but the food and beverage should be a local thing. We will adapt, but the golden thread will still be there; whether you’re staying in a Malmaison in New York, Dallas or Edinburgh, you’ll know you’re in a Malmaison.” For Cook, the thing that really char- acterises Malmaison and Hotel du Vin is the staf f. “Our look and design is very much a statement of who we are. However we’re not in an industry that should be led by design – we’re in an industry that should be led by hospitality and great people,” he says. “Our people are our brand. I’m not just going to hire Americans in America, I’m going to take some of the guys that are absolutely entrenched in the Malmaison psyche
ISSUE 1 2011 © cybertrek 2011
over there. It’ll be exciting for them and exciting for the group. We’ll blend our guys with local American employees, but the DNA of the brand has to come from those that have been immersed in it.” The acquisition of Hotel du Vin in 2004 seems to have strengthened the brand; as Cook puts it: “Where [Malmaison and Hotel du Vin] were vicious competitors before, they are now complementary brands, and many clients quite happily stay in either hotel.” With this in mind, I ask Cook if he would consider acquir- ing any more hotel brands. “I’d always like to buy more brands,
but I can’t think of any others that would sit with what we do currently,” he says. “I wouldn’t be averse to creating a new
brand, when the market is right – maybe a budget-style Malmaison offering, or an upmarket style Hotel du Vin. My feeling at the moment though, is that we have two good brands. Why take our eye off the ball by doing something else?” For Cook and his team, 2011 looks set to be a busy year. “This year it’s about adding value and
growing room rates, plus the start of growth again and hopefully our first steps into Europe,” he says. “We’ve launched a campaign about buying local food, and we’re putting a lot of time into working with national farmers and food magazines. That should put our f&b right at the top where it should be. I’m really excited about it all.” l
Read Leisure Management online
leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital 27
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