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A celebrated hotelier visits a struggling British hotel and tries to turn its fortunes by giving advice and suggestions to the owner.
2005
Hotelier Ruth Watson helps Kate and John, owners of a Stratford-upon-Avon B&B that is the only one on its street without an RAC diamond rating. Sending them off to observe a four-star rival in town, the hospitality guru makes a list of the changes she believes necessary - but the couple do not seem keen to adopt them
Ruth Watson meets Keith and Val Morris, who three and a half years ago bought the Hanmer Arms, a classy 23-bed hotel in Wrexham County Borough. Family members have invested £1 million of their money into the struggling business, and are eager to see a return.
Ruth Watson helps sisters Sharon and Joy with their struggling country house hotel in Worlington, Suffolk. While the Grade-II listed building is in good repair, the operating systems are chaotic and the menu too extensive for the solitary chef to handle. Ruth organises a revamp of the dated-looking function room - prompting the delighted owners to plan a wedding fair in their new-look space.
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2016
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2020
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2015
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2011
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2023
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2017
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2025
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2024
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2024
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2018
2007
Ruth heads to the East Sussex coast to tackle a hotel whose owner is actively opposed to her ideas before he has even met her. Ruth is in Hastings to visit the Grand Hotel, a seafront establishment with 17 rooms that is rapidly losing business to the new budget hotels elsewhere in the town. Owner Peter Mann, who has been running the hotel for 18 years, is keen to reverse his fortunes, but is wary of Ruth’s infamous no-nonsense approach even before her arrival. “If she’s going to come here a cross between Darth Vader, Genghis Khan and Gordon Ramsay, then that’s not going to work at all,” he warns. Unfortunately for Peter, his worst fears are confirmed when he meets Ruth. She is deeply unimpressed by his hotel the moment she sets eyes on it.
Ruth attempts to change the fortunes of a hotel in Reading, whose owner is resistant to the idea of altering his prices. Beech House is a 15-bedroom hotel in Reading, owned by businessman Michael Bissell. Michael converted the hotel from a care home four years ago and invested around half a million pounds in the facilities, but so far he has failed to attract guests in Reading’s competitive market. The hotel has lost huge amounts of money and Michael has even had to cash in his pension to keep it afloat. “Because of the losses that I’ve made, it’s been me paying the guests to stay here,” he says. Months away from bankruptcy, he has called in Ruth Watson to help avert disaster.
Ruth meets Vincent and Lidy Van Nuyk, the Dutch owners of the 14-bedroom Safari hotel in Bournemouth. Drowning in debt and unable to carry out vital renovations on the hotel, Vincent and Lidy desperately need help if they are to turn their fortunes around. Vincent and Lidy took on the Safari after 13 years spent running a successful restaurant in Ireland took their toll on Vincent’s health. However, their hopes of a quiet life are unfulfilled: the hotel has failed to turn a profit and they have been driven to the brink of bankruptcy. The lack of money is reflected in the shabbiness of the hotel, which is in dire need of renovation. “We feel defeated,” sighs Lidy. “We want to improve, but we have no cash for it.” To save money, Lidy and Vincent do all the work themselves –including cleaning the 14 bedrooms and doing all the cooking –and are forced to live in one room. Overwhelmed, they have no idea how to pull themselves out of this hole and need someone to show them how to improve things.
Tonight, Ruth visits a bed and breakfast establishment housed in a beautiful medieval priory. The owner is reluctant to share her home with guests, but needs to boost her income to avoid losing the property altogether. Can Ruth persuade her to focus the business on weddings and fashion shoots? Butley Priory is a six-bedroom B in a converted 14th-century priory, just a stone’s throw from Ruth’s own hotel in Suffolk. The owner is musician and former model Frances Cavendish, who opened her home to paying guests to make ends meets after her divorce eight years ago. Unfortunately, the rooms often stand empty and Frances is on the brink of selling up. “If we don’t get more guests through the door I’m going to have to call it a day,” she tells Ruth.
Renowned hotelier, restaurateur and author Ruth Watson continues her mission to reverse Britain’s reputation for poorly run hotels, guesthouses and B In tonight’s instalment, Ruth tackles the oddly named Weyanoke – a large hotel on the Eastbourne coast currently suffering from something of an identity crisis. Three years ago, after a stint running a small B, Mark and Heidi Cowderoy bought the Weyanoke – a beautiful, 33-bedroom Victorian hotel situated on the Eastbourne seafront. In the past, the hotel has catered mainly for coach parties of pensioners paying as little as £20 for a room, but this business is quickly dying out. Heidi and Mark decided to refurbish the hotel to take it upmarket, but their spending has meant that they have failed to make any profit since the beginning of their venture. Since buying the hotel, the couple have spent in excess of £1 million on what Mark calls a “Victorian money pit”. Now deep in debt, Mark and Heidi are in dire need of Ruth’s help before their business collapses.
In tonight’s instalment, Ruth visits the heart of Greenwich, South-East London, to meet actor hotelier Robert Gray and assess his three-bedroom B Actor Robert Gray turned his home into St Alfeges B five years ago to maintain the cashflow between acting jobs. A former antiques dealer, he has filled his house with unusual art and objects and decorated with flair and personality – but he is the first to admit that the ‘shabby-chic’ look is starting to look just “shabby”. “I think we need a facelift,” he confesses.
Ruth comes to the aid of a pair of novice hoteliers in Great Yarmouth, who desperately need a crash course in the hotel business if their guesthouse is to stay open. To see how a hotel should be run, they visit a five-star hotel in their town, before Ruth takes them to her own establishment in Orford.
Ruth heads to the Woodlands Lodge, a 16-bedroom country hotel set deep in the heart of the New Forest. The Woodlands' restaurant has recently lost its coveted AA rosette and a new hotel in the area looks set to ruin the business. Can Ruth help transform the hotel's faded decor and put owners David and Jenny Norbury back on track?
Ruth finds out if Brian and Gill Scott, owners of the Key West hotel in Newquay, took her advice when she visited them a year previously.
Ruth returns to the Tasburgh House hotel near Bath to see if owner Sue Keeling - a retired air hostess - has managed to turn her fortunes around. Will the business be flying high, or has it been grounded?
2006
In Somerset, Ruth Watson visits the three-diamond, eight-bedroom hotel Saxonia in Weston-super-Mare. She suggests to owners Jon and Sandie Harrap that unattractive decor and cluttered, kitschy rooms could explain why customers are no longer flocking to stay.
