Checking In by Hotel Owner

In this episode we speak to Peter Zielke, COO of Safestay. He spoke about the drivers behind Safestay’s record full-year performance, including how Safestay has grown its ancillary revenues across the group, how and why today’s hostel guests are more diverse than ever before, and how the hostel industry is breaking down misconceptions and adapting to the modern traveller.

In this episode we speak to Callum McPherson, the founder and CEO of Obvlo, an AI solution that creates travel recommendations for hotel guests. Callum discussed how Obvlo turned from a viral Google Sheet during the pandemic into a global product, how the platform creates personalised, targeted content for any destination, and the key to striking the right balance between AI enhancements and human touch. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker and proud official front-of-jersey sponsor of The British & Irish Lions. As the Lions head out on tour, you’ll be seeing plenty of the Howden na...

In this episode we’re joined by Jonathan Raggett, chief executive officer of Red Carnation Hotels. We explored Jonathan's journey to the top, including how he landed the chief executive role without even realising he was interviewing for it. He also shares how he helped build a distinctive and successful company culture, and how he sustains his passion and energy while leading a global hotel group. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker and proud official front-of-jersey sponsor of The British & Irish Lions. As the Lions head out on tour, you’ll be seeing plenty of the Howd...

In this episode we're joined by Adela Cristea, chief development officer of the UK, Ireland and the Nordics at Radisson, who discusses the group’s focus on converting existing properties into Radisson brands, how stadiums can maximise their use through hotel developments, and the best ways for hoteliers to balance brand identity with guest experience. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker and proud official front-of-jersey sponsor of The British & Irish Lions. As the Lions head out on tour, you’ll be seeing plenty of the Howden name, so what does that mean for your hospitality business? Whet...

In this episode, we speak to Simon Grace, the general manager of Hotel Indigo, Leeds. Simon discussed how all aspects of the hotel’s design are inspired by the city, and how this plays into Indigo’s wider vision of bringing local narratives into its sites, navigating the common road bumps ahead of an opening and how to pick an enthusiastic, confident team to get your new hotel off the ground. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker and proud official front-of-jersey sponsor of The British & Irish Lions. As the Lions head out on tour, you’ll be see...

In this episode of The Checking In Podcast, we speak to Serena von der Hyde, Founder of Your Space, about her journey from leading a hotel at 19 to building an inclusive hospitality brand. Serena shares how celebrating individuality across teams and properties fuels growth, and how Your Space champions DEI. She discusses the power of inclusive leadership and why creating a culture of belonging leads to stronger, happier teams in today’s evolving hospitality landscape.

In this episode we speak to Dimitris Manikis about his career journey from Greece to Wyndham, the ways in which you can uphold a consistent brand across different countries and cultures, and how the industry must ensure that AI does not scare away the next generation. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker and proud official front-of-jersey sponsor of The British & Irish Lions. As the Lions head out on tour, you’ll be seeing plenty of the Howden name, so what does that mean for your hospitality business? Whether you’re running a small country bed & breakfast, or o...

In this episode we speak to Richard Harrison, managing director of No Ordinary Hospitality. Richard discussed his approach to assessing risk with new creative ventures, his advice for diversifying your site to maximise sales in all corners of your property, how to build strong symbiotic relationships with brand partners and why hoteliers should embrace the evolution of mixed-use spaces. This episode is sponsored by Rezcontrol. Running a hotel is complex — but your property management system shouldn't be. Rezcontrol is the next-generation, cloud-native PMS designed to put hoteliers in control. With powerful automation, fully integrated booking and payment systems, and real-time re...

In this episode, Philip Turner, the founder of Chestnut Group, discusses his journey from financial services to hospitality, how he has scaled Chestnut Group at speed and is preparing for future acquisitions, and why transparency and accountability are key to securing shareholder support. This episode is sponsored by Rezcontrol. Running a hotel is complex — but your property management system shouldn't be. Rezcontrol is the next-generation, cloud-native PMS designed to put hoteliers in control. With powerful automation, fully integrated booking and payment systems, and real-time reporting, as well as legendary UK-based customer service, Rezcontrol frees up your team to do what th...

