A Home Away From Home
The UK-based Dakota Hotels has always believed that luxury is not about formality or pretence, but about making people feel genuinely welcome. In this interview, RLI converses with Andrew Ovenstone, Managing Director of the business about how their success has been built on sincere hospitality delivered by people who care deeply about the guest experience.
Today, the company’s vision remains focused on delivering exceptional hospitality in beautifully designed spaces, with genuine service at the heart of every guest experience. As the business has grown, this vision has not changed, but they have become more deliberate in how they protect and strengthen the culture that made Dakota successful in the first place.
“We focus on getting the fundamentals right and delivering them exceptionally well. Our guest’s value thoughtful design, warm and intuitive service and an atmosphere that feels sophisticated without being intimidating,” highlights Andrew Ovenstone, Managing Director of Dakota Hotels. “Many luxury brands concentrate on what they offer. We concentrate equally on how we make people feel. That consistency of experience, delivered by great people who genuinely care, is what sets Dakota apart.”
The Dakota story began with two out-of-town locations in South Queensferry and Eurocentral, before they grew into prime city centre locations in Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle. Their most recent hotel launched at Manchester Airport and shows that their growth is driven by confidence in the strength of the brand and demand for the Dakota experience, not just in ticking off core city centre locations.
In terms of new sites, construction has commenced in York and they are in detailed planning stages for a site in Edinburgh. Both projects demonstrate their confidence in key UK markets and their commitment to investing in destinations where they see long-term opportunity. Beyond that, they continue to explore further growth opportunities and have a number of exciting projects under consideration.
“We are ambitious, but we are not pursuing growth for growth’s sake. Our objective is to build a portfolio of exceptional hotels in the right locations while ensuring we never compromise the standards and service culture that define the brand. We take a long-term view and remain focused on sustainable growth that strengthens rather than dilutes the Dakota experience,” Ovenstone comments.
They look for destinations with strong economic fundamentals, a healthy mix of corporate and leisure demand and opportunities where they believe the market would benefit from a premium hospitality offering that combines style, service and substance. Ultimately, they look for sites where the brand can become part of the fabric of the city, rather than simply being another hotel.
Their immediate focus remains on building the Dakota brand within the UK, where they continue to see strong opportunities. This being said, Ovenstone does maintain they are open-minded about the future. If the right opportunity presented itself and aligned with their values and standards, international expansion is something they would certainly consider.
As the portfolio grows, they are investing heavily in their people and leadership development, because great service does not happen by accident. They have clear standards, but they also empower their teams to deliver hospitality in a way that feels genuine and personal. As they grow, maintaining their culture is just as important as preserving their operational excellence.
“The ideal Dakota site would allow us to create a standout hospitality destination that complements the local market while delivering the level of design, experience and excellence our guests expect,” says Ovenstone. “To assist with this, we are looking for partners who share our long-term perspective and commitment to quality. Strong partnerships and shared values are just as important as the asset itself.”
When reviewing potential new sites, they look at both new-build developments as well as conversions. Five of their seven hotels have been purpose-built, while two were conversions of existing buildings. They have to date never converted a former hotel, predominantly because the Dakota guest experience is predicated around generous, spacious bedrooms that are often larger than the market standard. They evaluate every opportunity on its individual merits, with the most important consideration being whether it allows them to create the quality build and deliver the standards their guests expect.
“There is a clear DNA that runs through every hotel, particularly in the quality of design, atmosphere and guest experience. However, we never want our hotels to feel identical. We describe them as ‘sisters, not twins’. Each property is influenced by its location and surroundings, creating a balance between brand consistency and local character.”
As guests increasingly want experiences that feel personal and offer good value, Ovenstone feels technology will continue to play an important role in convenience, but that human connection will remain the defining factor in hospitality. He continues by saying travellers are also becoming more discerning, seeking quality over excess and are loyal to brands that consistently deliver on their promises. The businesses that combine innovation with genuine hospitality will be the ones that stand out.
As our time with Andrew nears its end, we ask, if we were having this conversation again in five years’ time, what would success look like for the company and where would you like to see the Group positioned within the UK hospitality landscape?
“For me, success would be hearing the same positive feedback that we do today, or to improve that feedback. I would want guests to continue talking about the quality of our service, the warmth of our welcome and the way we make them feel. Most importantly, I would want our culture and hospitality to remain distinctively Dakota, regardless of how many hotels we operate,” Ovenstone concludes.