Ruth Watson visits Langtry Manor Hotel in Bournemouth, which was built in 1877 for King Edward VII in honour of his mistress Lillie Langtry, and later turned into a hotel. Ruth immediately cites the building's painted brickwork as off-putting, while outdated decor and imprudent budgeting add to her horror, as she points out why the business is squandering potential profits.
Ruth Watson travels to Newquay in Cornwall in a bid to improve the Key West Hotel, owned by Brian and Gill Scott, who opened the establishment as part of their retirement plans. However, it is constantly overrun with stag and hen parties that leave a path of destruction in their wake, and the couple are reaching the end of their tether.
Ruth Watson visits Sparkles, a child-friendly hotel in Blackpool suffering from financial problems due to a severe lack of guests. Owner Sue spent £1 million turning the former terraced house into a themed B&B, but unless she is prepared to tone down the decor and cut her prices - something she seems reluctant to do - Ruth predicts she is heading for disaster.
Ruth Watson is faced with her toughest challenge yet when she visits 15-bedroom Georgian guest house Blossoms in the centre of York. The owner's cost-cutting has led to complaints, the staff are in need of intense customer service training, and the decor is outdated. The hospitality guru believes she can turn the business around - but only if the hotelier loosens the purse strings.
Ruth Watson visits the award-winning Tasburgh Hotel in Bath in a bid to discover why the establishment has a distinct lack of guests. She meets the B&B's owner Sue, and tries to convince her that no amount of classy decor can make up for the cramped bedrooms full of soft toys, dingy bathrooms, poor presentation and a steep starting price of £110 per night.
Ruth Watson travels to the Hanmer Arms on the border of England and Wales to find out if owners Keith and Val Morris have listened to the advice she gave them in the previous series. During her first visit, disorganised staffing, a lack of commitment and losses of £250,000 a year made turning the establishment into a success a huge job.
Ruth Watson revisits Worlington Hall in the Suffolk countryside to see if owners Joy and Sharon have taken her advice on how to save their failing business. On her first trip, she pinpointed an unwelcoming reception, a messy booking system, a confusing food policy and lack of publicity as the main problems impeding its success.
Alex Polizzi
Self
2008
For her first assignment, Alex faces the tall order of rescuing a massive 43-bedroom hotel in Wales that has seen better days. Reputedly the oldest hotel in Wales, the Castle of Brecon was once a glamorous destination for the rich and famous. Neglected for decades, it is now owned by Leon Ricci and his Russian wife, Natasha. With no previous experience in the industry, the couple admit they bought the hotel on a whim - and were even advised by an agent to steer clear of it. "He said, 'No, don't buy it - it's a well-known white elephant in the industry'," Leon recalls.
2009
The Crown Inn is owned by former care assistant Karen Lloyd who invested her life savings into opening it two years ago. All was apparently going well until a number of bad internet reviews (damn these people) turned up complaining about paying £70 a night to sleep in filth and Karen started losing money. If that wasn’t bad enough the hotel was stripped of one of its three stars by the tourist board Visit England.
2014
In Liverpool, Alex tries to reason with Patrick Duggan, a great fan of the Beatles who has bought the old house of Brian Epstein, the quartet's famous agent, in the hopes of getting rich in return - but nothing works.
Best friends Neil and John took over the Vidella Hotel in Blackpool a decade ago, but their love of practical jokes is beginning to wear thin and falling trade has started to take its toll on them. Alex Polizzi tries to turn their struggling business around, but has her work cut out to prove to the owners that a failing hotel is not a laughing matter.
2010
For her first challenge this series, Alex visits the three-star, 62-bedroom Astor in Plymouth, owned by the flamboyant Joseph Louei. Having risen from pot-washer to owner of a hotel in 30 years, Joseph is naturally very proud of his achievements. However, in recent years Plymouth has been flooded with cheap chain hotels, so the independent hostelries are struggling against stiff competition. In the nine years of Joseph’s ownership, the Astor has never made a profit. Its woes are compounded by a raft of terrible online reviews from dissatisfied customers.
2011
Alex visits a hotel in Dorset which has seen a steadily declining occupancy rate. Could the answer to the hotel’s problems lie in a spirited assistant? The beautiful hotel is set in six acres of Dorset countryside, and comes complete with stables, an outdoor pool and even its own cricket pitch! It also comes with an owner whose collections of knickknacks are liberally littered around the hotel and its ten bedrooms. The owner and his wife have lived in the lodge for over 20 years and consider it their home. But having decided to close the door on letting the whole place out for money-spinning functions, they have seen their income dwindle. They are now worried about how the house will support them in the future. Alex feels that modernising the hotel is the only option if they are going to attract more visitors. Can Alex win the apprehensive owners round to her way of thinking? She finds a possible saviour in the form of the couple’s assistant, who has worked with them for more than twenty years. Could she be the light that guides the hotel into a bright new future?
2012
Alex uncovers more than she bargains for when she visits a naturist hotel in Birmingham.
Alex visits an hotel and nightclub in Essex, run by a family who are simply not dancing to the same beat.
2011
Straight-talking, award-winning hotelier Alex Polizzi answers an SOS call from Jon Sweeney, owner of the First In Last Out, a 17th-century pub and B&B in Winchester that has been plagued by poor reviews – with one disgruntled guest even suggesting it might be the 'worst hotel in the UK'. The Hotel Inspector uncovers a cleaning regime that leaves much to be desired and, after a run-in with a shower room that has a life of its own, she checks out, leaving the First In Last Out with the distinction of being the first establishment she has ever refused to sleep in. The glamorous Polizzi is no quitter, but will the First In Last Out be too big a challenge even for the Hotel Inspector? Jon's main clientele are contractors who are not too bothered by their surroundings, but in order to make inroads on the tourist trade he is desperately in need of Alex's help. She faces the challenging task of showing Jon that budget accommodation does not need to mean low quality. Can she turn around the fortunes of FILO and get Jon to clean up his act – and his rooms?
This week, Alex heads to an attractive pub hotel on the banks of the River Severn in Worcestershire. The views may be picturesque but this establishment is far from tranquil. The Lenchford Inn is managed by two couples on the brink of a breakdown. Dave and Marie, along with her brother Ian and his wife Wendy, bought the inn thinking it would be a ticket to early retirement. But the combination of four floods in two years and the owners’ inexperience has left their hopes in tatters. The nine bedrooms and 80-seat restaurant are as empty as their bank accounts and, with a ten-year age difference between the two couples, they cannot see eye-to-eye on anything.
