Thistle Crowned ‘Hotel Group of the Year’ at Prestigious AA Awards

LONDON, September 29, 2011 -

Thistle Hotels scooped the prestigious ‘Hotel Group of the Year Award’ at the AA Hospitality Awards 2011-2012.

Hosted by popular BBC newsreader, Sophie Raworth, at the London Hilton on Park Lane, the ceremony rewarded the best performers in the UK’s hospitality industry, and was well attended by world-renowned chefs, prominent hoteliers, restaurateurs, hospitality gurus and key media.

On selecting Thistle Hotels for the award, the judging panel were particularly impressed with how the hotel group have successfully kept their focus on the guest experience and developed teams in a way that delivered this commitment - genuinely and passionately.

AA Hotel Services manager, Simon Numphud, said: “Thistle Hotels has significantly improved their overall product and service offering over the last eighteen months. This includes achievements such as full Hospitality Assured accreditation, Tourism for all audits, increasing standards particularly in hospitality and service combined by on-going significant refurbishment have all impressed. All these things combined made them a deserving choice as winner of this award.”

On receipt of the award, Heiko Figge, Managing Director of Guoman & Thistle Hotels, commented: “We are extremely honoured to accept this award, and I’d like to thank each and every one of our Thistle colleagues for their contribution and dedication.  To be named ‘Hotel Group of the Year’ is recognition of the sheer commitment and passion our people have shown in developing and enhancing the Thistle experience.  We’re all very proud to be acknowledged with such a high profile industry award.”

For more information on Thistle visit www.thistle.com, or follow its blog for frequent travellers on blog.thistle.com.

About Thistle:

Thistle Hotels is part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates hotels throughout the UK. Thistle has 33 hotels across the country, many in superb city centre locations, including eleven in central London. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

Thistle Hotels is the first hotel group to achieve Hospitality Assured accreditation, across its entire UK portfolio. Created by the Institute of Hospitality, the Hospitality Assured standard measures the quality within customer facing businesses across the hospitality, tourism and leisure industry.

PR Contact:
Kymberley Hill
Red Consultancy
41-44 Great Windmill Street
Soho
London
W1D 7NF
+44(0)20-7025-6664
www.thistle.com

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