A SOUTH African hotel manager has big plans to get his luxury village hotel at the heart of the community.
Mark Lyttleton-Frances said when he joined the Portal Macdonald Hotel Golf and Spa in Tarporley in July as general manager the “hotel was on its knees”.
It had gone through a succession of managers, was filling only 40% of its rooms and was being run as a “hotel rather than a business”.
He says now after just three months customer numbers are on the increase with an average of 75% of their rooms full a night, and they have high hopes for the Christmas period.
He said: “My main focus has just been getting customers through the door. It has all been about service, and I have had to make big changes.”
Mark has a long history in the hotel business. In South Africa,he headed a group which ran 31 hotels across the country.
He emigrated with his family in 2006 because of crime rates – he wanted to bring up his children in a safe environment. He moved to Lincolnshire and managed the De Vere’s Belton Woods Hotel.
He said once customer numbers are up, he plans to involve the hotel more in the community.
Mark added: “I think sometimes we are viewed as that monster hotel on the hill. When in fact we can actually do good for the community.”
The golf club has already opened up its course to non-members, its gym and pool are widely used by local people and village school children can use the pool for swimming lessons for free.
He hopes to get the hotel to work with other businesses and organisations in the community.
Mark said: “The recession is over for this hotel.”