Alex heads to historic Tewkesbury to inspect the eight-bedroom Jessop House Hotel, located just yards from the town's famous abbey. "It looks like a very pretty town," Alex says. "According to their website, I’m staying at an equally pretty boutique townhouse hotel. Can't imagine what's going wrong there." It soon becomes apparent that the Jessop's problems are twofold, as Alex discovers a business and a relationship in crisis.
Alex visits the West Usk Lighthouse, a unique four-bedroom establishment on the edge of the Bristol Channel. Owners Frank and Danielle bought the lighthouse after seeing an advert in Exchange & Mart. Twenty years later, despite a base of loyal repeat customers, the business is barely keeping its head above water. “If we don’t get more money, a better turnover, a healthy profit, we will not survive,” says Frank. “I want to stay here and fight, if you like, for the survival of the lighthouse and my business.”
Alex heads to Torquay, which was once home to Britain’s most notorious fictional hotel. The 12-room guesthouse Number Nine is no Fawlty Towers, but it is certainly faulty – losing both guests and money. Owner Rachel Roffe admits she is out of her depth. “A week after I moved here, I remember sitting in the garden, and I just burst into tears and thought, ‘Oh my God, what have I done?’” she recalls.
Alex visits a nine-bedroom guesthouse in Folkestone. Garden Lodge is only two miles from the Channel Tunnel and should be getting a healthy passing trade. But business is in decline, and owners Sue and Ron Cooper desperately need help.
The Walpole Bay was once at the epicentre of the Margate tourist trade. But much like Margate itself, this once grand old dame has seen better days. The Edwardian hotel was on the brink of closure until the Bishop family attempted to rescue it. But with no previous experience of the hospitality industry, it has not been a smooth ride for them.
Alex Polizzi attempts to help the struggling Sunnyside Hotel in Blackpool. In a bid to boost the B&B's pitiful occupancy rate, the owners plan a huge refurbishment - but refuse to take on Alex's suggestions. Can she get them to incorporate her design ideas and improve the lousy service?
Alex visits the market town of Wisbech, where the 300-year-old Rose and Crown is in crisis. Can the hotel inspector convince owners Jacquie and Jonathan to eliminate the mountains of paperwork strangling their business?
Alex visits the 14th-century Swan Hotel in Norfolk. With 15 empty bedrooms and a deserted restaurant, the Swan is struggling to stay afloat. Can Alex breathe some life into this lame duck?
Alex climbs aboard floating hotel the African Queen. With the boat running at just 30 per cent occupancy, owners Bonny and Andy are at breaking point. Can the hotel inspector throw this beleaguered couple a life jacket? South Africans Bonny and Andy Cowley previously ran a successful hotel and restaurant on the Isle of Wight. When they bought 85-year-old Dutch barge the African Queen they were full of hope for their new project. "We thought, 'We're gonna fly!' but it didn't work like that," says Bonny. The eight-bedroom floating hotel is failing to turn a profit - and even when the couple have guests, the heavy workload of running the boat is taking its toll.
Alex Polizzi sets out to improve the fortunes of the Glangrwyney Court guest house in the Black Mountains, Powys. Despite its five-star rating and reasonable occupancy rate, owners Christina and Warrick Jackson reveal they are rapidly losing money. Alex is taken aback by the amount of clutter in the rooms and the low prices being charged, and informs the couple that if they make changes, their salvation could lie in targeting the lucrative corporate market.
British couple Liz and Michael Callis emigrated from Britain and bought a 14-bedroom guest house in the Swiss Alps, but their hopes of a stress-free retirement have been ruined by a heavy workload. Alex Polizzi outlines her vision for the future of the hotel, including smart uniforms for the staff, a drop in food prices and a transformation for an unused formal dining room - but is unimpressed with the results when she returns a month later.
Alex Polizzi visits Eden Lodge in the popular holiday and sailing resort of Falmouth in Cornwall, booking into the B&B as a guest to gain an impression of the average customer experience. She is not impressed by owners Lynn and Ziggy's self-decorated bedrooms and the condition of their indoor swimming pool, and decides they need a serious wake-up call if they are to operate at a profit.
Church minister John Humberstone has been welcoming guests to the Grade-II listed Alexandra Hotel in Llandudno for the past couple of years, but the business is in deep trouble. Alex Polizzi heads to north Wales to try to revive the establishment's fortunes, but has her work cut out to transform its failing restaurant, bad reputation and negative reviews.
The owners of Paramount Hotel in Nottingham push Alex Polizzi to the edge and she comes close to walking out for the first time ever. Mary and Milad have ploughed their life savings into the business, remortgaged their home, borrowed from relatives and rented rooms for tiny amounts to undesirable guests in an attempt to keep their heads above water. Will Alex have the power to change their fortunes?
Sue Tipton bought the Gungate Hotel in Tamworth, Staffordshire, on impulse because she was looking for a challenge, but the last few years have become a constant struggle and she has been forced to run the business virtually single-handed. Alex Polizzi spends a night to get a feel for what guests encounter and the next day delivers a hard-hitting verdict. Can Sue handle the truth?
The Green Man Pub and Hotel is in a prime location near Wembley Stadium, but bad reviews and old-fashioned bedrooms are putting off guests and forcing owner Mel Preedy to rely on the establishment's pub to support the hotel side of the business. Alex Polizzi heads to north London to attempt to reverse Mel's fortunes.
Alex Polizzi heads to Crawley in West Sussex to try to help out a family-run concern just five miles away from Gatwick. Despite its proximity to the busy airport, the Waterhall Country House Hotel is struggling and owners Anne and Andy Marsh desperately need a change in fortunes if it is to become profitable. Can Alex set them on the way to success?
Alex’s latest challenge is the Artist Residence in Brighton, a nine-bedroom B&B run by 21-year-old student Justin. Decorated and staffed by up-andcoming artists, the establishment is designed to be a unique cross between art gallery and hotel, but it is currently failing miserably on both fronts.
This week’s show sees Alex turn her attention to the Rutland Arms Hotel in Bakewell, Derbyshire. Set on the edge of the Peak District, the hotel enjoys high occupancy rates during the summer months, but poor organisation, bad reviews and an absence of visitors in the winter have pushed 68-year-old owner David to the brink of financial ruin.
Alex Polizzi tries to reverse the fortunes of the Sandygate Hotel in South Yorkshire, where owners Dave and Dyan Elliott have estimated they have six months before going bankrupt. With occupancy rates as low as two per cent, Alex advises them to increase their online presence, court businesses for extra clients and re-evaluate their restaurant's profit margins.
