Guide book entries have to be worth it

I always feel that the arrival of the first guide books in January and the completed inspection reports mark the start of my assessment process.

Head chef Robert McPherson joined us at the beginning of last year. Although he was confident of immediate results, I was not surprised that last year he did not receive recognition from the guides, but I was hoping for great things from them this year.

I stressed to him from the outset that, although guide books are important in generating new business, they are secondary to how our present guests perceive his work. Should we lose a guest through change, we must gain two more to show that an improvement is worthwhile.

Robert has not let me down and has worked hard all year, creating a team around him which he trusts and relies on. It gave me great pleasure to discuss various guide-book entries with him, and so it will be him who attends the AA Awards Lunch in Glasgow next week, as I strongly believe that he deserves the praise.

He, in turn, stresses that it is his whole team that deserves it and not him alone.

We have also finally received the last of our reports from the Harmonised Hotel Grading scheme. Eriska is unusual in being graded by two of the participants at different grading levels. I strongly maintain that the level of facilities should be represented by the rating as, with our wealth of amenities and strong service standards, it is essential that potential customers can choose between those with facilities and those without.

As I read through the schemes' list of requirements for us to remain in the four-star band, I begin to wonder whether it is worth changing in pursuit of further accolades.

We have now been in existence for more than 25 years and would like to think that part of our survival was due to reacting to our market and customer requirements. In considering alterations, we must not only look at the guides and the business to be gained but also at our present customer needs.

Somebody is always unhappy with guides and you cannot please everybody, but it is essential that we accept that it is possible to survive without the guides if the changes needed to stay with them will produce a negative effect on trade overall.

Beppo Buchanan-Smith is director of the Isle of Eriska, a privately owned 17-bedroom hotel on the west coast of Scotland

Next diary from Beppo Buchanan-Smith: 19 November