More than £3 million invested in venues and colleague welfare initiatives to enhance quality and service delivery
Boutique hotel chain The Eden Hotel Collection has been named Small Hotel Group of the Year for the second time in a decade at the prestigious AA Hospitality Awards.
Eden – which has five hotels across the West Midlands and South West – was recognised for its consistency in quality and service delivery, and for the excellent work around its employee experience, as well as their broader efforts in tackling sustainability.
With nearly 900 guests, the AA Hospitality Awards highlight the very best in British hospitality, honouring achievements across fifteen categories – reflecting the industry’s commitment to innovation, quality and environmental responsibility.
Eden’s award win follows a year that has seen the business invest more than £3 million in venue refurbishments and colleague welfare initiatives – as well as adopting sustainability projects around food production.
This includes the recent £1.5 million refurbishment of 19 bedrooms at the four red star Mallory Court Hotel and Spa in Leamington, following the completion of £1.4 million worth of refurbishments at The Greenway Hotel and Spa in Cheltenham, which has seen a transformation of 21 bedrooms, communal areas and a new bar.
Investment has also stretched to its 500-strong workforce, including the launch of an app-based employee recognition programme called The Happy Hub, which includes activities that help to promote positive hormones – such as the ability to recognise a colleague with an e-card, an employee of the month initiative, and monetary recognitions for long service.
For guests, Eden is also commencing its “Inspired By” programme which brings to life the story of each hotel’s individual character for visitors, starting with Mallory Court whose ‘Inspired By our Gardens’ initiative sees the hotel’s workforce sharing knowledge with guests about how the hotel’s ten-acre gardens influence every aspect of the visitor experience – from dining through to décor.
The Group’s focus on growing its own produce on-site and utilising local suppliers has also continued to develop – including the introduction of a new kitchen garden at five-star Bovey Castle in Devon following the success of the kitchen garden and its tours at Mallory Court.
This complements the collection’s ability to recycle 100 per cent of its waste, with 30 per cent directly recycled, 50 per cent concerted into renewable energy, and 20 per cent processed by anaerobic digestion.
Alongside Mallory Court, The Greenway and Bovey Castle, The Eden Hotel Collection also operates the four red star Brockencote Hall Hotel in Kidderminster, and the four silver star Arden Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Mark Chambers, Managing Director at The Eden Hotel Collection, said: “The AA Hospitality Awards are the holy grail for any hospitality business, so to be recognised as the best in our field for the second time in a decade is a testament to our people and the consistent delivery of excellence across all of our hotels.
“As a business everything we do feeds into providing the highest possible quality of service – from investing in our facilities, through to helping our people to be the best versions of themselves in terms of their skillsets, but also supporting them with everyday life, too.
“Reputation and recommendations are a key tool for success for any hospitality business, so this latest award win provides a fantastic launchpad for each of our five hotels to build on the great work they are already doing in their communities to attract guests from the local area and further afield.”
Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media, expressed his pride in the resilience and creativity shown by the UK’s hospitality sector in 2024: “This incredible celebration is a true testament to the strength and innovation within our industry. The dedication and excellence demonstrated by all the hospitality teams have been nothing short of inspiring. Congratulations to all the winners, nominees, and new Rosette holders for their remarkable contributions.”
To read about all the Hospitality Awards winners, visit www.ratedtrips.com/travel-ideas/discover-all-the-winners-from-the-aa-hospitality-awards-2024, and for more information about the Eden Hotel Collection visit www.edenhotelcollection.com.