Hotel Cateys 2023: Front of House Team of the Year – The Ritz London

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Our winner ensured the magic of the capital's Grand Dame hotel has not dimmed during an extensive eight-year refurbishment programme, while also donating time to support charities and the wider industry.

The Ritz London's front office team has faced a challenging period with the hotel's room count fluctuating from 136 to 65 during refurbishment works. Throughout this period the team has masterfully managed bookings, liaised with departments, and adapted to last-minute changes to ensure guests continue to experience the wonder of the Ritz London.

While doing this the team has developed new initiatives to enhance guests' stays and drive revenue, including upgrading the hotel's Christmas concierge service, which saw a year-on-year revenue increase of 32%.

The team also creates bespoke experiences for guests and looks for opportunities to make their visits truly memorable. This has included the introduction of personalised merchandise for celebratory moments, including customised money boxes for children visiting during the coronation of King Charles III.

It's little wonder that the friendliness of reception staff scored 5/5 in 220 of 226 guest surveys, with customer satisfaction scores increasing by 5.6%. But what really stood out to the judges was the team's work to support charities, the community around the hotel and the wider hospitality sector. The team has raised £1,500 for Hospitality Action's Walk for Wellbeing fundraiser, worked with community kitchen Refettorio Felix to supply, prepare and serve a meal for vulnerable members of the community and completed shifts with food surplus charity Food Cycle.

Members have also done a huge amount to raise the profile of careers in hospitality among young people, including championing the Raising Aspirations programme in partnership with Rhyl School in Camden, where they prepared and delivered an interactive lesson about job roles within hotels. They have also taken up roles as mentors and as ambassadors for Springboard, and participate in recruitment days at hospitality schools and universities across the UK.

Unsurprisingly, team members have had a number of personal achievements in the past year, including several internal promotions, representing the UK at the World's Best Receptionist competition in Doha and the successful completion of the Master Innholder's Aspiring Leaders Programme as well as apprenticeships.

The Ritz London's front office team has a wide-reaching brief, which it meets while maintaining the service expectations that accompany one of the most recognisable hotels in the world. It's no wonder our judges said their impact was "unparalleled".

What the judges said

"The Ritz front of house team is clearly exceptional. Their passion for the industry is inspiring." Thomas Ferrente

"The sense of teamwork really stood out. This is seen in the figures and feedback. Every aspect that is needed to ensure front of house operates smoothly has been hit." Laura Thomason

The shortlist

• Charlotte Street hotel
• The Goring
• Park Plaza County Hall London
• The Ritz London
• Voco Grand, Central Glasgow