5 minute read
A Day in the Life - Richard Hopton
General Manager at Hilton Cobham
Set on 27 acres of lush woodland, the recently refurbished Hilton Cobham offers the perfect blend of countryside tranquillity and convenient proximity to London. We’ve been speaking to Richard Hopton, the General Manager at Hilton Cobham, to find out more about his role and this picturesque hotel.
How long have you worked at the hotel/property?
I’ve worked at Hilton Cobham for 15 years.
What does your job involve and what do you love most about it?
My job is people. Guests and Team members. I manage the Team that ensures our Guests have a great experience when they come to Cobham, so much so, that they want to come back. I most love reading our Guest feedback.
Do you have a favourite guestroom/suite and why?
I like our wellness rooms, which come with light stretching equipment, air-purifying plants, fresh fruit and herbal teas. They also have access to a Terrace which overlooks the garden. I also really like our Garden Suites which look into the forest area where we have deer, rabbits, and great places to walk your dog.
What do you like the most about the hotel industry?
It has something for everyone. It’s a great way to enter the jobs market and as we see more and more it can be a great way to keep active in the jobs market but reduce your hours to focus on other things in your life.
Can you please provide an overview of the recent refurbishment at Hilton Cobham and what the objectives were?
The hotel is made up of three buildings that were constructed in different periods and so this refurbishment gave us a great opportunity to refresh all of our accommodation spaces and align the different room options over the whole hotel.
Hilton created a specific design for the bedrooms that would meet the needs of our guests. A big King-size bed, a flexible dining and work area and a neat storage area for those longer stays.
We also took the opportunity to refurbish all of our meeting spaces and worked with our design team to rebrand and renovate our Hotel Restaurant, now Seven Hills Restaurant and Bar.
Were any unique design elements, historical or cultural influences incorporated into the refurbished spaces?
Our bedroom design echoes the patterns and shapes found at the Follies and Grottos of our neighbouring 18th Century Park and Gardens, Painshill. Our Restaurant celebrates the green open spaces of the Surrey Hills and incorporates bold colours and artwork to excite the senses and draw the focus through floor-to-ceiling windows, towards to grounds and woodland views of the restaurant and terrace.
Did guest feedback play a part in shaping the decisions and changes made during the refurbishment?
Regular customers and guests that used our Food and Drinks spaces told us they wanted areas in the restaurant and bar where they wanted to come back to, that they could call theirs. Whether it was a quiet space for calls, a comfy seat for them after walking the dog, or a large sofa they could all fit their friends on to have drinks after dinner. But above all somewhere to come back too.
Were there any challenges in maintaining operations whilst undergoing the refurbishment and how were these overcome?
Our contractor teams and designers really worked wonders to phase our refurbishments so disruption was kept to a minimum for our Guests but our Team were magnificent at planning around the complexities of delivering great service and hassle-free stays whilst carrying out the quite major upgrades to the property.
How has the feedback been received from guests, following the refurbishment?
We have many long returning guests who have been staying at Cobham over many years and their feedback is essential to us maintaining the high standard of workmanship we received from the property refurbishments. Our new Guests appreciate the smart bathrooms and colour scheme with a local twist to the artwork found in the bedrooms and lobby areas.
Finally, why should guests choose to stay at your hotel/property?
Cobham is truly the heart of Surrey and sits as a gateway between London and the South of England. Hilton Cobham sits in its own 27-acre Woodland but connects in only minutes from the A3 and M25. We neighbour historic Painshill Park, RHS Wisley and the Brooklands Motor Museum and Business Park zone where many businesses are headquartered and is also home to the famous Mercedes-Benz World.
