Want to Save Time & Impress Your Guests? 01768 372 939 | advice@outofeden.co.uk Find Your One-Stop Shop for Hotel Room Products www.outofeden.co.uk Untitled-1 128/04/2026 08:218 42 14 Specials The bigger picture 8 For our latest industry roundtable, in partnership with Mews, we gathered hotel leaders to discuss maximising revenue beyond rooms The 2026 Power List 14 Our 10th annual Power List recognises and celebrates the work of 60 inspiring hoteliers from around the UK Meet the sponsors 42 Get to know the wonderful brands and suppliers that are supporting this year’s Great GM Debate event, taking place in London May 2026 BOUTIQUEHOTELIER.com • Issue 153 MAY 2026 / BOUTIQUEHOTELIER.COM / 3 3-4_BH_Navigate_MAY_13883458.indd 328/04/2026 09:02“New revenue streams can’t appear too grabby” Rory Slater on getting the balance right Page 8 40 50 46 Regulars Headlines 6 The news that has hoteliers talking Manager of the month 40 Get to know Dean Culpan, general manager at Miiro Templeton Garden in London’s Earl’s Court First look 46 The Zetter Group has opened its third London hotel in a buzzing corner of Bloomsbury Fresh faces 48 New appointments in the hotel industry 7 lessons I’ve learned 50 Jane Pendlebury, CEO of HOSPA, shares her industry wisdom “The hotel’s garden is really our secret weapon” Dean Culpan on Miiro Templeton Garden’s USP Page 40 4 / BOUTIQUEHOTELIER.COM / MAY 2026 3-4_BH_Navigate_MAY_13883458.indd 428/04/2026 09:02OCTOBER 2025 / BOUTIQUEHOTELIER.COM / 5 Zoe Monk Managing Editor Eamonn Crowe Editor ITP Media (UK) LTD 140 Old Street, London, EC1V 9BJ Tel: +44 (0)20 3176 4228 Editorial Editorial Director Andrew Seymour andrew.seymour@itp.com Tel: +44 (0)20 3176 4234 Managing Editor Zoe Monk zoe.monk@itp.com Tel: +44 (0)20 3176 4237 Editor Eamonn Crowe eamonn.crowe@itp.com Tel: +44 (0)2031 76 5658 Commercial Commercial Manager Caroline Kelly caroline.kelly@itp.com Tel: +44 (0)203176 4258 Design Senior Designer Ogo Ikeogu ogo.ikeogu@itp.com Production & Distribution Senior Production & Distribution Manager Balasubramanian P balasubramanian.p@itp.com ITP Media Group CEO Ali Akawi CFO Toby Jay Managing director Martin Chambers Deputy Managing Director Holly Sands ITP Media UK Managing Director Lee Cashman Circulation & Subscription Tel: +44 (0)20 3176 4228 subscriptions@itp.com Web www.boutiquehotelier.com The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exception is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review. MAY 2026 / BOUTIQUEHOTELIER.COM / 5 Celebrating its 10th anniversary year, our annual Power List recognises hotel professionals from across the UK who have had a remarkable 12 months. Whether through aggressive expansion, major investment programmes or stellar leadership, the people we have profi led each year since 2016 are chosen because of their impact. This year, alongside our usual fi ve categories – Industry Titans, Business Leaders, Game Changers, Young Trailblazers, and Hidden Heroes – we are introducing a special, one-off category to mark a decade of the Power List. The ‘Hall of Fame’ honours 10 founders of pioneering boutique brands, which have had a major impact on the luxury and lifestyle hotel sector in the UK. We were thrilled to receive over 100 Power List nominations this year, which made deciding who was going to make the cut as diffi cult a task as ever. We’re lucky that we can rely on our engaged readership to help shape the list. Once again, we invited the market to nominate their personal hotel heroes and sought feedback from the supply chain. We have also taken into account the news stories and developments we have featured in both our print and online output this year, paying close attention to the examples of best practice and growth. We have been seriously impressed by the stories we have come across; from creative masterminds launching successful new brands through to CEOs who have found time in their busy schedules to support the next generation of talent. This year’s Power List will be revealed at our annual Great GM Debate, held at Montcalm Mayfair in London. Whether you are discovering the list at the event or reading this at your desk, we hope you will fi nd this year’s Power List success stories informative and inspirational – we certainly did. From the editors Power surge Foreword Published by and copyright 2026 ITP Media (UK) Ltd, incorporated and registered in the United Kingdom under company number 10982417. 