Alex Polizzi heads to the six-bedroom Windsors Hotel in Chertsey, Surrey, where occupancy rates have fallen to 25 per cent. Although impressed by the service and quality of food at breakfast, Alex advises owner Mel White to improve the poor decor, pay more attention to detail and reclassify the business as a guesthouse.
Alex Polizzi visits the Kingston Estate in rural Devon, where former model Liz Corfield and her husband Michael run a luxury B&B, guesthouses and a spa and conference facility, but are struggling financially due to falling guest numbers and the effects of the recession. Alex suggests room revamps and aggressive marketing, but the couple seem unwilling to listen to her advice.
Polizzi helps a couple in Bournemouth whose hotel near the beach is struggling to break even. Despite frequently reaching full capacity - with 57 beds in 21 rooms - the pair cannot seem to turn a profit, so the expert hotelier advises them to strip back their facilities and begin charging for extra amenities. She also suggests they build on the success of their Army-style boot camp by offering other self-improvement courses to their guests.
Alex Polizzi visits the Madonna Halley Hotel in north London, run by members of a Cypriot family whose Mediterranean roots have found their way into the interior design scheme. Guests have previously indicated the Aegean-style fixtures and fittings can be disagreeable, but when the presenter suggests a radical overhaul is necessary, the owners reveal they are reluctant to part with their distinctive adornments
Alex Polizzi heads for Derbyshire's Peak District to help the owner of a 15th-century inn deal with a stream of problems. The two-star venue has 10 en-suite bedrooms, a bar and a 50-seat restaurant, but struggles to attract customers at the weekends. With a wage bill of £10,000 a month, the business is estimated to have made a loss of £600,000 over the years, and the expert hotelier sets out to improve the dated decor and turn around the hotel's fortunes.
Jill and Steve own and run a smart 14-bedroom, two-star manor hotel on the outskirts of Birmingham. It boasts a restaurant, swimming pool, gardens, and a marquee fully equipped for the hotel’s wedding service. Jill loves to play bridal fairy godmother, but life at the hotel is far from a fairytale. The couple has invested time and savings in the manor, but the bottom line doesn’t match their input. The business has never made a profit; they are losing £700-£1,000 a week; and now their relationship, as well as the hotel, is floundering.
In Kent, self-styled showman Joe has been popping champagne corks in the family-owned, eight-bedroom 'champagne and oyster bar with rooms' for the past 23 years. After leaving his London casino job to manage the business, Joe’s aim has been to bring a taste of the four-star city luxury to the quiet Kent countryside. But his ‘unique’ tastes in décor haven’t been to everyone’s liking. Cowhide bedspreads, four-man hot tubs and erotic artwork are just some of the delights facing potential guests at check-in. The poor occupancy rates and dwindling profits tell their own story. Alex has her hands full, trying to convince Joe to embrace some changes to make his hotel a little more 'female friendly'. But when she is asked to spend the night in the ‘Champagne and Shoes’ room with mirrored ceilings and a dance pole, it is clear that Joe’s naked ambition may have gone one step too far…
Alex Polizzi visits a Blackpool hotelier who has grand plans for his seaside establishment, but a lack of star rating and a string of bad reviews have led to dwindling bookings. Having bought the derelict 15-bedroom property in 2009, the owner spent £250,000 trying to turn it into an upmarket destination more in keeping with a private members' club.
Alex visits Gloucestershire to lend a helping hand to a couple whose hotel badly needs a new lease of life.
Alex attempts to help turn around the fortunes of the Caspian owned by Nousha Samari and her son Samander.
Alex attempts to help turn around the fortunes of The Bellingham run by 24-year-old former burger-van operator, Richard.
Alex attempts to help turn around the fortunes of the Mansion Lions Hotel in Eastbourne. The owner Mr Sheikh Abid Gulzar has dreams of turning the hotel into a four-star establishment.
Alex travels to the Meudon Hotel in Falmouth to help father-and-son team Harry and Mark Pilgrim. The 29-bedroom country-house hotel was once a sparkling jewel on the Cornish coast, boasting 8.5 acres of sub-tropical gardens that lead down to the hotel’s private beach. But it has failed to move with the times and for too long now has been struggling with low occupancy and low profits. Alex quickly gets down to the roots of their problems. She discovers that 86-year-old Harry’s reluctance to let go of the reins has left son Mark frustrated in his role of general manager. With the old-fashioned decor and unimaginative restaurant menu only attracting elderly clientele, the hotel is facing an uncertain future. Alex worries that the family lacks the vision and energy for change. She demands an immediate clear-out of all the doilies and relics of the past to widen the hotel’s appeal, and tells Mark to star putting himself forward to become more of a leader. Can Alex help with the Pilgrims’ progress?
Alex visits a 15th-century haunted hotel in St Albans, where guests often get more than they bargained for. The 14-bedroom hotel is reputed to be the oldest in this ancient Home Counties town and, with numerous reported spooky sightings, guests often get more than they bargained for. Taking advantage of the hotel’s supernatural reputation, Jayne organises ghost tours complete with stage skeletons and cackling witches, but the haunted theme restaurant menu seems to be scaring off the guests. The McBeaths took over The White Hart four-and-a-half years ago, but with increased competition from the chain hotels, their profit margin is being tightly squeezed, and the couple are spending most of the time arguing about the right way forward. Ross and Jayne have called in Alex for her advice on how to attract more business, but they're not prepared for a sceptical Hotel Inspector who demands that they drop the haunted theme and concentrate instead on 'history not mystery'...
Alex attempts to help turn around the fortunes of the Godolphin Arms Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall which has been run by Margaret Ashwood for the last 29 years.
Alex Polizzi returns to the Walpole Bay Hotel, a family-run establishment in Margate, Kent, that was first featured on the programme in 2009. On her original visit, she criticised owner Jane Bishop for not giving her grown-up children enough of a say in the business - and was far from impressed with the collection of bizarre trinkets that decorated the hotel's corridors. Three years on, she returns to see if the Bishops have been able to stick to her guidelines, or if Jane's bad habits have returned.
Alex Polizzi returns to the African Queen, an eight-bedroom floating hotel on the River Thames, three years after she first tried to help owners Andy and Bonny Cowley revive its fortunes. The couple had previously run a successful hotel on the Isle of Wight, but their new venture was struggling to attract guests - a problem Alex attributed to some uninspiring marketing and the boat's far-from-shipshape appearance. A makeover and grand relaunch party seemed to mark a turning point in its fortunes, and Alex now finds out if Andy and Bonny have managed to keep up the good work.
Despite its excellent grounds and homegrown food, a couple's inn is struggling - can any of Alex's bright ideas turn the hotel's fortunes around?