In this episode we speak to Gareth Winebloom and Lewis Bound, general manager and deputy operations manager at Rowton Castle. They discussed how storytelling at the castle plays a key part in enhancing the guest experience, the key behind Rowton’s team loyalty and low turnover, and how their wedding teams are able to balance personal touches with spotless delivery.

In this episode we speak to Asja Samperi, Rooms Manager at Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill. Asja spoke about how her love of travel, languages and connection with people has shaped her career path, the key behind building a strong and enthusiastic team as Rooms Manager, and how AI is shaping the future of guest personalisation in the luxury market.

In this episode we speak to James B. Clarke, General Manager of the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge and chair of The Master Innholders. James spoke about the Master Innholders' latest conference and what its theme of ‘Distilling Excellence’ means for hoteliers in practice, the key drivers behind his site’s ongoing success, how the Master Innholders encourages connection and conversation within the industry, and the key to empowering your frontline staff through communication.

In this episode we speak to Graeme Green, Managing Director of Crossbasket Castle. We spoke about his time at The Point in New York and how American hospitality has influenced his leadership approach, what guests can expect from the Castle’s £20m refurb, and why creating ‘moments of magic’ for guests can in turn empower and energise your team. This episode is sponsored by Rezcontrol. Running a hotel is complex — but your property management system shouldn't be. Rezcontrol is the next-generation, cloud-native PMS designed to put hoteliers in control. With powerful automation, fully integrated booking and payment systems, and real-time reporting...

In this episode we speak to Kathryn Wright, COO at customer loyalty platform Antavo. We discussed the rise of card-linking and gamification in loyalty programmes, and how hoteliers can capitalise on this, how to re-platform your loyalty system with agile, long-term thinking and why keeping loyalty in mind must underpin all facets of your operations. This episode is sponsored by Rezcontrol. Running a hotel is complex — but your property management system shouldn't be. Rezcontrol is the next-generation, cloud-native PMS designed to put hoteliers in control. With powerful automation, fully integrated booking and payment systems, and real-time reporting, as well as le...

In this episode of Checking In we speak to Kathryn Wright, COO at customer loyalty platform Antavo. We discussed the rise of card-linking and gamification in loyalty programmes, and how hoteliers can capitalise on this, how to re-platform your loyalty system with agile, long-term thinking and why keeping loyalty in mind must underpin all facets of your operations. This episode is sponsored by Rezcontrol. Running a hotel is complex — but your property management system shouldn't be. Rezcontrol is the next-generation, cloud-native PMS designed to put hoteliers in control. With powerful automation, fully integrated booking and payment systems, and real-time reporting, as...

In this episode we speak to Paul Brackley, the founder and CEO of Kinsfolk & Co. We discussed how Paul and his team built a purpose-led hospitality brand from the ground up, how thoughtfulness, community and collective ambition lie at the heart of Kinsfolk, and what can be expected from the brand’s first physical touchpoint, The Newman.

In this episode we welcome back Tim Davis MBE, Founder and Managing Director of PACE dimensions. We spoke about the evolution of the branded hotel space and how businesses can best capture their "unfair "share of the market, why ESG is a key investment for long-term, sustainable success, and how connectivity and cohesion across your operations is key to growth in a softening market.

In this episode we speak to Marc Finney, Head of Hotels & Resorts Consulting at Colliers. We discussed Colliers’ 2025 Hotel Market Index, which highlighted the strength and resilience of the Scottish market, the reasons behind rising investor activity in Birmingham and Cambridge and how investors and developers can best navigate rising costs in the industry in 2025 and beyond. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-out. https://www.howdengroup.com/hotel-insurance

This episode we are joined by Mark Lewis, CEO of UK-based benevolent charity Hospitality Action. We discussed all the ways the charity helps those in need, giving support to those in the sector who often have nowhere else left to turn, some of the reasons why 2024 was their most challenging ‘year yet’ and how operators can better support their workers and also help raise funds so the charity can continue its vital work.