05_BH_EDS LETTER_MAY_13883441.indd 528/04/2026 17:226 / BOUTIQUEHOTELIER.COM / MAY 2026 AA to re-enter Irish Republic AA Hospitality is recommencing its quality accreditation schemes in the Republic of Ireland as part of its growth plans. AA Hotel and Hospitality Services will undertake all inspections across the country with hotels in the Republic of Ireland having the opportunity to be part of the AA membership accreditation scheme. AA accreditation in Ireland will build on the continued momentum of the AA’s inspection processes and digital platforms, including RatedTrips.com, which is continuing to reach a wider audience with 23% traffic growth over the past year. The three-level AA accreditation system, includes: Visitor Ready, Quality Assessed and Quality Star Rated. The AA Rosette award, which celebrates 70 years in 2026, will also be available to hotels as part of the broader inspection and recognition programme across Ireland. Irish hotels participating in the AA membership scheme will benefit from promotion across RatedTrips. com, and AA publications, ensuring visibility to high-intent travellers. Inspection applications for 2026 are now open, with AA Hotel and Hospitality Services working closely with Irish hotels. In the headlines The stories that have hoteliers talking Owners of The Queensberry Hotel sell up after 22 years Laurence and Helen Beere have announced the sale of The Queensberry Hotel and Olive Tree Restaurant in Bath, which they have owned since 2003. The couple sold the property for an undisclosed sum following an off-book marketing exercise. The new owner is Leesco Midland Hotels, under the umbrella of Leesco Hotel Group Ltd. Under the Beere’s stewardship, The Queensberry Hotel was successfully positioned as a leading boutique establishment in the Southwest. . The Queensberry Hotel holds four AA red stars and was among the first cohort of UK hotels to be awarded a Michelin Key in 2024. The Olive Tree restaurant has held a Michelin star for the last eight years and four AA rosettes since 2024. Laurence Beere commented: “This journey began 23 years ago and has been a privilege and a joy for both Helen and me." He continued: "We are pleased to have this opportunity to pass the business on to Leesco Hotel Group Ltd, a well- established and rapidly growing hotel group, and we found a shared spirit towards the development of the business, building on our legacy. We are excited to see how the business will grow, knowing that it has been passed on to new wonderful owners." Beckford Group has announced that Teffont House – the group’s first hotel, located in Wiltshire’s Nadder Valley – will open its doors on June 15. Teffont House, which was originally built in 1623 as a private residence, has undergone a year-long restoration programme. It will reopen with 17 ‘elegantly designed’ bedrooms that will be set across the upstairs of the main house, the neighbouring coach house and cottages within the grounds. Across the lane from the main house is the walled garden where guests will find the Chicken Shed – an outdoor drinks and pop up dining space – an area for badminton and a newly installed croquet lawn which can be used by hotel guests. Beckford Group to open first ever hotel in Wiltshire this summer 6-7_BH_News_MAY_13897092.indd 628/04/2026 00:39MAY 2026 / BOUTIQUEHOTELIER.COM / 7 Minor Hotels will open The WestDill Mayfair Hotel London later this year, marking the UK debut of its new premium soft brand, Colbert Collection. The new hotel will open in Q4 following a complete transformation of the Grade-II listed, former NatWest bank building on the corner of Piccadilly and Albemarle Street in the capital. The WestDill Mayfair Hotel London, Colbert Collection, will comprise 50 bedrooms and suites across six floors, in addition to a restaurant and bar. Minor Hotels owns The Wolseley Hospitality Group, operating in the UK with restaurants including The Wolseley, The Delaunay, Colbert and Zedel, in addition to branded hotel, nhow London. Minor International, parent company of Minor Hotels, acquired full control of restaurant group Corbin & King in April 2022, which previously owned the iconic London dining spaces. In July 2025, the firm’s CCO Ian Di Tullio unveiled plans to BH to introduce four new hotel brands, including Colbert Collection to the UK market. The new brands will help the company achieve its aim of reaching 850 properties by the end of 2027. The launches will also enable the group to expand into new markets and segments. Firm behind The Wolseley to launch hotel in London Code: QNC-CALLA-LILY-TL-WHCode: QNC-NOVATUDE-FL HOSPITALITY & PROJECT LIGHTING enquiries@quintiesse.com | quintiesse.com Scan for PDF Catalogue Boutique Hotelier 185x121.6mm May 2026.indd 116/04/2026 17:52:55 News Subscribe to our daily news alerts online 6-7_BH_News_MAY_13897092.indd 730/04/2026 23:26Table talk 8 / BOUTIQUEHOTELIER.COM / MAY 2026 How important has experimental travel become for your property and how are you monetising non-room inventory and bringing in ancillary revenue? Rory