On 15th September, The Caterer’s offices in Victoria played host to the judging for the Housekeeper of the Year award. Out of Eden are delighted to be the sponsors for this award, one of the many at this year's Hotel Cateys.
It was a gathering of serious expertise! One of our Sales Representatives, Wilson Digby was in attendance to observe a team of six experienced housekeepers from across the UK assess all those who submitted a nomination.
Wilson said the process was, "refreshingly straightforward". Nominees presented summaries of their roles, hotels, and key achievements from the past year. Whilst the applications were wide and varied, the judges were clear on one thing: supporting material mattered. Applications that were detailed and provided relevant evidence stood out immediately.
With well north of 100 years of combined housekeeping experience around the table, the panel was largely aligned on what constituted impressive work. There wasn’t much debate needed. What truly separated the standout candidates were the teams that had gone the extra mile, overcome serious adversity, or achieved something genuinely out of the ordinary.
Wilson was particularly wowed by listening to the other judges draw on their vast experience. The underlying sentiment was clear: there was a widespread appreciation that housekeeping teams, the life-blood of any hotel, often go underappreciated. Hearing stories of how excited these teams were to be nominated, and in some cases, to attend the awards show, was a powerful reminder of why this recognition matters.
The shortlist of the nominees has now been announced and Out of Eden extend their congratulations to all the teams behind the following hotels:
Voco Grand Central Glasgow by IHG
Park Plaza London Riverbank
The Goring, London
The Grand, York
The Milestone Hotel and Residences, London
The Ritz London
Looking ahead to the awards ceremony itself at The Plaza in Westminster, the sales team are excited to celebrate individuals and teams in hospitality that could so easily go unnoticed, build strong relationships with industry peers and be involved in this prestigious event. "It’s always good to meet professional contacts in a more relaxed environment”, concludes Wilson and we couldn’t agree more. To learn more and get tickets, visit the Hotel Catey’s site here.
