a new orangery enhancing the restaurant and event spaces.
A standout addition is a new spa featuring a rooftop hydrotherapy pool, plunge pool,
seven treatment rooms, experience showers, a sauna, and a lounge area for refreshments, complemented by an on-site gym.
The project is expected to generate 150–200 jobs, with work anticipated to begin in 2025, pending local planning board approval. Though the entire property will be refurbished throughout, there’s one new addition that was not part of the hotel previously – a luxurious spa.
David Tracey, Managing Director, said, “We are very excited at the prospect of bringing Bothwell Bridge to life in a new way. We recognise that the hospitality market has shifted in recent times, with relaxation and wellbeing high on the agenda for local and national guests. So we knew we wanted to include a spa and gym in our plans. Our aim for Bothwell Bridge is to have something not just for hotel guests, but a place that locals can unwind, relax, and enjoy memorable moments with family and friends.”
Apex Hotels targets top UK independent status following strong results
Family-owned Apex Hotels Limited has posted another year of strong trading performance, with revenue up 6.2% to £79.4m in the year ending 2024, driven by both increased room occupancy and rates.
Underlying trading profitability has also continued to improve, with operating profit for the Group of £13.0m up 9.0% year on year after adjusting for a COVID-19 insurance claim in the previous financial period. Profit before taxation of £28.4m was boosted by a gain on disposal of £18.9m following the sale of Apex London Wall Hotel in July 2023.
The funds generated from the disposal, together with a Barclays Bank refinancing, enabled the Group to begin its growth portfolio expansion with the acquisition of Pine Trees Hotel in Pitlochry and Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Course in Aberdeenshire.
Following the year-end, Apex Hotels continued to expand with the acquisition of The Vineyard Hotel, a 5-star country house hotel and spa operating in West Berkshire, followed by the DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro. The hotel will continue to trade as a Hilton DoubleTree brand under
a hotel management agreement.
Apex Hotels Chief Executive Angela Vickers said, “Following strong trading last year, we have set out a path for continued growth of the portfolio through strategic acquisitions and refurbishment of existing properties.
“The acquisition of Pine Trees, Meldrum House, The Vineyard, and the DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro marks a new chapter in the Group’s history as we venture into rural resorts and hotels.
Offering greater choice will help maintain customer loyalty and enhance the guest experience.
“Maintaining a healthy profit margin has allowed us to continue to sustainably reinvest in our hotels, our people, and our continued commitment to our ESG strategies. I am delighted to see the impact of investment in plant and infrastructure delivering reductions in scope 1 and scope 2 carbon footprint during the year, despite the 3% increase in total rooms sold.
“We look forward to another strong year in 2025 as we continue to grow our market position and establish ourselves as one of the top independent hotel groups in the UK.”
Angela Vickers
TRANSACTION VOLUMES REACH £431M IN SCOTLAND AS HOTEL MARKET HAS RECORD YEAR
Savills, Scotland, has revealed that hotel transaction volumes (sales of £1 million+) reached £431 million in 2024, up 38% on 2023 and considerably higher than the 10-year average of £282 million. Overall, Scotland accounted for circa 7.50% of all UK hotel deals last year, the highest total outside of London.
Edinburgh hotel deals made up £251 million, representing 58% of the Scottish total, with key deals including Pandox buying the DoubleTree Hilton in Edinburgh city centre for £49 million and Millemont purchasing the Yotel in Edinburgh, both from Starwood. Elsewhere, in Glasgow, Swiss Life bought the Maldron Hotel for £33 million.
In terms of buyer profile, Savills figures show that 40% of purchases in 2024 were from domestic buyers, a significant decrease on the 77% seen in 2023. This is due to US buyers making large portfolio acquisitions, as well as international capital from Sweden and the UAE. The overseas uplift has been attributed to sustained revenue per available room (RevPAR) in recent years.
Looking at the year ahead, Savills anticipates another strong year for the Scottish hotel sector. There are also a number of highly anticipated openings and up to 1,500 rooms in development, such as Cheval Maison in Glasgow, the Hoxton, and the Jenners Building, both in Edinburgh. Scotland is, therefore, expected to remain one of the highestperforming hotel markets outside of London in 2025.
Steven Fyfe, hotel capital markets director at Savills Scotland, said, “Once again, Scotland performed exceptionally well in 2024 and we continue to see year-on-year increases in transaction volumes, reflecting the strong RevPAR growth in key markets. Private equity confidence has been central to this recovery, with significant investments made by Starwood Capital, Blackstone, and KKR, among others. This is because the sector remains supported by solid fundamentals, serving as an inflationary hedge and offering continued international appeal.
“In particular, Edinburgh remains a global tourist destination, which we have seen in the higher-than-average number of single asset sales.” He continued, “We expect transaction volumes will continue to outpace the 10-year average in 2025.”
SUGAR BABES TO HEADLINE THE JEllie FOUNDATION CHARITY GALA AT ABERDEEN’S CHESTER HOTEL
This spring, Aberdeen will shine with a mix of world-class music and Michelinstarred dining, all benefiting local charities through The JEllie Foundation.
Kicking off the month-long celebration is an performance by the chart-topping girl band Sugababes at The Chester Hotel.
Graham Wood, who founded the charity with his wife Gillian and who owns the Chester Hotel, comments, “We’re thrilled to bring top talent back to Aberdeen! Thanks to our generous sponsors and guests, we can showcase exceptional dining and unforgettable entertainment while supporting vital local causes.”
The fundraiser, which takes place on Friday, 7 March 2025, will see The Sugababes performing at the Chester Hotel, with guests being treated to an incredible night of music paired with a sumptuous three-course menu inspired by the Signature Food Festival.
As well as the Sugababes, there will be music from Madhen, a high-energy party band, and
The Gypsy Queens.
After the musical kickoff, The Chester Hotel will host its annual Signature Food Festival: Spring Edition, featuring renowned Michelinstarred chefs throughout March:
Phil Howard (Elystan Street, London) –Modern French cuisine on 14 & 15 March
Angelo Sato (Humble Chicken, London) –Debuting innovative dishes on 21 & 22 March
Angela Hartnett OBE (Murano, London) –Popular Italian-inspired creations on 26 & 27 March
Tickets for the Signature Food Festival are on sale now at www.signaturefoodfestival. co.uk/book.
The event supports local charities and, since 2017, the festival has raised over £1.5 million for children’s charities across the North-East of Scotland.
