Macdonald Hotels & Resorts
A passion for excellence
By investing in both its new and existing assets, Macdonald Hotels & Resorts is solidifying its sterling reputation within the hospitality industry
Trading predominantly within the four and five star hotel market, Macdonald Hotels & Resorts is a privately owned group, run by a team of experienced hoteliers, boasting a collection of 44 hotels and resorts, each one unique in its style and character, yet all closely linked by the group’s passion for service quality and excellence: “The Macdonald group of hotels are spread right across the UK, giving the group a strong geographical spread,” says David Guile, chief executive of Macdonald Hotels & Resorts. “The group has a presence in a number of key cities such as Edinburgh, Oxford and Bath, as well as in prime leisure destinations including the Lake District and Stratford. So this is very much a country-wide business, one that appeals to three core demographics, the leisure, conference and corporate markets.”
In spite of the fact that trading conditions over the last 12 months have presented a series of challenges, Macdonald Hotels & Resorts has continued to make healthy progress, mainly as a result of sticking to its key attributes, which are centred on providing value for money, exceptional service and unwavering quality.
Investment programme
Committed to a constant programme of investment in its hotels and resorts, the group announced at the beginning of 2011 that a further £16 million would be spent on a series of new ventures and refurbishments. The biggest project undertaken in recent times is the Inchyra Hotel & Spa in Falkirk, Scotland, a venue that in July 2011 played host to the celebrations held for the £161 million Euromillions lottery winners.
The Inchyra Hotel & Spa is a £4 million development that has involved the upgrading and redeveloping of the entire hotel to position it as one of the leading four star accommodations in Scotland, explains David. In order to achieve this the group has built a new spa complex that comes complete with a 20-metre pool, eight treatment rooms, state-of-the-art gym and heat treatment facilities. At the same time, all of the bedrooms have been refurbished, as have the conferencing and banqueting
rooms. This hotel will also be supported by the launch of a new catering concept called The Scottish Steak Club, a steak house restaurant development with a contemporary feel.
New five star product
“In October the group opened its new hotel in Windsor, a 120 bedroom, boutique style town house hotel, offering a five star product and located directly opposite Windsor Castle. Since opening its doors, Windsor has exceeded all expectations, both from a corporate and leisure point of view. To build on the strength of the brand, Windsor will also get its own Scottish Steak Club in September of this year.”
Amongst the countless developments the group has made to its properties around the UK, notable examples include the upgrading of all the bedroom facilities to a four red star standard at the Bear Hotel in Woodstock, Oxfordshire and the refurbishment of the restaurant and bar of the Craxton Wood Hotel in Chester. This hotel will also play host to the launching of the Aiden Byrne British Grill, the first phase in an exciting joint venture between Macdonald Hotels & Resorts and the multi-award winning former head chef of the Dorchester.
Finest & freshest
The aforementioned food concepts highlight the massively important role catering plays in making Macdonald Hotels & Resorts stand out as a truly special brand name: “Catering as a whole is a hugely key area and something that sets the group apart from its competitors, particularly those that concentrate on buying in pre-cooked, pre-prepared or frozen ingredients,” David enthuses. “Unlike these brands, Macdonald Hotels & Resorts prides itself on using only the finest and freshest produce. Its chefs focus purely on the simplicity and greatness of the ingredients, a
Robust standards
Operating within the highest spectrum of the hospitality industry, Macdonald Hotels & Resorts consistently ensures that the most robust core standards are applied across its entire business. These standards are regularly reviewed in line with customer feedback, meaning they are always evolving to further enhance the overall quality of experience that guests receive. In regards to the group’s catering concepts, it looks at each individual hotel to determine which concept is best suited to that location and how it can be best leveraged to bring in the maximum return.
Looking to the future, the group now plans to expand further into several key cities, while maintaining its reputation as one of the leading hotel operators in the country: “The aim going forward is to build an even stronger presence in the country’s two key gateway cities, Glasgow and London, both of which would be well represented by playing host to hotels run by Macdonald Hotels & Resorts. In the meantime the group will continue working towards establishing itself as the leading operator within the UK’s four and five star market and as a provider of unrivalled, quality services,” David concludes.