Posts by author

Heather Sandlin

55 posts
View Post
  • 2 min

QHotels appoints Paul Bayliss MBE as GM at Oulton Hall

🏨 Paul Bayliss MBE appointed general manager at Oulton Hall Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort. With 30+ years in hospitality, Bayliss aims to transform the hotel into the UK's best over 5-10 years. His strategy focuses on team development, world-class service, and exceptional guest experiences. The historic estate near Leeds offers 18th-century architecture. Bayliss, a former British Army chef, emphasizes training, mentoring, and profitability to reinvest and enhance standards.
View Post
Share
View Post
  • 5 min

Have a break, have a Twix: Why declining brand awareness won’t slow hotel growth

🏨 In Great Britain, five of the 10 best-known hotel brands saw a decline in awareness from 2017 to 2023, according to the Hotel Guest Survey. Awareness varies by age, with Baby Boomers at 64% and Gen Z at 43%. In some cases, Gen Z brand awareness reaches as low as 19%. Only 30% of Brits think hotels offer the best rates directly, with 54% preferring other booking sites. The focus should shift to converting awareness into consumer preference.
View Post
Share

Hotel occupancy rises in September as Red Roses boost demand

🏨 UK hotel occupancy surged to 85% in September 2025, spurred by England's Red Roses performing in the Women's Rugby World Cup. London saw occupancy rise to 87.2%, with room rates increasing from £157.76 to £164.61 UK-wide and £220.14 to £232.48 in London. Gross operating profits climbed from 41% to 41.8% in the UK. Despite pressures like rising costs, the hotel sector offset weaknesses in manufacturing and construction, as noted by RSM UK's Chris Tate and economist Thomas Pugh.
View Post
Share
View Post
  • 2 min

George Davies opens boutique hotel and restaurant in the Cotswolds

🏨 Retail entrepreneur George Davies and his wife, Arlene, opened The House of George, a 10-bedroom boutique hotel and restaurant, in Broadway, Cotswolds. Housed in a 17th-Century building, it features Moda, a 30-cover restaurant with a nine-course tasting menu by chef James Wilson. Lunch menus start at £40. The hotel's design includes British-made furnishings, and its cocktail menu honors Davies's career. Sundays feature roasts from local suppliers. 🌿
View Post
Share
View Post
  • 1 min

Marcliffe unveils new brasserie Skylark

🍳 Marcliffe Hotel in Aberdeen is set to open Skylark, a new brasserie, at the end of this month. The venue will feature vibrant, contemporary design with a focus on local ingredients. Skylark aims to reflect its namesake bird's joyful song and skyward flight. The brasserie will enhance diners' experiences with bold interiors. This development follows Marcliffe's recognition as an AA five-star hotel for its outstanding service and hospitality, as highlighted by chairman Sir Jim Milne CBE.
View Post
Share