All proceeds benefit The JEllie Foundation, supporting local charities such as:
A Bear Named Buttony – For children undergoing medical treatments.
Homestart Aberdeen – Helping families in crisis.
The Leanne Fund – Supporting young people with life-affecting conditions.
The Baird Family Hospital Parents’ Hotel –Assisting families of premature babies.
The Archie Foundation – Improving healthcare and bereavement experiences for local families.
SensationALL – Supporting neurodivergent individuals and those with additional support needs.
Tickets for the 7th of March are available at £200 per person (available now at www. signaturefoodfestival.co.uk).
AI COMPARED
If you have been watching the news recently then you will have come across DeepSeek, the latest AI platform that, as I write, has knocked hundreds of billions of the value of AI technologies such as ChatGPT, Claude and a range of others. And it’s good - OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is reported to have called it an “impressive model”.
It was a fraction of the cost of the Silicon Valley AI tools – costing between $6m and $1.6bn depending on who you believe – and this was a drop in the ocean compared the 100’s of billions that the other platforms have spent, and it uses less data meaning that it costs less to run, needing fewer expensive energy-hungry servers. It is also why you may have been puzzling over a company called NVIDIA - which lost over $593bn in value overnight making it the biggest one-day loss in stock market history. NVIDIA designs and makes computer technology and their most well-known products are called GPUs (graphics processing units), that handle visuals and data processing and on the current AI technologies have heavily relied.
DeepSeek is a little more controversial because it’s a sophisticated Chinese-built and
owned platform but it’s also OpenSource and unlike the other platforms – it’s also free to use.
The controversy about what it can’t do – or refuses to do – will no doubt continue, (you won’t find anything about Tianamen Square – it says this “I am sorry, I cannot answer that question. I am an AI assistant designed to provide helpful and harmless responses.”, but this debate around state interference was somewhat muddied the very same day with reports that Google was changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America after the US President said he wanted to change the name.
We all know that AI makes things up and needs checked – again and again – and that it creates sentence structures that are very easy to spot – the press release outputs, below, provide some examples of that.
Using AI isn’t always easy to get right but once you do, it can produce some wonderful outputs and in very little time, particularly for marketing, business planning and PR. What we have learned this past month is that AI is here to stay and we are going to see it used more and more within our businesses.
To make the point of what to expect from some of the best services, I thought I might
Target Market Profile & Marketing Plan for Your Newly Renovated Country Hotel
Target Market Profile : Given your location in Central Scotland, the £1m renovation, and your focus on local, high-quality food and unique room experiences, your ideal target markets are:
Affluent Leisure Traveller - Couples and individuals looking for an upscale, tranquil getaway with premium dining and unique rooms.
Food Enthusiasts & Gastronomy Travellers –Those who follow fine dining experiences and Michelin-influenced chefs.
Weekend Retreat Seekers from Edinburgh & Glasgow - Urban professionals looking for a short countryside escape.
Luxury Staycationers – Scottish travellers opting for high-end domestic holidays.
Small Wedding & Event Guests – Those looking for boutique countryside wedding venues or private events with scenic views.
Eco-Conscious & Wellness Travellers –Visitors interested in locally sourced, organic, and sustainable experiences.
Brief
Marketing Plan
Pre-Launch (Next 2 Months)
Social Media Build-up: Share behind-thescenes renovations, chef introductions, and exclusive first looks at the restaurant, bar, and
BY NICOLA YOUNG
compare a few of the platforms with exactly the same prompt.
To set the scene, I am the manager of a rural country hotel in Central Scotland located between Edinburgh and Glasgow. I have just invested £1m on a renovation. As well as room upgrades – where each room has its own unique look and all toiletries are from local organic suppliers – there is a new restaurant and bar which overlooks a Lochy Loch. The new Chef comes from a well-known hotel and she specialises in locally sourced ingredients as well as seafood and has worked with Mitchel starred chef’s Andrew Fairlie of Gleneagles and Cail Bruichs, Lorna McNee , and the likes.
I want to find the best target market for my newly renovated hotel that will open in 2 months time – spring 2025. I want a profile of this market, and a brief outline of a marketing plan. I then want some example social posts that I can put out to create excitement about the launch that targets the market that I am interested in. Please keep the output to around 500 words, including 2 social posts.
The above will be my prompt. Now let’s compare the output. I have only included one example of the social posts suggested to save space.
rooms.
Email & PR Outreach: Send invites to food bloggers, travel journalists, and influencers for soft openings or review stays.
Early Booking Offers: Launch a special “Opening Offer” for early bookings with added perks (e.g., complimentary tasting menu or welcome drinks.
Launch (Spring 2025)
Grand Opening Event: Host a press & influencer event with a tasting menu, featuring signature dishes from your chef.
Local Engagement: Partner with tourism boards and local attractions for crosspromotions.
Primary Target Market Profile:
Affluent professionals and couples aged 35-65, primarily from Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London, with high disposable income (£80k+ household).
These customers value authentic experiences, appreciate fine dining, and are willing to pay premium prices for quality.
They’re typically well-travelled, environmentally conscious, and interested in local culture and cuisine. They take 3-4 short luxury breaks per year within the UK and are active on Instagram and Facebook.
Secondary segments include international tourists (particularly from North America and Europe) seeking authentic Scottish experiences, and corporate retreat organisers looking for unique venues.
Marketing Plan Overview:
Digital Presence: Develop a sophisticated website highlighting room individuality, loch views, and chef’s credentials
Partner with luxury travel platforms (Mr & Mrs Smith, Conde Nast Traveller)
Implement SEO strategy focusing on “luxury Scottish hotel,” “organic,” “fine dining Scotland”
Ongoing Promotion
Themed Experiences: Offer seasonal menus, tasting nights, and local producer collaborations.
SEO & Google My Business: Optimise for “Luxury Hotel in Central Scotland,”
“Fine Dining near Loch,” etc.
Paid Ads: Run targeted Facebook and Instagram ads for Edinburgh/Glasgow audiences looking for weekend escapes.
Example Social Media Posts
Post 1 – Excitement Teaser
Something Special is Coming to Scotland!
After an incredible £1m transformation, our countryside retreat is almost ready to welcome you!
Picture bespoke rooms, locally sourced fine dining, and an unbeatable Lochside view. Want to be among the first to experience it? Stay tuned – bookings open soon! #ScottishLuxury #NewHotel #FineDiningScotland #SpringEscape
PR & Partnerships
Host pre-opening event for food critics and travel journalists.