In this episode we speak to Robert Bates, Executive Head Chef at The Belfry Hotel & Resort. Rob spoke about his experience working with Albert Roux, and the lessons learned from his time at Joel Robuchon and Le Gavroche, how respect and recognition is key to high morale and staff retention in the kitchen and his approach to seasonal menu creation. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-out. https://www.howdengroup.com/hotel-insurance

In this episode we’re joined by Mark Spanton, the Pre-Opening General Manager of Dakota Newcastle. Mark speaks about his transition to managerial roles and background in F&B and Operations, how to best navigate the thorough process of a hotel’s snag stage alongside a supportive, communicative team, and why Newcastle is well positioned to be a prime hub for hospitality. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-out. https://www.howdengroup.com/hotel-insurance

In this episode we speak to Ben Harper, CEO of the Watergate Bay Hotel and the recently launched SeaSpace, an experience-led, lifestyle aparthotel on the Cornish coastline. Ben discusses his time at SACO, where he helped launch and scale the innovative Locke brand, how SeaSpace fosters a community-led ecosystem and the benefits this brings, and how experience-led stays are forging the way in hospitality.

This episode we speak to Mark and Sherene Fuller, co-owners of the legendary Karma Sanctum Soho hotel. They talk about their vibrant background in the music and nightlife industry, and the colourful characters they’ve met along the way, how the hotel has fostered a creative community through its exclusive membership model, and how Karma Sanctum Soho became London’s ultimate rock ‘n’ roll hotel.

In this episode we're joined by Eric Jafari, co-founder and managing director of AENDRE. We discussed how listing all the things he disliked about his experiences as a guest led him to create the first innovative extended-stay lifestyle brand, how AENDRE is looking to meet the needs and tastes of today’s ‘Zillennial’ traveller, and his advice for hoteliers looking to work with private equity firms to create their ideal hotel brand . This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-out. https://www.howdengroup.com/hotel-insurance

In this episode we speak with Joe Cainey, co-founder of Sunbeam, an AI platform that helps hoteliers get useful insights by processing masses of guest feedback. We spoke about the surprising things hoteliers learn from the data, the importance of text as opposed to star ratings in making insights useful, and how customer feedback in the future will get hoteliers ever closer to the truth about their performance.

In this episode we speak to Robert Alley, Brand Development Director at BWH. He talks about the emergence of soft and hard brands under the Best Western umbrella, how BWH allows its independent hoteliers to benefit from the heritage power of Best Western whilst enjoying flexibility in their own operations, and the importance of forging strong relationships with owners through open communication and respect. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-out. https://www.howdengroup.com/hotel-insurance

In this episode we speak to Lorraine Copes, the Founder and CEO of Be Inclusive Hospitality, a not-for-profit organisation aiming to accelerate racial equity in hospitality. Lorraine spoke about her own career journey and what inspired her to launch the organisation, the barriers that still exist when it comes to people of colour’s representation in senior hospitality roles, and how Be Inclusive is restructuring attitudes through EDI education. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-out. https://www.howdengroup.com/hotel-insurance

In this episode we're joined by Chris Wayne -Wills, the CEO of Crerar Hotels. We discussed the advantages of working in some of the smaller regional markets, what it was like leading the repositioning of the hotel group, helping to elevate its average daily room rate across its portfolio and the work he does for UK Hospitality Scotland and HIT Scotland in ensuring the sector’s future success. This episode is sponsored by Howden, the global insurance broker that knows the hotel business inside-out. https://www.howdengroup.com/uk-en/sector/hospitality/hotels-and-guests-houses

In this episode we speak to Samantha van Exter, Head of Hotels at the Montcalm Collection. We discussed her background in working across multiple luxury hotel markets, how she oversaw the extensive refurb of Montcalm’s flagship Mayfair site, her advice for navigating a B-Corp certification journey and what the London hotel market looks like in the year ahead.

