New series of the show that transforms failing hotels across the UK. In the opening instalment, no-nonsense hotelier Alex Polizzi comes face to face with one of the worst establishments she has ever visited - the Crown Inn in Lewes. After a string of terrible internet reviews and the loss of a precious star in the Visit England ratings, can Alex restore this filthy guesthouse to its former glory?
Two years ago, former care assistant Karen Lloyd sunk her life savings into the eight-bedroom Crown Inn in Lewes. With a great location, the guesthouse should have no trouble attracting customers - but after a number of appalling internet reviews, Karen has lost over £32,000.
With an illustrious career at establishments such as the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong and Marco Pierre White's Criterion restaurant, hotelier Alex Polizzi hopes she can breathe new life into the rundown inn. Her first impressions do not bode well, however. "There's peeling paint, a broken window and very smeared, dirty glass," she says of the front of the hotel. And things get even worse inside. "The first thing I notice is a tray of filthy condiment bottles. If I wasn't here for business I'd turn around and walk back out again," Alex asserts.
In order to ascertain the extent of the inn's problems, Alex prepares to spend the night. Karen leads Alex to the jewel in the inn's crown, room five. "I'd like to turn it into our bridal suite," Karen suggests. Alex, however, is not so sure. "I can think of few more depressing things than spending my bridal night here," she winces, observing the ramshackle bed and dirty bathroom. "Has it even been cleaned since the last person stayed here?"
Alex's horror reaches epic proportions when she studies the rest of the hotel the following morning.
"Why would anyone leave a loo like that? It's just an insult," she says of the filthy toilets. And the cluttered hallways and laundry room do not impress either. "This is madness. How can Karen leave a corridor like this? This is the sign of a disordered mind," she moans. Alex pulls no punches when she confronts Karen about the state of the hotel. "This is your hotel, your name, your place!" she tells her.
Alex gathers the staff together for a meeting and outlines her plans. "I'd treat this like a pub with rooms," she says, suggesting that increasing the popularity of the bar could pay for some renovations to the bedrooms. First, Alex sends a team of deep cleaners in to tackle the hotel and then sets about revamping the bar. The bedrooms are refurbished with fluffy white towels, matching soft furnishings and new hospitality stands. Karen organises a staff reshuffle, taking on the cleaning herself and reassigning long-serving cleaner Sally to work in the kitchens. Alex also schedules another inspection with the tourist board in four weeks' time...
However, it is not just the hotel that needs some work - it is Karen herself. Alex sends the discouraged manager off to the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne for some much-needed hospitality training. Her scruffy hoodies are soon replaced by a smart suit, and staff at the Grand instruct her in the skills of proper customer service and presentation. "I'm hoping by meeting the guests' expectations people will start writing more positive things," she says.
When Alex returns several weeks later, she is impressed with Karen's hard work. In order to improve the reputation of the hotel, Alex has invited some of the internet reviewers back in order to generate some positive feedback. One reviewer gives a suspenseful Karen his verdict. But with a mystery guest on the way to assess the hotel, has Karen done enough to retrieve that all-important star?
what afab place to stay glangrwyney court seems to be lovely owners ,she sounds a darling,nothing too much trouble husband olso a real sweetie i will be staying there hopfuly very soon,bea tucker
November 11th, 2008 - 10:08ammarina mcguire said...
Good Morning,
I was watching the Hotel Inspector this morning about Michael Bissell's Hotel in Reading but the programme finished before I could find out what happened in the end. Can you tell me when the next episode is so that I will know how it all ended.
April 2nd, 2008 - 10:10pmMrs Wendy Hitchcock said...
Would Ruth Watson consider visiting a hotel that we have recently stayed in a feel does not warrant a four star rating ? its the best western Abbey Hotel, Golf and Country Club at Redditch near Birmingham. We feel that the hotel was shabby, and had dirty scruffy carpets, the rooms were recently refurbished, but still ahd the same tired carpets, and the bathrooms were grubby and old. Look forward to receiving a reply. Mrs Wendy Hitchcock
(3 Star)
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