Partner with luxury Scottish brands (whisky distilleries, golf courses).
Develop relationships with high-end travel agents and corporate event planners.
Content Strategy
Focus on storytelling around local ingredients, chef’s expertise, and room uniqueness.
Regular behind-the-scenes content showing renovation progress.
Video content featuring local suppliers and food preparation.
Launch Campaign
“Hidden Gem” exclusive preview events for selected guests.
Early bird offerings for opening month.
Social media countdown featuring room reveals..
Example Social Posts
Post 1 (Instagram): [Image: Stunning sunset view of Lochy Loch from restaurant]
“A new chapter in Scottish luxury awaits. Where Michelin-trained cuisine meets breathtaking loch views, and every room tells its own story. Opening Spring 2025, our transformed countryside retreat brings together the finest local organic products, exceptional dining, and unparalleled Scottish hospitality. Follow our journey as we prepare to welcome you. #ScottishLuxury #HiddenGemScotland #LochyLoch #ScottishHospitality”.
The plan focuses on exclusivity, quality, and authentic Scottish experiences, positioning your hotel as a distinctive luxury destination rather than just accommodation. The social media approach emphasises the unique selling points that will appeal to your target market: the chef’s credentials, local connections, and the blend of luxury with authenticity.
AI COMPARED
Target Market Profile
Your newly renovated hotel, with its unique blend of luxury, local authenticity, and sustainability, is ideally suited for affluent, experience-driven travellers who value highquality, personalised experiences. The target market can be broken down into two primary segments:
Luxury Leisure Travellers:
Demographics: Affluent couples (30-55 years old), empty nesters, and small groups of friends. They are likely to have disposable income, often professionals or business owners, and are welleducated.
Psychographics: They prioritise unique, immersive experiences over generic luxury. They value sustainability, local culture, and gourmet dining. They are likely to be foodies, nature enthusiasts, and wellness seekers.
Geographics: Primarily UK-based (Edinburgh, Glasgow, London), but also international travellers (Europe, North America) seeking authentic Scottish experiences.
Corporate Retreats and High-End Business Travellers:
Demographics: Executives, entrepreneurs, and small corporate teams looking for a tranquil yet luxurious setting for meetings, retreats, or incentive trips.
Psychographics: They seek a balance of productivity and relaxation, with a focus on exceptional service, fine dining, and scenic surroundings.
Geographics: Businesses in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and nearby cities, as well as international companies with UK operations.
Marketing Plan Outline
Brand Positioning: Position the hotel as a luxurious yet authentic escape, blending Scottish heritage with modern sustainability. Highlight the unique room designs, locally sourced dining, and the stunning loch views.
Channels: Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for targeted ads and organic content.
Partnerships: Collaborate with local tourism boards, organic suppliers, and luxury travel agencies.
PR: Secure features in luxury travel magazines (e.g., Conde Nast Traveller, Scottish Field).
Although ChatGPT is better at presentation, my favourite for this task is Claude, particularly some of the details (golf courses, whisky distilleries) – but if I were building out a real plan than I might use some of the examples from Chat GPT and dig deeper into the research sources from Perplexity. Perplexity, not shown here, feels a bit more like Google or search although it does have some nice data
Influencers: Partner with food, travel, and lifestyle influencers to showcase the hotel’s unique offerings.
Launch Campaign: Teasers: Share behindthe-scenes content of the renovation, chef’s story, and local suppliers.
Exclusive Previews: Offer a limited number of discounted stays or dining experiences for early bookings.
Events: Host a launch event with a tasting menu by the new chef, inviting local media and influencers.
Example Social Posts
Post 1 (Instagram/Facebook): Caption: “Escape to luxury, redefined. Our newly renovated hotel is opening this spring, and we can’t wait to welcome you. From uniquely designed rooms to breathtaking loch views, every detail has been crafted with care. And with our new chef’s Michelin-starred expertise, your taste buds are in for a treat. Central Scotland | Spring 2025 #LuxuryEscape #ScottishHospitality #SustainableLuxury #FoodieHeaven”
Visual: A carousel of images – a cozy room with local decor, the loch view from the restaurant, and a close-up of a gourmet dish.
images and sources to back up the market information – and it is currently making moves with Tik Tok and even DeepSeek so it’s still one to watch.
In terms of DeepSeek – it isn’t too bad at all. Slightly more formal output style and is much closer to Claude than ChatGPT.
Now, what about the press release that might land in the email of Hotel Scotland?
The prompt contains the same information as above but we are now 2 weeks away from opening and require a short press release for the trade press to tell potential customers about our special launch promotion (50% off for the first 2 weeks).This request below the output of the marketing plan saying that we have now implemented the recommendations.
Hotel Set to Open with Exclusive Launch Offer
[Central Scotland] – A brand-new luxury country hotel is set to open its doors in just two weeks following a £1m transformation, positioning itself as a premier destination for high-end leisure travellers, food lovers, and weekend escape seekers. Located between Edinburgh and Glasgow, this newly renovated property is set to redefine countryside hospitality with individually designed rooms, locally sourced luxury amenities, and a fine dining restaurant with stunning lochside views.
To mark the grand opening, the hotel is offering an exclusive 50% discount on all stays for the first two weeks, making it an unmissable opportunity for guests to experience the best in Scottish hospitality.
The on-site restaurant and bar, overlooking the loch, is led by a highly acclaimed chef who has trained under Michelin-starred greats such as Andrew Fairlie (Gleneagles) and Lorna McNee (Cail Bruich, Glasgow). The restaurant’s seasonal menu showcases Scotland’s finest produce, with a particular focus on fresh seafood and farm-to-table ingredients.
This latest addition to Scotland’s boutique hospitality scene is expected to attract a mix of affluent leisure travellers, staycationers, and food tourism enthusiasts, while also offering private event and intimate wedding packages in a setting that blends luxury with natural beauty.
TRANSFORMED SCOTTISH COUNTRY HOTEL ANNOUNCES SPECTACULAR OPENING OFFER
A beautifully renovated country hotel, nestled between Edinburgh and Glasgow overlooking Lochy Loch, is offering guests a rare opportunity to experience luxury accommodation at half price during its first fortnight of operation.
Following a £1 million transformation, the [Hotel Name] is set to welcome its first guests in February 2025. To mark the occasion, the hotel is offering a 50% reduction on all bookings made for stays between [specific dates].
