What attracted you to hotels?
The responsibility for entering the Hospitality Industry lays firmly at my father’s door! Having ‘helped’ in his country pubs from a very young age it was inevitable my career would follow the same path. Hotels specifically have always been a draw to me partly due to their naturally diverse nature of operations but also because you get the opportunity to spend more time with your guests rather than just a shorter visit for lunch etc. Smaller hotels have been more appealing to me in order to retain that connection and direct contact with guests.
What do you enjoy most about your industry?
The old cliché of no two days every being the same is normally towards the top of my list and I really enjoy recounting some of the stories of the dramas that happen behind the scenes to industry outsiders who always seem surprised! Aside from this, as you would expect I love working with people and find it fascinating how they can be both the most enjoyable and occasionally most challenging part all wrapped into one. That goes for colleagues as well as guests!
Biggest achievement to date?
I had been recently appointed to my first General Manager role at a relatively young age when the hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh was hit by the horrendous flooding which affected many parts of England and Wales in July 2007. We were forced to close for eighteen months and underwent a multimillion pound refurbishment before a staggered re-opening. Overseeing this process was a great personal achievement for me but the icing on the cake was achieving our fourth AA star within 3 months of launching.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
At the start of my management career, I recall being particularly frustrated that I couldn’t just employ a full team of people ‘just like me’ and now see the pitfalls that would cause! Funnily enough ‘The Team’ is now one of my main focuses and I take pleasure in seeing individuals within it develop and shape the future of our business.
What makes staying at Wild Thyme & Honey so special?
It really is a beautiful site in the suitably beautiful location of the Cotswolds. From a guests’ point of view it is the little extra touches we offer throughout their journey with us which set us apart from our competitors. Most of all, it is the people who make all the magic happen within the four walls who really make Wild Thyme & Honey special.
Where’s your favourite place to stay in the UK?
As an alternative to venturing abroad, as a young family we enjoyed a fabulous post-lockdown staycation at The Harbour Hotel in Southampton which ticked all the boxes for us and have given us some fond memories.
Who’s your biggest influence?
Michael & Pamela Horton of Cotswold Inns & Hotels were the first proprietors I worked for and they really shaped my professional career and how I operate now. Their unwavering commitment to guest experience, relentless hard work and vision of what going the extra mile really meant remain with me now. Pamela was the first person to show me what ‘attention to detail’ really meant and I shall never forget the lessons on how to plump cushions correctly!
Where’s a place you’d like to visit but haven’t yet?
The Ned
