UK Blog Awards 2017 - Please vote for LT

For the past two years this blog, our B2B, business intelligence for hospitality site - where I hopefully Unleash the Insight - has been a finalist at the UK Blog Awards. Year one, in both the Food & Drink and Travel categories; year two up for the body's highest accolade, the Odeon Headline Award for Best Storyteller. 

The Independent Hotelier Mindset

Most independent hoteliers will only engage in marketing and consultancy expenditure if it can be directly and instantly attributed to a room sale

The majority of hoteliers want - rightly or wrongly - cold, hard results, right here, right now. No time for things to bed in, generally speaking they deal in short, rather than long terms.

Some might say this is the way of the world, but I firmly believe instant gratification in business is far more pronounced in the independent accommodation sector.

Hosp on the Box: The Hotel Inspector - The Bulstone Hotel

Episode 8 is summarised on catch-up service My5 as: 

"Husband and wife Judith and Kevin have run their hotel for 20 years, but their once busy establishment has fallen out of favour with Britain's family staycation set."

Hosp on the Box: The Hotel Inspector - Atlantic House

Episode 7 is summarised on catch-up service My5 as: 

"In the seaside resort of Bude in Cornwall, Alex tries to help a shy and retiring hotelier who has a reputation for hiding away from his guests."

Hosp on the Box: The Hotel Inspector - The Richmoor

Tomorrow night, the #HotelInspector finds herself in the middle of some serious family drama. https://t.co/uIBFddx1JN

— Channel 5 (@channel5_tv) 5 July 2016

Episode 6 is summarised on catch-up service My5 as: 

"In the Dorset seaside town of Weymouth, Mum and manager Loraine employs several of her seven children at The Richmoor Hotel, but she has been letting her mothering instincts get in the way of business. As a result, the service is starting to suffer."

Hosp on the Box: The Hotel Inspector - The Gyreum

This week, the #HotelInspector finds herself well and truly out of her comfort zone. Tune in tonight at 9pm. https://t.co/mskv6LFNqd

— Channel 5 (@channel5_tv) 29 June 2016

Episode 5 is summarised on catch-up service My5 as: 

"In county Sligo on the west coast of Ireland, Colum Stapleton runs the uniquely designed eco-lodge The Gyreum with his daughter Finn. But whilst the surroundings of the Wild West are idyllic, the offering is anything but."

Hosp on the Box: The Hotel Inspector - The Black Bear

"I always think I've scraped the bottom of the barrel, but I never quite have" The #HotelInspector continues at 9pm. https://t.co/f7w7y6pX0L

— Channel 5 (@channel5_tv) 22 June 2016

Episode 4 is summarised on catch-up service My5 as:

"After filling a coaching inn full of surprise guests, Alex has to close the place down to show its owners how to get back on track."

Hosp on the Box: The Hotel Inspector - Hotel Continental

Episode 3 is summarised on catch-up service My5 as:

"Alex has some tough advice for a creative couple who own a quirky beachside hotel in Harwich, Essex, which is in dire financial straits."

Hosp on the Box: The Hotel Inspector - Harrogate Motel

Episode 2 is summarised on catch-up service My5 as:

"Alex turns her attention to a hotel located in the grounds of a stable, where the horses enjoy five-star facilities but human guests are treated less well."

Hosp on the Box: The Hotel Inspector - The Blue Inn

Episode 1 is summarised on catch-up service My5 as:

 "Alex turns referee to solve a problem between a hotel manager and the owner, who monitors her every move on CCTV cameras from her office in Paris."

The chosen six

Our initial cluster of six seaside resorts usher in a genuine watershed moment for Little Touches. Places you are all familiar with, whether purely by name alone, for day trips or regular short breaks. There's an awful lot of information about the chosen six out there and I seek to distil it and put it into bitesize, easily digestible chunks for the time poor, knowledge hungry modern traveller.

Their words, not mine

Waxing lyrical about how good one's company is just doesn't cut it in 2016. I prefer to let our community of hosts do the talking. The following testimonials are from a few of our GOLD members - they've demonstrated commitment to creativity and higher-order hospitality and thus gained our signifier of quality. 

UK Blog Awards 2016 - One step closer

Spot on Signage

In the same way the Comic Sans font would be appropriate for a primary school exercise and highly inappropriate for an academic essay, when it comes to signage the same rule applies: yes for kiddies play areas, no for nearly every other type of business. 

Here I celebrate the businesses in our LT Destinations that have Spot on Signage. Respectfully not taking a pop at the poor signage by outing the outdated and shaming the shabby, I seek to inspire those who have been teetering on replacing their letters for the better. 

UK Blog Awards 2016 - Please vote for LT