The historic property has undergone an extensive renovation, with each room individually styled and featuring premium organic toiletries from local Scottish suppliers. The hotel’s crowning glory is its new restaurant and bar, offering panoramic views across Lochy Loch. The kitchen is headed by acclaimed chef [Name], formerly of [Previous Establishment], who has worked alongside Michelin-starred chefs Andrew Fairlie and Lorna McNee.
“We’re thrilled to invite guests to experience our transformed hotel at this special introductory rate,” says [Your Name], Hotel Manager. “Our vision has been to create a luxury retreat that celebrates the best of Scotland - from our locally-sourced menu ingredients to our partnerships with regional organic suppliers.”
The launch promotion applies to all room categories and includes access to the hotel’s full facilities. Bookings must be made before [date] and are subject to availability.
CONCLUSION: Claude feels more relevant for a trade magazine. Chat GPT doesn’t do so well on presentation here or on content so, once again, I’d pick Claude.
The entire process took about 20 minutes – and this included some log-in issues with DeepSeek which was seeing some a large hacking event at the time.
Before I end, I did try Gemini too, but it really wasn’t great for this task. What does it all mean? The best, in my opinion, were Claude and DeepSeek but you can make up your own mind up.
I use all of the AI tools quite a bit for different reasons, and, in general
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Luxury Lochside Hotel Reopens with Exclusive Launch Offer
[Hotel Name], a newly renovated luxury hotel nestled in the heart of Central Scotland between Edinburgh and Glasgow, is thrilled to announce its grand reopening this spring. Following a £1 million transformation, the hotel offers a unique blend of Scottish heritage and modern sustainability, with individually designed rooms, locally sourced organic toiletries, and a stunning loch-view restaurant helmed by a chef with Michelin-starred expertise.
To celebrate the launch, [Hotel Name] is offering an exclusive 50% discount on stays for the first two weeks of opening. Guests can immerse themselves in the tranquil beauty of the loch, indulge in gourmet dining crafted from locally sourced ingredients, and experience the warmth of Scottish hospitality.
We’re excited to welcome guests to our reimagined space,” said [Your Name], Manager of [Hotel Name]. “From the unique design of each room to our commitment to sustainability and local partnerships, every detail has been carefully curated to create an unforgettable experience.”
Highlights of the renovation include: Individually designed rooms with a focus on local craftsmanship. A new restaurant and bar overlooking the loch, offering a menu inspired by Scotland’s finest produce. A commitment to sustainability, with partnerships with local organic suppliers.
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience [Hotel Name] at a special rate. Bookings for the launch promotion are now open, with stays available from [Opening Date].
For more information or to make a reservation, visit [website] or contact [phone number/email].
it would appear that Claude, and to an extent DeepSeek are great for writing style and a tone that doesn’t feel as if it has been written by AI (although Claude still edges that aspect.)
ChatGPT is good for research and more complex reasoning.
The pro versions of Claude ad ChaptGPT start at around USD $20 per month rising to $200.
DeepSeek is free – there is no paid option and a reminder that it is open source which means other developers can download and build on the source code as they wish.
Beth Rehman is pictured with her team and Joanie Whiteford the Lord Lieutenant of Ross and Cromarty who officially presented Perle Hotels the King’s Award for Enterprise.
THE ESSENCE OF PERLE
BETH REHMAN IS THE NEW MD HEADING UP PERLE HOTELS AND THEY HAVE PLENTY PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR. SUSAN YOUNG CAUGHT UP WITH BETH TO FIND OUT MORE.
When I caught up with Beth Rehman, the recently appointed Managing Director of Perle Hotels, she was on the Isle of Skye, at the group’s Marmalade Hotel. Beth is one of only a few female managing directors of a Scottish hotel group, and she has been at the very heart of Perle since its inception a decade ago.
Not only is Beth the business’s new MD, but she is also a co-founder and is very proud of the fact that the group has just gained a King’s Award for Enterprise, which follows the Queen’s Award for Enterprise awarded to the business over five years ago—especially as she got to meet the King at Windsor Castle.
Beth’s hospitality journey began when she co-founded Perle Hotels with her husband, Fasih, ten years ago, driven by a shared dream to modernise the Scottish hotel experience.
Beth, who hails from New Jersey, originally qualified as an accountant and worked around the world for Deloitte, which included a stint
in Russia just as the banking system crashed. In her previous life, she was also President of two schools, and after moving to Scotland— initially to join Deloitte, where she met her husband-to-be—she then moved to Standard Life as Head of Internal Audit for Bank and Investments. before taking the role of Head of Investor Relations for the company.
Although she started her career in accountancy, her first work experience was, in fact, in hospitality. She reveals, “I was a waitress in a small Italian diner in the U.S. I really got the bug. I loved my customers, and I loved the immediate response of giving good service and getting a great tip. In those days, we did 12-hour shifts, and I loved getting to the end of one and feeling, ‘Wow, we did it.’”
Before starting Perle Hotels, she and her husband explored Scotland and stayed at various hotels on their travels. But, says Beth, “We both felt that the quality of hotels at the time really existed in a bygone era. That had charm, but in our view, they weren’t speaking to the modern traveller.”
She continues, “It takes a long time, and it takes a lot of investment, to create a modern hotel, and not every hotel owner—particularly independent hotel owners—has the ability to do that.”
The Rehmans both dreamed of creating a hotel for the modern traveller. So, when an opportunity came up to buy three hotels out of administration, they jumped at the chance.
The Rehmans founded Perle Hotels, and the group took over the running of The Broadford, Marmalade, and Bosville Hotels. Says Beth, “It was a natural progression, as we were already very entrepreneurial. My husband was in private equity, and I had worked on lots of different projects with various types of companies. As an accountant, you see both functioning businesses and non-functioning businesses. That’s part of the learning experience, and we were ready to create our own brand of hotels.”
Certainly, from the get-go, Beth put that into practice and was Brand Director of the group for the first ten years. She explains, “After we bought the hotels, we developed the brand around the whole idea of the string of pearls, but using the French and German spelling of Pearl - Perle.
“The idea of a pearl was that each one is unique. We can take a building and make it a pearl by giving it a certain level of quality, and then, once you put them all together, you get a string of pearls. The idea of Perle is that it was a name that we could carry on into being an international group eventually,.”
