Lawder Smith appointed General Manager for Threadneedles and The Academy, London, and The Glasshouse, Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
Lawder Smith has been appointed General Manager of Threadneedles (www.hotelthreadneedles.co.uk), the Square Mile’s original five-star boutique hotel, and Area Manager of The Glasshouse (www.theglasshouse.co.uk) in Edinburgh and The Academy in Bloomsbury, London (www.theacademyhotel.co.uk). The appointment is with immediate effect and follows the launch of The Autograph Collection in the UK. |
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Lawder Smith appointed General Manager for Threadneedles and The Academy, London, and The Glasshouse, Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
Lawder Smith has been appointed General Manager of Threadneedles (www.hotelthreadneedles.co.uk), the Square Mile’s original five-star boutique hotel, and Area Manager of The Glasshouse (www.theglasshouse.co.uk) in Edinburgh and The Academy in Bloomsbury, London (www.theacademyhotel.co.uk). The appointment is with immediate effect and follows the launch of The Autograph Collection in the UK. |
Category: Europe - United Kingdom - Careers
- Appointments
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2013-07-25
Threadneedles and The Glasshouse joined The Autograph Collection - Marriott International’s exclusive portfolio of high-end, independent hotels - in April this year. Threadneedles is a 74-bedroom hotel set within a former Victorian banking hall in the heart of the City of London whilst The Glasshouse is a 65-bedroom property in Edinburgh, built into the 150-year-old façade of the Lady Glenorchy church. The Academy, a 49-room hotel close to The British Museum, is converted from five Bloomsbury townhouses. It is independently run but will also sit under Smith’s control.
Lawder Smith has more than 30 years hospitality experience. He started his career in F&B at The Waldorf Hotel London and has since enjoyed a number of managerial postings around the UK including the former Manor House Hotel (now Bovey Castle); the Imperial Torquay, Area GM for Hilton Hotels in Nottingham, Leicester & Corby; General Manager at Heythrop Park, Oxfordshire and a more recent position with Crowne Plaza Kensington. His career has also seen a glittering list of awards from Hilton Hotels "Newcomer of the Year” 2001 to winning European Crowne Plaza Hotel of the Year 2012 for Kensington.
Since 2010 all three hotels operate under the North American-based Westmont Hospitality Group. Westmont, in partnership with private investors, owns more than 500 hotels in Europe, North America and Asia and is one of the largest franchisees of InterContinental and Hilton hotels worldwide.
Christopher Rawstron, Vice President Operations - Asset Management at Westmont Management Limited says “We are delighted to welcome Lawder to the team. He has a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry and brings a fresh outlook. I am confident that Lawder’s experience will be inspirational for all three, very individual hotels.”
Threadneedles – an Autograph Collection hotel I 5 Threadneedle Street I London I EC2R 8AY IJust minutes from The Bank of England and St Paul’s Cathedral, this former Victorian City banking hall blends the traditional and the contemporary, with the spectacular domed lobby paying homage to the hotel’s roots. It has 74 elegantly designed guest rooms, suites and studios. The hotel’s Bonds Restaurant & Bar is set in the heart of the original bank and has its own entrance off Threadneedle Street. The bar offers an extensive drinks menu whilst the restaurant, which has two AA Rosettes, serves seasonal European and British dishes with a modern twist. In Autumn 2011, the hotel launched its new Champagne Bar with esteemed Champagne house, Laurent-Perrier. Set in the hotel’s domed lobby it is the ideal venue for private events
The Glasshouse - an Autograph Collection hotel | 2 Greenside Place | Edinburgh | EH1 3AAHoused behind the 150 year old façade of the Lady Glenorchy Church in Edinburgh, guests enter through the doors of this grand old lady into a contemporary hotel flooded with natural light. The hotel’s 65 rooms and suites have a feeling of both privacy and space and many have a private terrace or lead onto the hotel’s two acre roof garden overlooking Calton Hill.
Located just five minutes from Princes Street and Waverley Train Station, The Glasshouse has won a number of awards since opening in 2003 including being voted by Condé Nast Traveller as one of the top 50 hottest hotels in the world and winner of the 'Most Stylish Hotel' by the Scottish Style Awards. Most recently, The Glasshouse was named Runner-Up in ‘Best UK city hotel’ category in The Sunday Times Travel Reader’s Awards 2012.
The Academy | 21 Gower Street | London | WC1E 6HGThe Academy lies in the heart of Bloomsbury, moments from The British Library and The British Museum. The five Georgian town houses, which date back to 1776, comprise 49 elegantly designed guest rooms and the building’s original conservatory opens onto The Academy’s secluded garden, a quiet retreat in the heart of London.
The Autograph CollectionThe Autograph Collection is Marriott International’s exclusive portfolio of upscale, independent hotels. With over 40 hotels across Europe, United States, Caribbean, and South America, the vision behind the Autograph Collection is to offer an evolving group of passionately independent hotels that fall under distinct categories of travel experience including Culinary Delight, Artistic Getaway, Historic Exploration, or Sporting Adventure. Each hotel is thoughtfully chosen for its quality, originality, bold character and capacity to offer guests a range of unique and unexpected experiences suited to their individual sense of style and adventure. This unique global portfolio has proven to be a highly successful venture due to its discerning process to select only the most exceptional hotels and enriching travel experiences.
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