Alex comes to the rescue of the Welcome Traveller Inn, located in west Wales. Despite its excellent location, this family-run business is struggling. Can any of Alex's bright ideas turn the hotel's fortunes around? Geoff, Babs, Sarah and Kirsty have been welcoming travellers to their inn for the last seven years. They have eight bedrooms, a dining area, bar and conference room. The excellent location in west Wales should mean that the family can pick and choose from local trade, as well appeal to holidaymakers. However, the facts tell a different story – one of low occupancy rates, thousands of pounds lost last year and poor online reviews. Babs has reached the end of her tether with the business and the rest of the family are scratching their heads over ideas for how to improve the occupancy rates. Additionally, the whole family admits to never agreeing on the best way to take the business forwards. The family's future is completely tied up in this business and Babs, who pays the bills, thinks she has six, maybe 12 months left to turn things around. If the business fails, Babs and her clan will lose both the business and the family home. Can Alex persuade the family to put their differences to one side and pull together to entice people back to the hotel?
The Hotel Inspector is called to the Brendan Chase in the Lake District by sixty-three-year-old former chartered accountant David Maloney. Alex Polizzi is shocked to find a dated B&B with an hotelier to match. Can Alex drag David screaming and kicking into the 21st century? David has run the eleven-bedroom Brendan Chase single-handedly for the past seven years. He keeps a strict, and expansive, set of rules, which are not always popular with guests, especially those with young families. David has also eschewed 21st century technology, with the internet and the credit card largely ignored. David prefers the rather more oldfashioned code of dos and don'ts. Unsurprisingly, the B&B makes puny profits, leaving the outdoors enthusiast chained to the business, unable to afford help with his myriad chores. Alex must find a way to break down David's defences, and try to raise occupancy rates and profits to allow him to start enjoying life once more. Alex struggles to break through David's armour – and when he accuses her of creating a tea stain on his carpet, things get even worse...
Alex visits the seaside town of Ilfracombe in Devon. The Shears family has asked for help with the themed Merlin Court Hotel, as rising debts and plummeting occupancy rates threaten to endanger the establishment's future. Dad Mike bought the 14-bedroom hotel 13 years ago, hoping to provide guests with a legendary holiday experience evoking Arthurian legend and the Knights of the Round Table. His wife Helen and daughter Carina play a supporting role in the running of the hotel. Mike hopes that Alex can bring some much-needed magic to the hostelry, but she first has to get the Shears to learn how to work together and fight for their own survival. Can she make the Merlin Court the stuff of legend?
57-year-old healer Barbara Lewthwaite dreams of creating a laid-back, ethical, nature-friendly holiday retreat at the 18th-century Hollybush Inn in Hay-on-Wye. Her estate boasts tepees, a camping and caravan site, a five-bedroom B&B, and a bar and restaurant. But Barbara’s free and easy approach to the hospitality business hasn’t always left her guests feeling so quite so mellow. Unhappy guests have complained about both the facilities and the barefooted owner. The dire reviews, coupled with poor winter trade, have left Barbara burdened with debt and fighting a constant battle for survival. Will renowned hotelier Alex Polizzi be able to reverse Barbara’s flagging fortunes?
Entrepreneur Raman Bal believed the Grosvenor Hotel would become the foundation of his business empire. Raman invested £600,000 in elevating the 25 bedrooms to executive standard, gave the dining room a wash and brush up, and put a bit of sparkle into the bar. But his ambitions have not been matched by reservations.
Alex Polizzi has been called in to a picturesque inn in Suffolk, by owners Ann and her husband Paul. The couple have sunk their life savings into the building, but they have not made a profit in years. The inn has eight ensuite bedrooms, a restaurant, bar, cocktail bar, large beer garden... and reputedly several ghosts. Ann and Paul love the business but feel it runs them rather than the other way round, and they have run out of ideas about how to move forward. Alex must get them back on track before it is too late. She has plenty of ideas to help them, but when the hotel manager threatens to quit, she is left banging her head against the antique walls.
2016
Alex turns referee to solve a problem between a hotel manager and the owner, who monitors her every move on CCTV cameras from her office in Paris.
The Hotel Inspector gets a surprise when she arrives at the Harrogate Motel and discovers that it’s neither in Harrogate, nor is it a motel. But the biggest shock is that the owners are deliberately not telling their guests that the place is situated right in the middle of a muddy equine centre, complete with 50 horses!
Alex visits The Hotel Continental in Harwich, Essex, a quirky 14-bedroom hotel that overlooks the beach and boasts unique, individually designed rooms
Alex Polizzi visits The Gyreum, an eco-lodge in Co Sligo, which is run by Colum Stapleton and his daughter Finn. Alex brings in a busload of eco-tourists to give their verdicts and discovers damp mattresses, cold showers and some questionable service, but sparks fly when she insists the owner needs to roll up his sleeves and fix the shortcomings.
Alex Polizzi visits The Richmoor Hotel in Weymouth, Dorset, where mother and manager Loraine employs several of her seven children. However, her mothering instincts have been getting in the way of business, and as a result, the service is suffering and the family-run hotel is on the verge of a revolt. Alex has her work cut out as she tackles the internal tensions and tries to empower Loraine.
In the seaside resort of Bude in Cornwall, Alex tries to help a shy and retiring hotelier who has a reputation for hiding away from his guests.
Alex Polizzi tries to steer the owners of The Bulstone Hotel, Devon in a new direction, after finding old award certificates on display, out-of-date decor and an old-fashioned approach. However, her efforts are met with resistance from husband and wife hoteliers Judith and Kevin, as rows, walkouts and a badly timed broken leg threaten to turn her mission into an uphill struggle.
2021
This time Alex is in Dorset and is quick to see why trade at the Coach and Horses with its 8 rooms has veered off track. Owners James and Yvonne are struggling to drive business in the right direction with low occupancy.
Alex Polizzi head to the Dukes in the Bedfordshire village of Heath and Reach to help mum-of-two Sarah to improve the pub she bought three years ago. After a successful first year, a personal setback turned Sarah's dream into a nightmare. With a knock to her confidence and her eye off the ball, occupancy took a nosedive and the business has bombed. Alex arrives to find Sarah hiding from customers in the kitchen, staff kicking their heels and the place looking more like a youth club than a character country pub.
Alex is called to the Grenfell Arms in Maidenhead, Berkshire, a pub with 8 bedrooms and a restaurant. It’s run by Jamie,who can’t get staff and is doing all the jobs with the help of his Mum Sandy.
Alex is in Cornwall after receiving a cry for help from Bude’s only hostel. Having returned from travelling the world 16 years ago. Sean and Janine bought the hostel to keep their travelling dreams alive.