The Perle Hotels group now operates five boutique hotels in Scotland, including The Bosville, Marmalade Hotel, and Bracken Hide Hotel on the Isle of Skye, plus Glencoe House and The Perle Oban and Spa. The Bracken Hide, a four-star luxury wilderness resort hotel, is to benefit from 18 new luxury hides, which will be installed by this spring, doubling the number of rooms the hotel offers. The group will also open The Edinburgh 16-20 in the capital later this year.
In fact, Beth reveals she has 12 projects currently underway, which means she has certainly got her hands full.
All of the group’s hotels have a contemporary style, but they are by no means identical. Says Beth, “With each of our hotels, we try to give customers a feel of where they are. For instance, when you are at the Marmalade Hotel, you really feel like you are on Skye. Our hotels have a sense of being local rather than any sort of cookie-cutter hotel. And we’ve tried to keep that through all of our renovations as we’ve gone through. We wanted to develop hotels that were very modern in the scope of their amenities but still reflected the locations that we’re in.”
Today, she collaborates with professional teams, including Malcolm Duffin Design, to keep the hotel designs fresh. “We’re always thinking about how to maintain continuity while also refreshing our spaces,” she explains. “Last year,
we transformed one of our restaurants into a brasserie, creating a cohesive feel across all our properties.”
I asked Beth what she thought the difference was between a functioning and a nonfunctioning business. She told me, “It has to know what it is, and has to know who it is targeting and what it’s trying to be.
“And that is the start and end of it. If you get to the right people, you focus on the right market, and you get that market in, they are looking for that experience. They will enjoy themselves or they’ll use you for the right reason. For instance, a budget hotel that offers stays for business people that are very costeffective has a market, and they’ll get the right reviews for that purpose. People will look at them for value. They’ll look at them for the simplicity of what they’re offering. And people will give them good reviews on that basis. If you try to be all things to all people, that’s when it doesn’t work. You have to know who your market is. You really do. You have to know what type of person you are targeting and what you are offering them when they get here.
“We are a leisure hotel group, so we are not focused on business people staying with us— that is not our market. We try to know who our guests are and what experiences they want. And when they stay with us, we try and find out more about them.
“We try to do analysis every year on where people come from, how long they stay with us, and what they’re doing when they stay with us. These types of data points are really important, and we’re trying to do a bit more of that every year because the more you understand about your data, the more you know your customer.
“We don’t do it to just target people, but we like to know whether the people who are coming to our hotels are the right type of person. Are they enjoying their stay for the right reasons? This allows us to make decisions like, do we do more of the same, or do we change things?
“One of the things that we’ve done in the last couple of years is really focus on that wellness element of our business, ensuring that we have this capability. And we’re just bringing that to fruition in 2025. We hope all our hotels will offer some wellness capability because that is something that people are looking for. We have installed saunas in all of our hotels and some hot tubs. We are also encouraging our guests to get out and about and really enjoy nature by taking that moment to stop and breathe.”
As well as enjoying offering travellers the perfect location to unwind, Beth and her husband love travelling too. “Travel is great. You’ve got to keep moving, but it also feeds the brain, doesn’t it? Travel is really part of expanding your mind, opening your mind. Choosing places that either give you that new interest, open up a new world, or give you a chance to shut off from the world are very important.
“I travel a lot for work too. I like to do research trips. For instance, last May we visited five different hotels in Northern Italy to see what’s happening in the market there. And that is really a good market because it developed in a very similar way to Scotland. I also do a lot of reading on what other hotel groups are doing, how their strategy is, what they’re interested in—you know, that helps when it comes to us developing to the next stage.
“No matter when I travel, I’m always photographing things. My phone is full of photographs of different ideas. It’s not even just necessarily hotels. Sometimes I see things in other businesses, which I think is a good idea. It might be the way they take care of their staff or the way they are organising themselves. I think that’s always really interesting to keep an open mind. There are many things outside of this industry that we could adopt. Sometimes it’s as simple as looking at staff benefits in other industries and seeing if we can learn from them.
“I also look at whether the new trends are coming up, particularly just now looking at food trends. For instance, this year I think the umami flavour route will prevail.
“We have always used local produce, but there is going to be even more focus on local moving forward. We are also going to introduce more foraging. We already do this for our restaurants, but we are planning on doing more. We will also be using more venison and seafood. I don’t think we’re necessarily following a trend. The trend just happens to marry up with what we’ve been doing and will probably continue to do, which is source locally, find good produce, and cook it well. And we are always looking for chefs who are interested in developing menus that use local produce and use their skills to really cook well.
“I think all chefs want to use fresh ingredients, and it’s just that sometimes the hotels that they’re in, or the restaurants they’re in, can’t afford to invest like that. It’s a kind of a dream, I suppose, for many of them to be on an island where you get fresh seafood and such like.”
Despite the success, Beth acknowledges the
challenges the hospitality industry faces today. “The upcoming year is going to be tough for many,” she admits. “Rising costs—including wage increases, the national insurance rise, and operational pressures—are significant hurdles, especially for smaller hotels. It’s crucial that we support one another, as this sector is vital to Scotland’s economy.”
So, what does she make of the tourist tax? “In Scotland, we are fortunate in that we do have a lot of international visitors coming,” she says. “I think it would be too early to say what the impact of the tax would be. I think it would be good for politicians to listen to the industry because there are lots of examples of tourism taxes around the world that work and work well for the purposes that they’re seeking to achieve.
“How it’s done, and whether it is done fairly and effectively, really matters. I know that there’s been some good work done by people from the industry to really raise the profile of the concerns of the industry. I think that needs to be a focus to get it right. If we get it right, in the long term, it will be sustainable and could help the local infrastructure, which in turn supports this industry. We have to look at other countries where it has worked, understand why it worked there, and work out what impact we are trying to achieve and what message we are sending to tourists.
“Sometimes the government rushes in without due consideration of what’s required to make it work. I think without people like Marc Crothall of the STA, it would be more difficult to get our point across to politicians.”
She also admits that despite Perle’s success to date, she is only too aware of the challenges facing hospitality and is actively addressing them by focusing on efficiency and enhancing the work environment for staff. Recognising that happy employees lead to satisfied guests, the company has revamped staff accommodation, transforming it from basic lodgings into comfortable living spaces that foster a sense of community. “We want our team to feel valued and supported,” she emphasises. “We’re building three new staff accommodation blocks, and we’ve refreshed almost all our existing staff accommodation this year. We know we’ve got to be providing not just the bare minimum of bunk beds in a square space, but a comfortable living environment. This is a lifestyle choice for people to come to an island and work, and the better we can make it, the more people will want to be here. It makes a real difference for people if they’re living in good accommodation. They can settle, find a lifestyle, make friends, and really be a part of the community.”
