Hospitality rises to the occasion once again with the Boutique Hotelier 2020 Champions Awards. For the past five years Star Quality Hospitality Consultancy has been the proud sponsor of the Boutique Hotelier Awards. This year the awards were held in a slightly different format due to Covid 19. This meant slightly different award categories in order to celebrate the achievements of our hospitality professionals as they strive to battle through the endless restrictions the UK Government has placed on our industry.

The award categories are:

Leadership in Adversity, Unsung Hero, Act of Generosity, Innovator of the Year, Best Recovery Initiative

This year Star Quality Hospitality Consultancy sponsored the Act of Generosity Award.

This category celebrates the generosity of a team or individual who has gone above and beyond for those who may be vulnerable, providing support and resource during these difficult times. Whether it’s a chef cooking meals for the community or a hotelier offering beds for key workers, the industry nominated in its droves.

The winner is announced in the below video, presented by Boutique Hotelier’s Zoe Monk and Richelle Rimmer and sponsor Monica Or, founder of Star Quality Hospitality Consultancy.

The shortlist nominees were:

Nick Dent – owner, Original Collection

Nick Dent, owner of a group of hotels operating under the Original Collection umbrella, orchestrated and launched a fundraising initiative, during and post lockdown.

care4carers is a Crowdfunding campaign set up to raise funds to pay for much-deserved breaks for NHS staff and carers once the Covid 19 crisis eases. Members of public were invited to donate to the care4carers Crowdfunder campaign which will buy vouchers redeemable at member hotels across the UK.

For every £100 donated to care4carers by a UK taxpayer, a voucher for £150 will be issued to a carer. Participating hoteliers agreed to top-up vouchers by 25% and gift aid adds a further 25%. So, the nation’s heroes will receive 50% more than if the gift were given directly – £150 for every £100 donated by UK taxpayers.

All seven of Original Collection’s properties are involved, including Widbrook Grange in Bradford-on-Avon, alongside an ever-growing selection of quality hotels from all over the country, with more hoteliers joining the campaign daily.

To date the campaign has raised over £52K.

Alexander Hotels

Alexander Hotels Collection launched a new click & collect grocery service across all hotels to help deliver food products to the vulnerable during the pandemic.

The service was available at Alexander House in West Sussex and Langshott Manor in Surrey, as well as Great Fosters near Windsor and Barnett Hill in the Surrey Hills for households with five miles of each hotel.

The usual gift voucher shop was transformed into an online grocery store offering a range of products including meat, fruit & veg boxes, frozen ready meals, dairy, store cupboard and household goods.

Meat including a range of ‘butcher’s selection packs’ was sourced from a West Sussex butcher and the ready meals from a local Kent supplier.

Deliveries were made ready to be collected the next day, with the team at the hotel ensuring social distancing restrictions were upheld upon collection.

The hotel group has also set up a weekly prize draw across the collection with followers on social media invited to nominate NHS or care workers to win a special prize. Already given away is a spa day for two at Alexander House & Utopia Spa and dinner for two in the Michelin-starred Tony Parkin at Great Fosters.

The Berkeley

During lockdown, The Berkeley opened a drive-thru service for London’s emergency services.

The team at the hotel served complimentary tea and coffee from 10am until 4pm, as well as giving out 250 hot meals from 11.30am on a first come, first served basis.

By the end, the hotel was supplying up to 500 meal a day, seven days a week.

The service was a resounding success, with employees from the police force and ambulance service from all over the capital making the most of the support on offer. As a result, the hotel was awarded a special plaque from the City of London Police Firearms Group in recognition of its support during lockdown.

Along with delivering meals, volunteers also delivered 800 grocery shops to help people who are unable to go shopping because they are isolating.

Calcot & Spa

Calcot & Spa, part of the Calcot Collection, in the Cotswolds, launched a community food project in response to the Covid-19 crisis.

With the support of the hotel’s principle shareholders, the Stone family and led by executive chef Richard Davies, the Calcot team worked with local councils and volunteers in Gloucestershire to safely prepare and deliver complimentary home-cooked meals to 600 vulnerable people in the local area.

The innovative food distribution service aimed to supply two-course meals to those in need every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, staffed by furloughed Calcot employees and council volunteers.

Working in conjunction with the four surrounding councils of Tetbury, Malmsbury, Nailsworth and Sherston, the Calcot team identified recipients for the scheme including the elderly, vulnerable families, key NHS workers and those self-isolating, bringing joy and support to the community.

Raj Maharjan – chef, The Roseate Reading

The Roseate Reading has nominated its chef Rajesh Maharjan for the Act of Generosity award due to his role in the pandemic.

Whilst the hotel had to close due to the government regulations, Raj continued to run his kitchen to benefit those who needed additional support at this time.

Raj cooked and organised a food drop of 60 dishes to CIRDIC in Reading, a drop-in centre for those disadvantaged or homeless, as well as a drop of toiletries and other essential household items.

Raj also coordinated 120 meals to be prepared and delivered the NHS Royal Berkshire Hospital for key workers working tirelessly around the clock. All meals and donations were greatly appreciated and Raj is a huge asset to both the hotel and its local community.

Congratulation to all our nominees for their Acts of Generosity and well done to the team at The Berkeley Hotel.