Alex Polizzi is called to the rescue of Michelangelo's, a 10 bed-roomed hotel and restaurant owned and run by Paolo Pieri with the help of his brother Giacomo.
The hotel inspector finds her way to Spanhoe Lodge, an eight-bed B&B in the middle of the Northamptonshire countryside. It's a clean and tidy rural retreat run by meticulous owners Reece and Neil.
Alex Polizzi returns to one of her grandest hotels, Warwick Hall in Cumbria, to find out how it's surviving since her last visit when it was suffering from incredibly low occupancy.
Alex Polizzi returns to one of her first hotels, Gwent's West Usk Lighthouse. Once voted Britain's most romantic B&B, it had fallen into disrepair and had become cluttered. Alex tried to convince owner Frank and wife Danielle to de-clutter and attract new business to fulfil their B&B's potential. Will Alex's latest ideas inspire those in need of help?
2015
Alex Polizzi comes to the rescue of more struggling establishments, beginning in Cornwall with 16-bedroom hotel the Fieldhead in Looe run by Julian and Gill Peck. Despite stunning sea views and a traditional approach to customer service, Alex soon finds that old-fashioned values may be the cause of the plunging occupancy rates, with a barely comprehensible booking system and an unsustainable work-life balance meaning that both the business and the couple's home life are at risk.
Alex Polizzi heads to the Devon seaside town of Torquay to try to transform the fortunes of the Harmony B&B. Dutch owners Hans and Monika have been struggling to attract enough guests through the usually profitable summer months, and are in desperate need of profits now they are faced with the winter low season. Could the couple's love of music-themed decor be putting off potential customers?
Alex Polizzi heads to the Kent seaside town of Ramsgate to help with the launch of a new venture, but discovers it is plagued by the same age-old problems. Once a summer retreat for a young Queen Victoria, the historic Albion House was facing an uncertain future until Gay and John Haines stepped in with plans to convert it into a 14-bedroom boutique hotel. However, financial disaster is looming with the million-pound budget having been blown and deadlines missed. Can Alex stop Albion House going bust before it has even opened?
Alex Polizzi heads to the Dorset seaside resort of Bournemouth to help 67-year-old Ken Robins, the owner of a struggling hotel where all 55 bedrooms have been named after movie stars and famous musicians. After inspecting and experiencing the facilities, Alex reveals she thinks that Ken has not gone far enough with the celebrity theme and offers advice on how to inject more glitz and sparkle into the hotel. Will former accountant Ken agree with her more radical and glamorous blueprint for fun?
Lisa and Eli took on the Mountain View B&B 10 years ago and dreamt of becoming Port Talbot's premier overnight destination, but plunging occupancy rates and scathing reviews have put the business's future in doubt. Alex Polizzi heads to south Wales, where she is concerned that the couple's two large dogs and Eli's daily habit of feeding a flock of hungry pigeons might be the reason for their problems. But when she suggests a radical solution, a battle of wills ensues that leaves Alex on the brink of walking away altogether.
Alex Polizzi heads to Ramsbottom in Greater Manchester to lend her expertise to Charlotte Belcher, who has been running the 14-bedroom Grant Arms Hotel for two and a half years. Despite its attractive, central location, the 19th-century listed venue has developed a bad reputation as a hang-out for a `rough crowd' - particularly at the bar. With no profits to pay for renovations, Charlotte has enlisted her husband and two children to help turn the Grant Arms around, but her work-life balance is starting to tip drastically away from home, and the beleaguered hotelier hopes Alex will find a way to boost the hotel's income while also restoring her private life.
Alex Polizzi visits the Little Thatch Inn in Gloucester and meets the property's owners, mother-and-daughter team Jackie and Beth McDougall, who have conflicting ideas over whether to modernise in the hope of attracting more custom. In the past, the 23-bedroom hotel and its restaurant ran a brisk trade, but today business has slowed considerably and the duo have considered cutting their losses and selling up. Alex gets to work ensuring the duo can start working in tandem and look forward to a brighter future.
Alex Polizzi pays a visit to La Casa Hotel in the village of Torrox Pueblo near Malaga in southern Spain, where a number of factors have led to a room occupancy rate of just 25 per cent. With little prospect of selling up and moving back home, sisters Sarah and Karen have no choice but to try to make the hotel work, but a drop in tourist numbers and the collapse of the Spanish economy in 2012 have saddled the pair with debts, leaving Alex with a huge task on her hands to turn around their fortunes.
2024
Michelle and her husband Mimmo’s café, located by a stable yard in a tiny Somerset village, isn’t making a profit. The Italian-inspired food they serve is great but there’s very little footfall at the location and the exhausted couple are both working long days for the paltry salary of £2.26 per hour. This predicament calls for a dramatic solution but will Alex's suggestion be a massive gamble that pays off for the couple?
Mark and Liz recently took on Sea Air Bed & Breakfast, a seven-bedroom 1930s former hotel in the seaside village of Chapel St Leonards, near Skegness. The couple invested every penny of their savings to fund the new B&B and start a new life beside the seaside. Can The Hotel Inspector help the couple realise their lifelong dream?
Alex Polizzi comes to the rescue of Rachel, whose luxury lodges site in Oxfordshire is haemorrhaging money and at serious risk of closure.
In Salisbury, passionate publican Reece - who is also a circus performer - needs Alex's help to get the punters through the doors at an increasingly tough time for pubs.
Alex Polizzi visits East Sussex for her first glamping trip as she comes to the rescue of Anna and Nick and their Shepherds Huts business. After more than 15 years of hard graft the once-successful site has terrible occupancy rates and is hurtling towards huge losses, so it remains to be seen whether Alex can turn their fortunes around.
Located at the start of the Northern Ireland's stunning Causeway Coastal Route, Billy Andy's is a hotel with a lot going for it. Alex helps owner Eamon make the most of what he's got.
Alex Polizzi helps Lantern Theatre and Cafe in Brighton, whose owners' ambitious plan to create a hub for local artists has left them with potentially ruinous debts.
In a quaint Essex village, Alex Polizzi is called to rescue a family-run guest house with tea rooms and events facilities. Alex believes weddings are the key to the future of Fraser's.
Alex Polizzi is back on the Kent coast to revisit the Westward Ho! in Folkestone, where five years ago she came to the rescue of hotelier Jon. He was struggling with terrible reviews and plummeting profits while trying to keep his budget hotel open. Has the seaside residence turned the tide?
