Hallmark Hotel Bournemouth Carlton unveils £1m restoration

29 July 2016 by Katey Pigden

The 76-bedroom Hallmark Hotel Bournemouth Carlton has completed its £1m exterior restoration project to return the property to its former glory.

The cliff-top, seafront Carlton hotel, which first opened to the public in 1903, has also appointed Stephen Allison as the new general manager.

He joins Hallmark Hotels as the Bournemouth cluster manager and will be responsible for overseeing the group's three hotels in the town. The two other hotels are Hallmark Hotel Bournemouth West Cliff and Hallmark Hotel Bournemouth East Cliff.

The Carlton property includes the AA-rosette Frederick's restaurant, which serves a seasonal modern British menu, alongside its afternoon tea by the sea.

It also offers a health and leisure club with indoor and outdoor swimming pools and spa treatments.

Allison started his career as a pot washer in Manchester at the age of 15 and then trained for four years as a chef, before moving into food and beverage and then management roles.

His most recent post was general manager at Macdonald Frimley Hall Hotel & Spa in Camberley and he previously managed the Carlton and East Cliff Bournemouth properties from 2000 to 2002, while they were part of the former Menzies Hotels portfolio.

Following the group's acquisition by Topland in 2015, the hotels were brought under the Hallmark umbrella, which today operates 28 properties across the UK.

Allison said: "This is an exciting time to return to Bournemouth. We need to raise awareness of this seaside town and the Hallmark brand presence we have here. I'm keen to increase people's perception and our brand's reputation."

He added: "Across the three hotels we have 226 bedrooms, three restaurants, a brilliant spa, two outdoor pools, two indoor pools and 175 team members."

Hallmark Hotels said it will continue to invest in all of its properties.

Robert Alley, group sales and marketing director at Hallmark Hotels, said: "We're delighted to welcome Stephen to the dynamic Hallmark Hotel Bournemouth team. He will be a great asset to the group and having had a career within the hospitality industry that spans more than 30 years, he brings a refreshing and diverse wealth of knowledge and experience.

"We're looking forward to seeing his vision of propelling the three hotels forward in this great seaside resort as it unfolds."

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