Hotel Operations

🏨 The Westin San Diego Bayview in California completed a $20 million renovation of 436 guestrooms and meeting spaces. Aimbridge Hospitality operates the property and managed the renovation with HVSDesign's creative input. The hotel offers city or bay views, and the revamp includes natural cork headboards with metallic sheen. Over 30,000 square feet of meeting spaces have been updated, catering to various events and group sizes.

🏨 S Harrison appointed Ogilvie Construction to convert Osborne House in Edinburgh into a 157-room hotel, scheduled to open Spring 2026 by Meininger Hotels. A London Earls Court Hotel has been refurbished into a co-branded Mercure (282 rooms) and Ibis (226 rooms) property, with more Mercure rooms coming by early 2025. Dalata Hotel Group opened a 268-room Maldron Hotel in Liverpool, its first in the city, designed for sustainability. The Queen at Chester hotel completed a £5m refurbishment, upgrading 104 bedrooms and public areas.

🏖️ Sage Hospitality Group has expanded into Florida by acquiring One Ocean Resort & Spa through a JV with Aspect Real Estate Group, Corner Lot, and Kelco Management and Development. The resort, located on over 3 acres of oceanfront in Atlantic Beach, FL, was purchased from Ashford Hospitality Trust in June for $87 million ($451,000 per key). Sage plans significant renovations and repositioning in 2025, aiming to elevate the property's 193 rooms, spa, and dining facilities, which include over 10,000 square feet of event space.

🏡 Radisson Hotel Group opened the 154-room Radisson Blu Hotel in Sheffield city center, near Town Hall and The Peace Gardens. A 10-minute walk from the train station, it offers a rooftop Indian restaurant, event spaces, outdoor terrace, and fitness center. As part of Sheffield's 'Heart of the City' project, it's the city's first new hotel in years, aiming to blend history with modern hospitality.

🍳 Lifetime, the UK's largest training provider, reports a 47% rise in female chef apprentices during 2022-2023, with 373 out of 1241 new starters being women. The hospitality sector faces a 21% vacancy rate. The number of female chefs has grown by 46% since 2018, reaching 24% in 2023. Stella Carter, 18, with Crohn's disease, began a Level 2 apprenticeship at The Boot & Slipper in Amersham in 2022 and aims to own a restaurant. Nyla, 20, from Nottingham, embraces the industry's diversity. Bianca Martens, 36, in Liverpool, leads a team after completing chef apprenticeships. Lifetime Training emphasizes changing workplace culture post-pandemic to attract diverse talent, while Marston's and Mitchells & Butlers promote inclusive cultures and development programs.

🍴 Chef Dani García recounts his unconventional journey into the hospitality industry, driven by childhood experiences and learning from renowned chefs along Costa del Sol. His process for blending traditional Andalusian recipes with global flavors involves structured work and adaptation to local ingredients. Successfully managing multiple restaurants worldwide, García emphasizes the importance of team dynamics. His transition from a Michelin-starred restaurant to more accessible dining formats like BiBo Andalusian Brasserie & Tapas involves creating a relaxed atmosphere. Media exposure has broadened public perception of his culinary scope. Adapting menus to local tastes—alcohol-free in Qatar, pork-free in Dubai—García's group tailors to each location while maintaining concept essence. Smoked Room, born from Leña, earned two Michelin stars within six months through constant culinary evolution. Global expansion of Dani García Group focuses on launching Leña globally, with new projects underway in Miami, and plans for London, New York, Barcelona, Ibiza, and Morocco.

🏨 The Queen at Chester completed a £5m refurbishment, upgrading 104 bedrooms and public spaces. The hotel also features 11 conference rooms, including the Colonnades Ballroom, with a capacity of up to 400 delegates.

🏨 Property development company S Harrison appointed Ogilvie Construction for a 157-room hotel project in Edinburgh's Haymarket, transforming Osborne House, a 1970s office building. The hotel, operated by Meininger Hotels which has 36 hotels in 26 European cities, is set to open in Spring 2026. S Harrison acquired Osborne House in 2018 and aims to bolster their property portfolio, following a previous investment in a 72-bedroom hotel at Buchan House, Edinburgh. The development emphasizes energy efficiency and sustainability.

🍴 JÖRO, an acclaimed Nordic/Japanese-inspired restaurant, is relocating to Oughtibridge Paper Mill on the edge of the Peak District, opening September. The renovated 19th Century paper mill will feature two bars, an all-day dining terrace with live fire cooking, seven rooms (five studio rooms and two one-bedroom apartments), and SHÖP by JÖRO deli. Luke French and Stacey Sherwood-French, the married duo behind JÖRO, will continue offering their signature tasting menus and introduce a global grill menu in partnership with Big Green Egg. The expansion will allow guests to enjoy a foodie stay with Scandi-inspired accommodations and homemade continental breakfasts. House of JÖRO will still provide boutique city stays while Konjö takes over the original Krynkl site.

🍴 First industry job as a kitchen porter in a local restaurant; admires Gordon Ramsay; cooking style - nice defined flavors, simple; worst review involved a burnt onion broth; essential kitchen equipment - Thermomix; favorite meals at Chapter One in Dublin and McDonald’s; prefers MasterChef over Great British Menu; dislikes avocados; would ban vegans as a restaurant dictator; enjoys Instagram; relaxes at Discount Suit Company near Spitalfields; drinks Guinness or rum and ginger; pairs Coke with spicy pizza; signature dishes include cuttlefish lasagne or buffalo oyster at Pearly Queen.