When hotel groups rewrite a story: RoomKey
1 week ago
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- Robert Smith
- Robert Smith born 1966 in Basingtoke emigrated to South Africa, grew up in Cape Town. Developed a love of sports including rugby and cricket. Left SA in 1986 to return to the UK to go into the hotel business. Started as a general assistant at the Royal Exeter Hotel operated by Grand Metropolitan Retailing as a Berni Inn then as an assistant manager until early 1989 when I joined Tower Heritage Hotels as a deputy GM at the Royal Hotel, Winchester. In Nov 1989 they gave me my first GM position at the 50 bedroom Devils Punchbowl Hotel, Hindhead in Surrey. In August 1990 I accepted the GM position at the 67 bedroom Barn Hotel, Ruislip. Stayed until March 1992 when I joined Paten Hotels as GM of the Marks Tey Hotel, Colchester. Over the next 16 years with Paten Hotels I progressed to become a board Director and shareholder with direct responsibility for sales, marketing, IT and purchasing. In April 2008 Paten Hotels was sold to BDL Hotels in a £45m deal. I decided to leave and set up a hotel consultancy and management services company aimed at small to medium sized independent hotel operators as well as to buy a hotel of my own to operate. Became a member of the CIM in 2009.