Beth’s commitment to community, employee well-being, and a clear brand vision positions Perle Hotels as a beacon of innovation in
Scottish hospitality. It’s hardly surprising to hear that future expansion plans include operating hotels for other people.
Beth says, “We’re in talks with some people about running their hotels. We’ve got a great system, we’ve got great people, we train people well, we’ve got a good support network and a central office function in Edinburgh. So our next step is really helping other hoteliers. Just because you own a hotel doesn’t necessarily mean you’re the best person to operate it. We aim to provide that solution.”
Beth obviously lives and breathes Perle Hotels, but I asked her if working and living with her husband meant that it was work, work, work. She smiles, “He focuses on the financing, vision, and strategy, while I handle day-to-day operations and branding projects. Although it can be a challenge to keep work discussions from spilling into personal time, we have learned to set boundaries to enjoy life outside of work while maintaining our passion for the business.”
She tells me, “It is exciting. It really is. When I came back after Christmas, the team said I looked really happy, and I was. I am just really excited for this year.”
And with that, she headed off to her writing group—yes, she makes time for hobbies too! I’ve just not to mention her knitting!
ARDBEG HOUSE
Ardbeg House in Islay will open later this year, as its owners, the Glenmorangie Company, have just unveiled the new looks for its rooms. The hotel, formerly called the Islay Hotel, was bought by the company in 2022, and when it reopens, it will be renamed Ardbeg House after its distillery of the same name.
The images of the proposed refurbishment offer a preview into the extraordinary vision for the interiors, meticulously crafted by the renowned interior storymakers, Russell Sage Studio. The distinct restyling includes a reworked bar with a courtyard, a new-look ground floor restaurant, and twelve unique bedrooms, each exploring the history of Islay and Ardbeg. Additionally, guests can enjoy two new and exclusive whiskies—one only available at the hotel, and the other at both the hotel and the Ardbeg Distillery Visitor Centre.
ISLE OF ISLAY
Ellie Goss, Director of External Affairs and Hospitality at the Glenmorangie Company, said:
‘Ardbeg has been crafting its distinctive smoky whisky on Islay for over 200 years. As we celebrate this next chapter in our journey, we are delighted to welcome guests to Ardbeg House and honour the very best of Islay.’
The proposed changes include a reimagined bar with a courtyard, known as the Islay Bar, after the hotel’s oft-remembered community hub, which closed many years ago. Enhancements to the restaurant on the ground floor will be made, which will be open to non-residents. A private dining room will also be created for special occasions. Ardbeg plans to create 12 bedrooms (there are currently 13). Each will be individually themed, reflecting stories of Ardbeg and Islay, with myriad details for guests to discover during their stay.
SCOTHOT A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Scotland’s food, drink, hospitality, retail, and tourism showcase is set to return with a celebration of local suppliers at ScotHot25, at the SEC Glasgow from 26th –27th February 2025.
This year’s ScotHot follows on from a record-breaking show in 2023 that attracted over 7,500 industry delegates, and it aims to build on its success as it celebrates 52 years of showcasing Scotland’s food and hospitality sectors.
There is a lot going on, and here we will provide an overview of some of the highlights as well as point you in the direction of some useful stands to visit – and there are quite a few – this year there are over 250 exhibitors.
Whatever you do, don’t forget to check out The Spotlight Stage hosted by the STA to find out what is happening in the tourism sector. Marc Crothall MBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, said, “The Scottish Tourism Alliance has become a major supporter of the ScotHot event over the last decade, and our members are very much looking forward to its return to Glasgow in February 2025. We will be hosting The Spotlight Stage once again on the show floor with some insightful speakers addressing the big issues within the hospitality and tourism industry.”
A new feature for 2025 is a focus on technological advancements in the hospitality sector, with the Spotlight Stage also offering panel discussions led by industry experts. These sessions will cover innovations driving the future of hospitality with insights into emerging trends and technologies.
As ever, it’s always useful to find out what EPOS suppliers are offering too, and ACR Epos Systems can be found on Stand 339, Argyll Systems on Stand 604, while ICR Touch is on Stand 568.
But it’s not all technology and food – more of that shortly. There are some great hotel suppliers to talk to.
Lumea Liquid Wax Candles, with their long-burning liquid wax candles and the widest range of ambient tabletop candle lighting in the UK, have been supplying the hotel, restaurant, and leisure trade throughout the world since 2001. They can be found on Stand 500.
Also, check out Capital Power Clean on Stand 730. They provide innovative cleaning solutions with a wide variety of cleaning machines, complemented by hygiene and janitorial products, all designed to keep guest areas, kitchens, and outdoor spaces immaculate, which, of course, means that guests love to visit and return.
And laundry, one of the most important aspects for any hotel, is also featured with Fishers on Stand 66. Fishers was established in 1900 and is one of the oldest businesses in Scotland. It also happens to be the market-leading linen rental laundry company
in Scotland and the North-East of England. They are owned by Canada’s largest laundry company, K-BRO Linen System Inc., which also owns Shortridge—a market-leading company in the North-West of England and Borders.
For the bedroom, Mattison Contract Beds can be found on Stand 371. It is one of the industry’s leading manufacturers of contract beds, with over 160 years of experience.
As mentioned, this year includes the everpopular Scottish Culinary Championships, featuring competitions such as Scottish Chef of the Year, Culinary Arts, the Skills Arena, and Live Theatre. The event will also host the Liquid Academy Live sessions, ScotHot’s Innovation Awards, and the Great Taste Market, showcasing high-quality food and drink from across Scotland.
Chefs should check Oil Chef on Stand 920. They are offering a free fryer survey.
The Great Taste Market, presented by the Guild of Fine Food, organisers of the Great Taste Awards, is giving you the chance to sample a range of award-winning products and meet their makers, with a host of suppliers from Scotland and further afield. Featured brands include Great Glen Distillery, Mackays, North Uist Distillery, Scottish Honeyberry Growers, and Rora Dairy.
