19 June 2010
Well the sun continues to shine and we are very, very busy. However, things have definitely changed and we have had to review our business mix – less corporate, more leisure, fewer and smaller weddings and more last minute business.
The advantage we have is that we are not reliant on any particular sector and so we can be flexible and adjust our business around all the different markets. I would not want to be a provincial city centre hotel relying on conferences at the moment.
Our attitude is that there is enough business out there to fill this hotel and we just have to go out and get it. Our strength is that we have invested in the product and have a stable and committed team of staff with customer feedback at an all time high…so all we have to do is continue to get the business in!
We will see what Tuesday’s budget brings but at least I do not have to watch England on Wednesday…I’m working.
By Tim Rumney, 19 June 2010 –
11 May 2010
Never backwards in coming forwards we have been getting very involved with Best Western’s recent brand and advertising campaign here at the hotel.
As part of the national advertising and promotional campaign Best Western central office hosted Best Western’s Got Personality events in Edinburgh, York, Cardiff, Birmingham and London.
Our very own Hannah (whose day job is as a Food and Beverage Assistant in our Greenhouse Restaurant) travelled to York to represent the hotel and put in a fantastic performance singing ‘Will Ye Go Lassie Go’ in front of a large crowd of York’s citizens. In true professional style and of course because she is a Castle Greener (we have to think on our feet here) she decided to switch songs at the last minute because two other acts had already sung her first choice of ‘Fields Of Gold’. She pulled if off with style and wowed the audience. Want to see her in action…log onto http://www.hotelswithpersonality.com/ and while you are there give her a vote, she deserves it.
Not to be outdone, the management team at the hotel organised our own Personality Event by taking on a day of challenges nominated by the hotel staff. We were all given a job in another department and then rated by our trainers on our performance. Amongst others Les (Pub Manager) did a Reception shift, Liz (Sales Manager) washed up after lunch and I cooked breakfast. Some joker put a sign up at the entrance to the Restaurant encouraging guests to order poached and boiled eggs, haddock and kippers (all cooked to order). Wayne (our proper breakfast chef) said in four years he had never seen so many poached eggs on order! I still managed to score 9 ¾ out of 10 (¼ lost for shell in an egg) but was beaten by Julie (Finance Director cum Pub Chef), Grace (Personnel Manager cum Linen Porter) and John (Hotel Manager cum Housekeeping Assistant) with 10 out of 10. I think it was a fix…notice how between them they control the wages…I think we should have a stewards enquiry!
The other Best Western jigsaw piece in our promotional puzzle has been our inclusion into a Channel Four flagship programme due to be screened in the summer called ‘Undercover Boss’ (a cross between Secret Millionaire and Back to the Floor).
I was approached back in March by the CEO of Best Western David Clarke who had been asked go into ‘his business’ undercover in order to see things from the shopfloor and identify employees going above and beyond the call of duty. He duly arrived as ‘Andy Green’ (unemployed admin assistant) last month and worked for the day here in the Restaurant and Housekeeping.
We were one of three Best Western Hotels featured and have yet to see the edited programme but Leona and Lesley worked him hard (word has it he was pretty tired by the end of the day) and Leona has since been invited to Best Western central office and has been asked to be an ambassador for the brand.
Of course these sorts of events don’t happen every day but what is everyday is that we have a team of people that have a positive and committed approach to the work that they do, it’s what we call…
...the way we do things around here.
By Tim Rumney, 11 May 2010 –
19 April 2010
I know that traditionally most people view Monday morning with dread, but for me it is one of the best mornings of the week.
For many years now we have run our ‘Spice up your Sunday’ special offer, a dinner, bed and breakfast package very competitively priced to attract Sunday night business.
For most hotels Sunday night is the graveyard session, with empty restaurants, public areas and most importantly bedrooms. For us it is one of the busiest nights of the week with always more than 80% occupancy and a full restaurant to boot.
Our ‘Spice Deal’ started as a local offer but due to demand we opened it up to anyone that wanted to stay, and if you stay more than three times on the deal in a year you may be eligible to join our ‘Spice Club’ on £82…that’s for two people, dinner, bed and breakfast!
But the best thing for me is that every week is like seeing old friends.
This morning I saw Mr/s Gibson (trying to fit in one more stay before they go on their summer cruise), Mr/s Morris (have tried every type of room and have settled on 143 as their favourite) and Mr/s Jones (grateful that they had decided to postpone a trip abroad in preference to us and will have no trouble getting home)…and many others.
We have always taken the view that busy is good and it is a fact in hotels like any other business that things generally go better when a place is full of activity and mistakes are more likely to happen when it is quiet.
So Mondays are not so bad after all…unless you are Gordon Brown.
By Tim Rumney, 19 April 2010 –
01 April 2010
Today has been such a hive of activity with our Easter Party at Alexanders starting any minute now!
We've got the bouncy castle blown up, the face painters have arrived, Christine has planned the Easter Egg hunt and we're prepared for lots of locals and residents to visit and claim their free Easter Egg - even the sun has come out!
This promises to be a fantastic Easter Weekend - four days off, decent weather forecast and loads to do around the hotel and the lakes in general. You can all still be part of it as there's still rooms available across the weekend. So escape the snow, driving rain and head our way!
Roll on 5 o'clock!
By Liz Duncan, 01 April 2010 –
29 March 2010
Not a brilliant day weather-wise yesterday, so was looking for something to do with Joe, my 4 year old which involved getting out of the house, but keeping indoors.
Being Easter thought there would be lots available but according to The Westmorland Gazette it all happens next week. So we ended up at Kendal Library where they have a craft session every month.
The task this time was to create a papier mache egg complete with easter chick - or as we ended up doing a dinosaur chick!
After twenty minutes of being covered in glue and newspaper I decided a runaround at the local soft play area might have been a better idea, but nevermind.
We have to wait for it all to dry now and go back to paint it next month. Given I gave up art at school at the earliest possibility I might have to persuade hubby to do the painting bit. If it comes out OK, I'll post a picture, but not promising anything.
Does anyone else get themselves into such a mess on the pretence of keeping the kids quiet for an afternoon?
Think an Easter Egg hunt this weekend will be a piece of cake in comparison.
Enjoy the holidays!
By Liz Duncan, 29 March 2010 –