Nine years ago, Bournemouth business Hotel Celebrity lacked much needed glamour. Owner Ken has done more work to the 55-room hotel, and has taken on another, but are either of them making any money? And what advice can Alex Polizzi give to help Ken get his new property turning a much-needed profit?
Alex Polizzi returns to guesthouse Loughborough Grange. One year on, have husband-and-wife owners Has and Bas capitalised on the boost she gave them or has the business stalled?
Alex Polizzi returns to the The Dukes, a 270-year-old pub with rooms, after three years to see whether its owner Sarah has managed to steer it to success.
2019
Owned for the past 25 years by John and run by his daughter Emma, they have cluttered the 31-room establishment with tat and lost sight of who their customers are. Recently, bookings have taken a sharp decline and to make matters worse John's wife Jacquie - once the life and soul of the hotel - has been forced to retire due to illness, leaving Emma to run the place alone.
Two years ago, Georgina gave up a career teaching business studies with a dream of running a successful guest house. Now, a £50,000 bill for unforeseen repairs and dismal occupancy has left her struggling to run the business. With her immaculate rooms lying empty, self-confessed neat freak Georgina cannot understand where she is going wrong. Alex can see the potential for success but getting Georgina to stop focusing on little details and start seeing the bigger picture does not prove easy.
Alex Polizzi visits Horley near Gatwick to help Quasim, the owner, improve his ailing Surrey guesthouse. With 13 other B&Bs all battling for the same trade, he is struggling to make the monthly repayments. Alex can see the potential in Quasim's business, but curbing his expensive tastes to maximise profits turns out to be far from easy.
Alex Polizzi is called to the Gipsy Hill Hotel in Exeter, where owner Grace has plans to retire and hand the business to her daughter Jackie, who currently manages the hotel. But profits are falling and Grace worries there will be no business to pass down. Alex immediately spots that the hotel is stuck in the past, with its old-fashioned decor. Can she convince the owner to release her grip on the purse strings and allow her daughter to take ownership now?
Alex Polizzi travels to the French Pyrenees, where ex-pats Mike and Joss invested everything they had into creating a holiday retreat and a beautiful family home for themselves and their two young boys. But despite the fabulous setting, the hotel's bookings are poor and with their savings dwindling, the couple are desperate not to take another wrong turn. Can Alex get them back on the right track?
Alex Polizzi visits the 51-bedroom Devon Bay Hotel in Ilfracombe, which is run by inexperienced general manager Adrian and his wife Gill. The establishment has a poor reputation but Adrian has managed to persuade low-cost coach parties to return. However, with the summer season about to start and with no proper hospitality experience, the reality of delivering on his promises is starting to hit home for Adrian. Can Alex turn this novice into a real hotelier before the coaches arrive?
Alex Polizzi helps Chris and Leisha, who bought a village pub with 10 rooms in West Sussex just over a year ago, but have now run out of money and momentum. The novice hoteliers are struggling to attract customers to the George Hotel and Leisha despairs of Chris's tendency to get distracted from the job at hand. Alex is quick to identify a rescue plan, but with an unfocused leader at the helm, can they see it through?
Alex Polizzi returns to the Crown Inn, in the Wiltshire village of Aldbourne, where back in 2018 she tried to help tenanted landlord Alan - but refused to stay the night because her bedroom was filthy, and ended up with a massive job on her hands to inspire the landlord to add some much-needed sparkle to the accommodation. Now she is back to see whether Alan has cleaned up his act. Has the Crown increased its occupancy levels? And how will Alan feel about Alex's new idea to bring in more guests?
2018
Retired couple John and Ilona spent thousands on this ten-bed hotel, but occupancy is below 10%. Alex has a plan.
2022
Alex Polizzi heads to the LG Thai Derm Spa and Guest House in Loughborough, where she tries to help out first-time hoteliers, husband and wife Hasmeeta and Bharat. When the couple took over two years ago, they fell in love with a unique Thai-themed business that boasts a Thai spa with treatment rooms, a 24-seat Thai restaurant and 10 guest rooms. The business survived the pandemic - but at huge cost, that includes dirty rooms, a broken spa and chaotic management.
Alex Polizzi heads to the famous seaside town of Shanklin on the Isle of Wight to visit father and daughter team Philip and Kelly, who run Gracellie Hotel. After years of haphazard management compounded by Covid-19 and then a very personal tragedy for the family, the hotel has fallen into deep decline. To save the hotel, the team at Gracellie need to dig deep and rekindle their passion for the family business
The Hotel Inspector visits Caer Beris Manor; run by former Dubai real estate agent Omar and his wife, Kim, along with Kim's publican parents, Pete and Angie. Despite their inexperience in the hotel industry, the family have high-minded ambitions for their business, dreaming of offering fine dining and a five-star experience at a three-star price. But having barely survived their first full season, the reality is that the family have bitten off more than they can chew.
This time, Alex visits The Pack O' Cards, an Inn with rooms in Combe Martin on the North Devon Coast, owned and run by husband-and-wife team Chris and Debbie.
Alex meets fellow Italian and first-time hotelier Carmine, who runs the The Lamp Post Villa B&B in the centre of the historic spa city of Bath.
Alex Polizzi visits The Falcon Hotel in Cambridgeshire. Run by hotelier Colin and his daughter Jean, the duo took on the lease of this sixteenth century coaching inn 11 years ago.
Alex returns to Michelangelo's near Newcastle, a 10-bedroom hotel, bar and Italian restaurant set in four acres.
The Hotel Inspector returns to Rosehill House, a 30-bedroom hotel in Burnley. When Alex first arrived two and a half years ago, she met a dad with a deadline and a daughter in despair.
2023
Alex Polizzi faces a race against the clock to stop a wannabe hotelier from losing everything before she's even opened the door, as single mum Claire tries to launch a bar and hotel in the north east seaside town of Redcar.
Alex Polizzi sets out on a rescue mission to revive a stagnant pub, known as the The Kings Arms in Scalford, and tackles a fractured relationship before it breaks the whole business.
Alex Polizzi travels to historic visitor attraction Stump Cross Caverns deep beneath the Yorkshire Dales, where the family business is facing an uncertain future.
Alex Polizzi comes to the aid of a husband and wife who took up the tenancy of the York Hotel in Morecambe. Room occupancy is practically zero. Can Alex inspire much-needed changes?
2026
In the Devon town of Totnes, Alex Polizzi has been called to help Toni, a 74-year-old musician and music teacher who is desperate to save her home, Appalachian Spring bed and breakfast. The business is stuck in a bygone era and is on the brink of collapse. Unless Alex can help Toni turn her B&B around, she will be forced to sell the home she loves.