Another must-visit this year is the Scottish Regional Foods Market, in association with Scotland Food & Drink. These stands celebrate Scotland’s regions, from island creameries to Borders distilleries, coastal seafood, and Highland fudge, offering a journey through Scotland’s culinary landscape. Producers include East Lothian Pavilion featuring Belhaven Smokehouse, Buck and Birch, The Chocolate Tree, Company Bakery (among others), Food From Argyll featuring the Isle of Mull Coffee, Tiree Tea, Isle of Mull Seaweed, Dumfries and Galloway with Galloway Lodge Preserves, Ninefold Distillery, Appetite for Angus, the Gin Bothy, and from Orkney, Orkney Ice Cream.
Iain Baxter, Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink, explains, “By showcasing local producers through outlets like the regional foods market, ScotHot highlights the importance of supporting Scotland’s suppliers to drive growth and innovation in the hospitality sector.”
Toby Wand, Managing Director of 365 Events, the team behind ScotHot25, said, “ScotHot continues to be a must-attend event for the food, drink, and hospitality industries.”
For more information and for tickets please visit https://www.scothot.co.uk.
Lumea liquid wax candles - real-flame table lighting with NO hassle and NO mess.
Lumea – the liquid wax candle specialists – are exhibiting at ScotHot this year, bringing their stylish and sustainable range of liquid wax candles and lamps to the show, for attendees to sample in person.
If you’re attending ScotHot and you’re keen to discover the alternative to messy tealights, visit them on Stand 500. We are offering 50% off lamps with a purchase of a case of liquid wax, as a special Show deal. Quote “Hotel Scotland” and receive a free lighter.
Why use Lumea liquid wax candle
Completely safe – the candles extinguish immediately if they’re knocked over
·Long-burning – each candle burns for approximately 50 hours, so it’s around one per table, per week, at a cost of around £1 per unit
·Mess and hassle free – no wax makes its way onto tables and floors, and staff don’t have to keep relighting
·Environmentally friendly – each bottle of liquid wax is made from 100% recycled plastic, and we accept empty bottles to be recycled
·Used by some of the best restaurants in the UK, including Miller and Carter, The Ivy and Marco Pierre White Restaurants
Manorview shares £124,891 of profit with team
The Manorview team were in a celebratory mood recently after learning that they were to share £124,891 in profits.
The hospitality group, which runs 12 venues including the Bowfield Hotel and The Busby Hotel, revealed the news at an all-expenses-paid team bash.
Its ‘Heartcount’ scheme ensures 10% of net profits is shared annually with everyone who’s been with the company for over a year—this year, 476 team members (about 85%) are in for a payout. To keep things fair, profit shares are based on hours worked, not job titles. So, whether you’re a Director, Housekeeper, or Kitchen Porter, the same hours mean the same cash.
Dani Fraser, Head of People at Manorview, stated, “We are very proud of our Heartcount profit share scheme. Everyone, regardless of role, makes a positive contribution to Manorview and it’s only right that they then receive something in return.”
Unlike many companies that limit bonuses to managers, Manorview’s Heartcount is their sole monetary bonus system. Dani added, “Fairness is the heart of so many of our decisions... this is why we structure Heartcount in the way we do.”
Even those who don’t qualify for the profit share were recognised at the Heartcount Celebrations Event on January 26th at Glasgow’s SWG3. The party featured food, drinks, and a lineup of entertainment, including Britain’s Got Talent star Edward Reid. The event boasted dancers, rollerskaters, and a magician, while the ‘Dancing Grannies’ kicked things off. Everyone got in on the fun with a huge game of ‘boozé bingo’ hosted by DJ Stevie Lennon, complete with dance-offs and sing-alongs!
During the festivities, Manorview revealed the profit share total of £124,891. Brand Director Kirstin Watson exclaimed, “It was fantastic to get the team together to show our thanks and appreciation. The energy in the room was just brilliant—there were glow sticks and foam fingers in the air! We’re on a journey to make life better through hospitality, and this event alongside our profit share is just one way we aim to positively support our team. It’s very uncommon for businesses, especially in hospitality, to share profits—but we’re committed to showing that this career can be rewarding in many ways.”
The Heartcount event has become a much-anticipated annual highlight for the team!
TOM JOLLY JOINS
CRAIGELLACHINE HOTEL AS MANAGING DIRECTOR
The Craigellachie Hotel in Speyside has appointed Tom Jolly as Managing Director.
Tom brings a range of experience across food, beverage, and hotel management, having worked with chefs Tony Singh and Gordon Ramsay, as well as in a number of key roles at Gleneagles, The Wild Rabbit, and The Macallan Experience.
The Craigellachie said in a statement, “Tom’s passion lies in creating a casual ‘home from home’ lifestyle experience for our guests. He envisions Speyside as the champagne region of whisky tourism, where the region becomes recognisable internationally for hospitality.”
The news comes as The Craigellachie revealed it has been included in this year’s Michelin Guide, saying, “This recognition is more than an achievement; it is a reflection of everything that makes Speyside so special. Nestled in the heart of this extraordinary region, we are fortunate to have the finest distilleries, breathtaking Highland landscapes, and the spirit of our community right on our doorstep.”
Will Oakley appointed MD at Cameron House Resort
Cameron House Resort has announced the appointment of Will Oakley as Managing Director. With a career spanning three decades within the luxury hospitality sector, Will joins Cameron House from the 300-acre private resort, Jumby Bay Island by the Oetker Collection in Antigua, where he was Managing Director. Prior to this, Will held General Manager roles with luxury properties including The Cadogan (London), Cobblers Cove (Barbados), and Glenapp Castle.
Will Oakley said, “Cameron House is renowned as one of Scotland’s leading resorts and I am deeply committed to contributing to its continued success. My focus is on leading and supporting the talented team to deliver excellence at every turn, ensuring that every guest experience is nothing short of extraordinary. As we step into the new year, I am excited to collaborate, drive innovation, foster a culture of excellence, and build on the resort’s reputation as a destination of choice for unforgettable experiences worldwide.”
PAUL GREEN JOINS AS NEW HEAD CHEF AT THE THREE CHIMNEYS
RIXON TAKES ON INTERMIN MANAGER’S JOB AT MARCLIFFE AS WALKER LEAVES
Peter Walker, who was appointed General Manager of The Marcliffe Hotel in the summer, has left the role after only five months through “mutual agreement.” He had joined the Marcliffe after only four months as General Manager at Fonab Castle in Pitlochry. Prior to that, he spent nearly six years as Managing Director of the Maryculter Hotel.