Slater: At Estelle Manor, which I helped to open, when we had the idea to open a spa, it was a game changer but quite controversial to charge for that as an add-on. You book your time slot, have a couple of hours there and have a wellness experience. The key is it was an experience and we tried to take people on a journey and so with that spa experience we had an awful lot of permutations to add on and add on and that’s been a phenomenal revenue stream. The other part was then trying to have other revenue streams but not appearing grabby. If guests pay for their hotel room there is an expectation that they can use the bikes, or have access to everything so it’s crucial to market very well exactly what’s included and then what’s extra. Following this, we hired a director of adventure to look after the quad bikes, zip lines, shooting, falconry, and the like. That was adding incrementally as the revenue stream was to Unlocking new revenue In partnership with Mews, we brought together leading hoteliers to discuss how to best monetise non-room and ancillary revenue across the entire guest journey Roundtable The discussion was held at Covent Garden Hotel, part of the Firmdale portfolio 8-11_BH_Roundtable_May_13891075.indd 828/04/2026 00:43MAY 2026 / BOUTIQUEHOTELIER.COM / 9 in partnership with Panelists Kate Bentley, Rooms director at Heartwood Collection Rory Slater, Managing director, COMO Hotels Laura Sharpe, Director of operations, Firmdale Stephanie Hall, Group director of sales and marketing, Exclusive Collection James Houlston, CEO, BH Group Jessie Arscott, Sales director, Mews produce money. So pricing these at £25, £50, £150, then you book in with the concierge or via the app and it was all add ons. Then with the working from home culture, as that grew, we started to think about the membership piece and work stations. None of these people were booking bedrooms, they’d come and have a coff ee, a juice, stay for lunch and have meet- ings. But then what else can we deliver? We’d track members by revenue so we could see when people spend and where and then fi ll gaps when needed. Stephanie Hall: We have our hotels, spas, a golf course, cookery school, a pub and have a lot of experiences attached to our hotel rooms. For us, operating across multiple segments, we don’t rely heavily on one. We need to have all market segments firing to make sure that we can pull levers at the right time if one starts to dip. So a lot of experiences are geared towards groups and leisure. We opened our membership for South Lodge back in 2018 and we’ve had a waiting list ever since, so that gives you a really strong indicator and we took a lot of learnings from Pennyhill Park, as that stands out. At the moment, our spa turnover in comparison to some of our properties – they turn over just as much, if not more than a property. Even with seven hotels - we have 13 restau- rants plus additional spaces - but for us, rather than trying to optimise revenue, we try to optimise our profi t through what we can sell. Length of stay is critical for us and that has increased, because we are giving people a lot of choice and variation when they come to our properties. We segment our properties into destination and exploration hotels. We really tried to make our destination hotels places you come for that hotel and everything it has to off er. Our exploration hotels are a fantastic base with fantastic off ering, but then you can use that to go out and explore diff erent areas. For us it’s about capitalising on experiences outside of our four walls as well and creating that sense of place. So a lot of our revenue comes from outside bedrooms. “The other part is not appearing grabby” We’ve been doing a lot of dating mapping recently and how can we really attribute all of those millions to every market segment rather than just rooms. That gives us a diff erent view of what our market segmentation is outside of rooms, and it’s fascinating: 23% comes from non-residential revenue, which is quite big. Where are you making the most profi t, aside from rooms, and how are you assessing underutilised spaces? Stephanie: I look at our data infrastructure and now I’ve got a really clear view on meeting room occupancy – if you were to look at that in the same way you do bedrooms, you’d be horrified if you saw occupancy levels of 18% or 23% for example. So for us, we’re looking at the occupancy and thinking why aren’t the rooms being used? We are looking at our rate structure for these spaces and focusing on purpose over people. Not basing that cost on how many people you can get in the room, but on the purpose of the room. Moderator: Zoe Monk, managing editor, Boutique Hotelier 8-11_BH_Roundtable_May_13891075.indd 928/04/2026 00:43Next >