Alex Polizzi heads to the Sussex coast and to Bognor Regis to check into The Navigator, a once-proud seafront hotel now fighting for survival. Owner Kathleen is drowning in debt, battling constant leaks and crumbling rooms, and running herself ragged trying to keep up with guests, builders, and family life. Can Alex help help turn things around?
Alex Polizzi visits the sleepy Suffolk village of Monks Leigh, coming to the rescue of publicans Steven and Julie whose lifelong dream of running a village pub is turning into a nightmare. The Swan is the only pub in the village and the couple are desperate to make their dream work. However, after being forced to close the kitchen they're struggling to get people through the doors without a food offering.
Alex Polizzi tackles a family-run budget B&B, which is failing to compete with the hundred-plus hotels in Gatwick airport area. Can Alex get the business back in the black?
In Bramber, East Sussex, Jack and Danny have gambled everything on running Castle Inn, a 20-bedroom pub and restaurant. After six months, occupancy has plummeted & bills are sky-high. Alex steps in to try and help turn things around.
Alex heads to the Malvern Hills, Worcestershire, to face one of her toughest challenges yet: 24-year-old landlord Hendrik who's never worked behind a bar in his life.Alex sets out to transform both the pub and the landlord. She knows that Hendrik needs more than business advice - he needs to find his voice and step up as a leader.
Alex is in the south coast maritime city of Southampton to come to the aid of pub owners Jeremy and Stewart who run the Platform Tavern. Steeped in maritime history and right next to the city's busy docks, this pub has been loved by visitors and locals alike for generations - but it's now at risk of closing its doors for good.
Alex visits Breaks Fold Farm in the Yorkshire Dales, where she advises owners Richard and Louise about the best way to update their camping site. Alex tries to persuade the couple that they must move with the times and add luxury touches to their offerings to compete in a crowded market- and crucially to allow them to increase their prices and therefore their profit margin.
2025
Alex Polizzi returns to answer the call of newbie hoteliers in the heart of Dartmoor National Park in Devon. Can Alex dig in and show Terry and Nikki how to bring in the money?
Alex heads to the Kent coast to help a seaside B&B battling against a tide of competition and no bookings. Westbrook Lodge is an 11-bedroom guesthouse in up-and-coming Margate, run by husband-and-wife team Tracy and Colin. After sinking nearly £200,000 of their life savings into the venture - despite not owning the building - they're simply not getting enough heads on beds to stay afloat.
In Arundel, West Sussex, Alex Polizzi meets husband-and-wife team Dave and Katie. They are hoping to turn a 500-year-old public house into a thriving gastropub with boutique accommodation. With opening day looming and no prior hospitality experience, plus three young children to care for, this could be the biggest gamble of their lives.
Alex Polizzi heads to rural Worcestershire where farmer Ian and his wife Emma are battling to save not just their 25-acre livestock business, but their way of life. With traditional farming no longer paying the bills, they've poured their savings into a back-to-nature glamping site called By the Red Phone Box. But their dream of a peaceful escape in the country is turning into a nightmare. Bookings have plummeted, their shepherd's hut is cramped and unappealing to families, and their marketing is falling flat. It's a race against the weather, the clock, and sheer exhaustion. Can Alex work her usual magic to turn things around, or has she finally met her match?
Alex Polizzi is off to Plymouth, where the owners of a sprawling holiday let and wannabe wedding venue have major problems. Just six weddings are booked all year, so bosses Neal and Tracey are concerned. Their dreams of transforming a decrepit property overlooking Plymouth Sound into St Anne's House, a detached, seven-bedroom rental with a pool, bar, hot tub, glamping units, into a nightmare. Alex attempts to work her magic once more.
Alex Polizzi heads to Manchester's trendy suburb of Chorlton to help Metro Cafe, a struggling greasy spoon with a Persian twist. But will Alex's bold new vision and no-nonsense advice help turn this hidden gem into a local hero or has the Metro Cafe already served last orders?
In the heart of the Forest of Dean on the edge of the Wye Valley in Gloucestershire, Alex Polizzi checks into the Farmer's Boy Inn, a roadside pub with rooms where a pie obsession runs deep. Owner Phil has owned the place for 25 years and has built its reputation around his famous pastry. The pub is doing decent trade, but the rooms sit largely empty. Alex arrives to find a pub lacking in exterior inspiration and crucially, no signage advertising the on-site accommodation. Can she help turn things around?
Alex Polizzi heads to the West Midlands to answer an SOS from 60-year-old entrepreneur Stephen. His once-beloved family home, a 500-year-old farmhouse, is now a 10-bedroom hotel that is limping along at just 23 per cent occupancy, and he's struggling to understand why. Poor signage, no blinds in her room, and a lack of privacy are just some of the issues Alex addresses.
2017
Alex Polizzi returns to help a couple with their beach-front business in the Merseyside resort of Southport. John and Mel opened a craft ale bar and started renovating the flats above it into a hostelry despite having no experience. With the residence more of a building site than a boutique hotel, Alex has to get stuck in as the first guests are due in a matter of weeks.
Near the historic city of Bath, business partners Rowena and Mike are running a boutique hotel that is on the brink of going under. Operating the property more like a home than a hotel, Rowena's hospitality means the business is running at a huge loss, so Alex Polizzi attempts to teach these hoteliers how to turn a profit from their customers.
Alex Polizzi heads to Colliters Brook Farm near Bristol, to try to make sense of owner Richard's struggling business and help make his dream a reality. After being forced to run a makeshift B&B from the farmhouse instead of his original plan to renovate an old barn on his property, Richard has been trying hard to get his dream back on track, but crippling debts have led to him being stuck in a rut, with no clear direction. Alex can see huge potential the farm, but getting Richard to pull everything together and maximise his profits proves one of her toughest challenges to date.
Alex Polizzi turns up at Churston Court in Devon a day early, just to get some idea of what she’s really in for. Naturally it’s a dismal picture of dark decor, clutter and no one on reception. Reviews are poor and owners Chris and Jonathan need help. With her customary no-nonsense breeziness Polizzi encourages the pair to motivate their staff and to change the oppressive red decor.
A former vicarage, the sprawling, 43-bedroom Forest Park Hotel in Brockenhurst is set in scenic woodland and is in a perfect location for the New Forest’s many visitors. It should be very successful, yet online reviews have been very mixed. Local builder Sean Perry has owned the place for four years, investing a small fortune in a refurbishment programme and getting through numerous managers in the process. A desperate Sean now asks Alex Polizzi to help him.
