The shortlist for the 10th annual Independent Hotel Show Awards has been revealed, with a record 50 entries whittled down to a final seven talented hoteliers.

The Independent Hotelier award is decided through a combination of public industry vote and marking from the esteemed panel of industry judges, with online voting open from now until the day before the Independent Hotel Show returns to Olympia London on 4-5 October. The awards ceremony will take place from 5pm on Tuesday 4 October at the show.

Across two busy days in June, the judges read through a record number of entries for both the Independent Hotelier and GM of the Future, in partnership with The Master Innholders, which saw entries more than double year-on-year.

The Independent Hotelier award recognises an excellent independent hotelier or hotelier partnership with a reputation for pushing boundaries and creating exceptional guest experiences. Since the Awards launched in 2012, the independent hoteliers recognised in this category have continued to drive change and innovation in the sector, with the latest winner being Joanne Taylor-Stagg of the Athenaeum.  

The shortlisted hoteliers for this award are:

• Charlie Luxton and Dan Brod, Co-Owners, The Beckford Group
• Harry Cragoe, Owner, The Gallivant
• Helen Heraty, Proprietor, Grays Court Hotel and The Bow Room Restaurant
• Janine Marshall, General Manager, One Aldwych
• Patrick Burke, Managing Director, The Atlantic Hotel
• Stuart Procter, Chief Operating Officer, The Stafford Collection

The judges for the Independent Hotelier award were Joanne Taylor Stagg of the Athenaeum, Grosvenor House Suites’ Andrew Henning, Brenda Collin of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Charlotte Evans of Condé Nast Johansens, David Noble of James Hallam Insurance, Sunday Telegraph Travel Writer Fiona Duncan, HOSPA CEO Jane Pendlebury, Paula Ellis of Retreats Group Ltd, conference and awards host Peter Hancock, Richard Fraiman of The Good Hotel Guide, Simon Numphud of AA Media, The Times and The Sunday Times Hotels, Luxury Travel and Wellness editor Susan D’Arcy and Boutique Hotelier Senior Editor Zoe Monk.

D’Arcy commented: “I think it might be easier to choose your favourite child than selecting the best hotelier from this list. It is such a strong line-up of candidates who have great personalities as well as the highest professional standards.”

GM of the Future, won in 2021 by Anna Sirba, who has since been appointed General Manager of The Bodmin Jail Hotel in Cornwall, recognises a rising star in the hotel industry: someone who consistently goes the extra mile and has a commitment to inspiring others.

The shortlisted hoteliers for the GM of the Future award are:

• Beth Bryant, Hotel Manager, The Ickworth Hotel
• Oliver Harris, Operations Manager, Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa 
• Rachael Stevens, Rooms Division Manager, Pennyhill Park 
• Jill van Rest, Operations Manager, Strand Palace  
• Alexander Wilson, Front Office Manager, The Goring 
• Karen Weisheit, Hotel Manager, Grove of Narberth 

Nominations for the GM of the Future Award were judged by a panel of leading hoteliers and experts in the industry, including Glenn Wallace, Independent Hotel Show Event Manager, David Morgan-Hewitt, Chair of the Master Innholders & Managing Director at The Goring, Dan Rose-Bristow, Owner & Managing Director at The Torridon Resort, Petra Clayton, Creator & CEO of Custard, Wallace Vincent, Master Innholders, Daniel Pedreschi FIH MI, Regional Vice President of Hotel Operations, UK and, Anna Sirba MIH, General Manager at The Bodmin Jail Hotel. The result of the GM of the Future award is decided purely on judges voting.

Vote for Independent Hotelier Vote for GM of The Future

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Learn more about the shortlisted hoteliers and place your vote at independenthotelshow.co.uk/awards. To register for the show and attend the awards ceremony on 4 October, click here.