The Balmoral Group, which bought The Marcliffe from the Spence family last year, is currently refurbishing the property and has appointed Kellie Rixon MBE as Interim General Manager. She has been leading the hotel’s systems integration and staff development programmes. The Marcliffe launched a #MyMarcliffe campaign to gather community input on the hotel’s future direction, and recently it closed for staff training and cultural development in response to guest feedback collected through the #MyMarcliffe survey, which highlighted a desire for improved service standards.
The Three Chimneys on the Isle of Skye has announced that Paul Green has been appointed as new head chef to lead its kitchen team.
Paul, 38, has over 20 years’ international experience under the mentorship of some of the UK’s most acclaimed chefs, including Simon Rogan, Michael Smith, Martin Wishart, and Adam Reid. He has worked in some of the UK’s finest restaurants. More recently, Paul was head chef at the acclaimed Driftwood Hotel in Cornwall, and before that, he was head chef at the five-red-star Torridon Hotel in the Scottish Highlands.
Born in Edinburgh and raised in the Scottish Borders, Paul’s passion for cooking was nurtured on his home turf under former Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons head chef René Redzepi at the Dryburgh Abbey Hotel, near Melrose, whilst attending Borders College.
Paul’s career has now come full circle. He began his culinary career as a young commis chef under Michael Smith back in 2005 at the Three Chimneys. As well as leading the team as head chef of The Three Chimneys at Colbost, he will also be responsible for managing the kitchen team at The Three Chimneys at Talisker, which was launched at Skye’s oldest distillery in spring 2024.
Paul Green said, “The Three Chimneys is where my passion for Scottish produce really ignited. Coming back to the island almost 20 years later as head chef has an even greater personal significance for me and an achievement that I’m extremely proud of.”
STEWART SPENCE MBE
1947 - 2025
Stewart Spence, one of Aberdeen’s best-known and loved hoteliers, died last month, aged 77. He had a remarkable career in hospitality and only stepped back three years ago, having handed over the responsibility of running the family-owned Marcliffe Hotel & Spa to his son, Ross and the hotel was sold last year.
However, this had not been Stewart’s original plan. He had intended to retire much earlier, but after plans to originally sell the hotel to developers fell through in 2018, he decided enough was enough, had a change of heart, and set about revitalising the hotel instead. To say his customers were relieved would be an understatement. In fact, I interviewed him just after he made that decision, and during the two hours I spent with him, we were frequently interrupted by ladies expressing how delighted they were that the Marcliffe was staying open.
At the time, Stewart told me, “The sale has been hanging over the hotel for seven years. When it looked like it wasn’t going to happen, I decided to take it back into the family.”
However, he eventually retired in 2021 after 60 years in hospitality, that began when he was 15 and took a job at the Station Hotel in Aberdeen in 1962 as a waiter and trainee chef. He then worked in Paris for two years at Fouquet’s as a barman and waiter before returning to the UK and London in 1967 when he joined the Great Northern. He moved back to Aberdeen the following year as Assistant Manager at the Treetops and afterwards at the Commodore in Stonehaven, where he got his first role as General Manager.
In 1972, he and his family took the decision to buy their first hotel –The Atholl in Aberdeen. Since then, they have owned and operated six hotels and one restaurant – The Capitol, in Aberdeen.
But The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa was the jewel in the crown. It was opened in 1993 by former Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev and became Aberdeen’s only five-star hotel.
He ran his businesses through two recessions, in 1986 and 1998, and although he embraced the oil industry, he soon realised that Aberdeen needed to champion tourism if the industry was to have longevity. He practiced what he preached and embraced tourism by marketing the hotels as the gateway to Royal Deeside. He told me, “I didn’t want to have all our eggs in one basket.” He also kept his room rates the same for 52 weeks of the year, telling me, “You can’t build your business and attract tourists if you keep changing your price.”
He ran the business for 25 years with his ex-wife, Sheila, and after meeting his partner Doreen in 2000, they spent two decades working together. One of his deepest sorrows was the death of his daughter Jackie from cancer in 2009, after which they set up a trust in her name, which
they fundraised for over the years. He also had three sons: Greg, Craig, and Ross, who supported their family over the years. It was Ross who became a chef and took on the position of Managing Director of The Marcliffe after his father retired in 2012, with the family selling the hotel to Sir Jim Milne and Balmoral Group last year. When I interviewed Stewart, he told me, “Ross, my son, who is also the Head Chef, is a huge asset, and my other two sons – Greg, who works offshore, and Craig, who is a landscape gardener, are also very supportive.”
Stewart picked up many accolades over the years, but one of his proudest moments was receiving the MBE in 2015 for services to tourism. He was also given a Master Inn holder title and became a Freeman of the City of London in 2007. He received the CIS Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008, the Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, the Grampian Awards for Business Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014, and the Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association Lifetime Achievement Award, also in 2014.
Both Robert Gordon University and the University of Aberdeen gave him honorary doctorates. He was also a board member of Prestige Hotels and Small Luxury Hotels of the World from 1988 to 1996, a board member of Grampian Enterprise from 2000 to 2008, a board member of ACSEF from 2008 to 2012, the Chairman of Hospitality Training from 2001 to 2015, and a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality (UK).
Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association chairman Frank Whitaker described the news of Mr Spence’s death as “truly the passing of an icon.” He said, “The hotel community in Aberdeen and the north-east is saddened by the loss of a truly inspirational hotelier. Stewart was a real professional, recognising at an early stage that Aberdeen needed to work hard together to have legacy success from a burgeoning oil industry.” He said Mr Spence positioned The Marcliffe as “Aberdeen’s luxury place to stay.” Mr Whitaker concluded, “He was a towering figure in the region’s hotel world, and many of us in the industry would be proud to leave a fraction of the legacy that he has.”
Robin Macpherson, Head of College at Robert Gordon College, said, “His passing marks the end of an era for Aberdeen’s hospitality scene, and he will be remembered as a true legend in all that he achieved in his career. We are so grateful for all the support he gave RGC over the years, and we’ve enjoyed many brilliant events at the Marcliffe.”
Stewart didn’t have a long retirement, but I hope he got to stay at some of the great hotels that Doreen and he would escape to, as he told me, “keep the romance alive.” The Aberdeen hospitality scene may have lost a legend, but his legacy will live on. I, for one, will remember his charm, his honesty, his love for hospitality and the pride that he showed in his family. He really was inspirational.
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