Thistle Award
WESTERN HOUSE LANDS HOTEL 'OSCAR'
WESTERN House Hotel at Ayr
Racecourse has been given one of the highest accolades in tourism -
a coveted VisitScotland Thistle Award.
The four star hotel, which opened in June 2005, landed the honour
in the Customer Care - Service Accommodation at the glittering
awards ceremony held in Edinburgh Conference Centre on Friday.
Western House, which was also named Scottish Wedding Hotel of the
Year in January, was in a short list of three including the
Radisson SAS Hotel, Edinburgh and in announcing the Ayr hotel as
the winner, compere for the night television star Alistair McGowan
read out the following comments from the judges.
"From the time the doorman greets you, a special kind of
service meets you throughout the Western House Hotel."Highly
professional staff are experts in judging their customers'
requirements, and operate a constant system of double checking that
everything is in order in a subtle and unobtrusive manner.
"Corporate guests, Christmas parties and individual guests are
all personally welcomed in a manner appropriate to them, and their
needs addressed on an individual basis.
"2007's target occupancy was exceeded in the first five
months of the year, clearly showing that the investment in a
personalised approach to customer care paid dividends."
William Gorol, General Manager of Ayr Racecourse, said the Thistle
Awards were the Oscars of the hotel industry and added : "I am
so proud of the team who made this possible. Customer care is the
backbone of the success of any business in the hospitality sector
and to win a Thistle Award is testimony to the fact that the staff
here are getting it right.
"Western House may only have been established as a hotel less
than two and a half years ago but we have staff who are amongst the
most experienced and skilled in the business.
"I am fortunate in that I had the golden opportunity to hand
pick the team that is the cornerstone of our success. I feel very
privileged to be part of that team."
The four star, 49 bedroom destination was formerly the
meeting place and offices of the Western Meeting Club, owners of
Ayr Racecourse until 2003.
When the course was bought from the Club by Alan Macdonald,
Chairman of The Dawn Group and Richard Johnstone, Managing Director
of Thorntoun Health Care, they decided to restore this near 100
year old mansion o its former glory and after a £4.5 million
makeover Western House Hotel was opened on June 3, 2005. The
elegant Cathedral Ballroom accommodates up to 160 guests for the
wedding meal and 250 at the evening reception. And magical romantic
gardens with stunning water features provide the perfect backdrop
for wedding photographs.