FRONT OF HOUSE | ST GILES HOTEL LONDON
in the lobby by getting rid of the traditional desk which separates the staff from the guests . The reception desks are now little pods , which increase the interaction staff can have with guests around the lobby area . It makes it feel more welcoming , the key for the project was having a guest walk in and say ‘ wow ’ and that they feel comfortable . I like to think of it as a luxurious living room .
comment on the design of the lobby , but with the art it was more about showing them examples of what he had done and saying that this is the artist who we are looking to work with . There were no complaints and everybody was on board .
Would you have future work from Pegasus , would you include more pieces ? Yes definitely . Our Heathrow property is undergoing a 110-bedroom extension and he has created pieces for that hotel as well . We call him our artist in residence now . It is nice to have the same theme throughout the hotels in our portfolio and I think he is a great artist and been great to work with . He ’ s very talented and also takes ideas and suggestion very well , so it has been nice to keep that relationship going .
Tell me more about the renovations to the lobby ? Before our lobby was renovated last year it hadn ’ t had much work done to it for about 15 years . With the changing hospitality realm we wanted the refurbishment to bring out a luxurious residential feel as much as possible . The goal was to create a space that felt like you could be walking into a nice boutique apartment building , but make people feel comfortable and not intimidated when they walk in . So that is why we chose a lot of natural and neutral tones .
We also managed to create more space
Are there plans for more refurbishment work ? Towards the second half of the year we are putting a schedule together to go through all the rooms in our property and refresh them . It ’ s a 700-bedroom hotel so we have created three different sample rooms to see what the best designs were and the speed that we could renovate each room .
What kind of guests do you tend to see ? Has the art attracted a younger audience ? With the new lobby and with more images of the art online as well it has helped to attract different clients . We still like to say that we cater for everybody , so the demographic of our guests has been around the same . It ’ s still about a 60 % business and 40 % leisure split . However , with our improved social media presence we are hoping to attract younger guests that maybe wouldn ’ t have stayed with us before .
What does the surrounding area offer guests ? We are based just a few minutes away the most central point of London . The real strength of this property is that we are the largest hotel in the area where you can get anywhere central very quickly . Soho and the British Museum are only a five minute walk away . We are also around a block away from Oxford Street , so if you want to shop , you ’ re right there .
What are you goals for 2018 ? One of the most important goals for me is the launch of our foundation , ‘ Hotels with Heart ’. The scheme aims to help young
adults and underprivileged children . We have narrowed it down to two charities that we want to work with in order to help give apprenticeships , mentorships and training to the homeless youth in London .
We have been working on the business plan and partnerships to legally set up the foundation and now we have managed to focus in even better on our mission . It ’ s not just about the hotel or making money , but about how can we give back and how we can be responsible individuals , as well as just trying to make a difference with what we do here at work .
32 www . hotelowner . co . uk April 2018