‘Best Places to Work is a backbone of the Dakota strategy’: How the hotel group keeps winning awards for its employee culture

Look to promote internally

Last year, 75% of supervisor roles were filled internally, says Hamilton-Green. Employees often progress from entry-level positions into management and move across the group’s hotels, creating what she calls a “cultural nucleus”. When Dakota opened its Manchester and Newcastle sites, six team members were promoted into key roles. “Our reception manager, room manager, bar manager, head chef and HR manager all came from existing hotels,” she says, which creates continuity, opportunity and maintains culture as the company grows.

Have a dedicated HR presence

Each hotel has a dedicated HR or people development manager focused on culture, learning and development, and engagement. “There’s always a key stakeholder championing culture, training, engagement, recruitment and all the good stuff the HR team brings to the table,” says Hamilton-Green.

Ensure everyone has hospitality experience

“One thing that sets Dakota apart is that every member of our HR team has come from an operational role within hospitality,” says Hamilton-Green. All HR professionals are required to have at least a year’s hands-on experience in the industry before joining, ensuring they can genuinely empathise with and support team members. Hamilton-Green says this operational grounding acts as an “anchor” in each hotel, keeping HR connected to the realities of day-to-day service.

Take a personal approach to recruitment

Dakota steers clear of AI-driven recruitment, preferring to personally connect with and select “nice people” who fit their culture. “For us, it’s about trying to have the resource there to be able to speak to the individual, speak to the candidates and give them a chance,” says Hamilton-Green.

Offer access to training for all

The group’s dedicated training programme is constantly reviewed and enhanced to support employee growth at every level. Development is delivered in a variety of ways, from internal workshops to apprenticeships, departmental training to e-learning, and accredited external courses include the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health. Internal career coaching is also offered through the Coaching Club, which pairs colleagues from different roles and locations to share knowledge and build confidence.

How to enter the Best Places to Work in Hospitality

The Caterer’s Best Places to Work in Hospitality is designed to identify brilliant businesses by asking the people who truly know – the employees.

When you enter the award, your employees will be sent a survey asking them what characteristics make a best place to work for them, against which they mark you, their employer.

To enter, visit the Best Places to Work in Hospitality website and login to complete your company details.

You will then receive an email from Korero with your organisation’s unique survey link, plus a sample email to send out to your employees to encourage their participation.

The survey should take about five minutes to complete (it’s anonymous and is treated in complete confidence). Your employees will be asked a series of questions about working for your organisation, as well as having the opportunity to write their own comments. 

An overall score will be generated from your results, which will enable The Caterer and Korero to identify the top 30 Best Places to Work in Hospitality.

Those who make the top 30 will be invited to attend the People Summit in May 2026, when the winners of the top 30 and individual award winners will be announced. The top six employers will also be invited to enter the Best Employer Award at the 2026 Cateys.