In this episode we speak to Andrew Secker, RBH Hospitality Management’s Group Director of Sales. We discussed Andrew’s own career journey, how he leads and develops commercial strategies for RBH’s diverse portfolio, and what it takes to be successful as part of a sales and commercial team.

In this episode we talk to Hasib Rahmati, Business Development Manager at ChargeGuru, a leader in the supply and installation of EV chargers for hotels and beyond. Hasib discusses how ChargeGuru creates a simplified process for hoteliers to implement EV charging on their sites, the many benefits of this, like creating guest loyalty and passive revenue streams, and the importance of getting ahead of the curve when it comes to making your site EV friendly.

This episode we are joined by Katie Niland, Commercial Director at the Belfry Hotel and Resort. We discuss her journey in the industry, the £80m expansion project currently happening at the hotel and the challenges that come with it.

This episode we are joined by joined by Tracey Ractliffe and Sarah Baines, Commercial Director and Sales Director at luxury hotel Grantley Hall. We discussed the reasons behind Grantley Hall’s 28% increase in events business over the past year, how the pair strategically plan for the short, medium and long term and how to navigate the challenges that hosting large events may bring.

In this episode we talk to Francisco Ventura, the General Manager at Sunborn London, the only superyacht floating hotel in the UK. Francisco talks about the experience of joining the hotel at the start of Covid, and how a core team of 13 helped house key workers during this time, the complexities of running a floating hotel, and how the young generation are driving changes in attitude around working culture in the industry.

In this week's special episode we are joined by Hotel Owner’s very own reporter, Cynera Rodricks. Cynera recently attended a presentation by James Bishop, SiteMinder’s Vice President of Ecosystem and Strategic Partnerships, who spoke about the findings uncovered in SiteMinder’s new Changing Traveller Report, including changing attitudes around dynamic pricing, and what trends are resonating with Gen Z travellers.

In this episode we speak to Bill Fisher, General Manager of the Hilton London Metropole, a 1,100-room 4-star hotel and conference centre in central London. We spoke about how he climbed the career ladder from his early days as a banqueting waiter, his experience becoming an Area Manager for Hilton in the Sichuan region of China, and what it’s like running one of Europe’s premier hotel properties.

In this week’s Checking In, we speak to Damien Martin, General Manager of the Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff. Damien talks about his journey from fine dining jobs to wider operational roles, the importance of getting to know your team as individuals, the Master Innholders’ Aspiring Leadership Diploma and its valuable networking opportunities, and how more can be done to nurture new industry talent from a diverse breadth of backgrounds.

In this episode of Checking In we speak to Karim Malak, the CEO of easyHotel, about his career path from consultancy roles to leading easyHotel today, how the hotel group has maintained high profit margins despite the turbulence of the wider economy, and about his ambitions for easyHotel to leverage its brand and grow from 50 to 1,000 properties.

On this episode of Checking we are joined by Jane Frazer, Director of Sales and Marketing at Fairmont St Andrews. We Discussed Jane’s time working in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and their differences from the UK market, her advice for listeners to wanting to attract more MICE business, and how despite being located at the home of golf the hotel makes sure to maximise its attractiveness to guests other than golfers through its strong community relationships.

In this week’s Checking In, we speak to Grant Peires, Communications Director at IDILIQ Group, who has most recently dedicated his work to Kind Holidays, an initiative where hotel space is gifted to families and individuals going through hardship to provide them with a respite and create priceless memories. Grant tells us more about how the initiative works, the impact it has had on some incredible individuals, and how other hoteliers can get involved in this worthwhile movement. An introduction to Kind Holidays, including Scotty’s speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IrnVKszQX0 Metro article: https://metro.co.uk/2...