Hotel Cateys 2021: Front of House Manager of the Year: Rosie Wilkins

Our judges were impressed with the amount this winner has achieved in her short career, describing her as a “shining star” at the Torridon and one to watch in the future.

Rosie Wilkins joined the hotel, set in a 58-acre estate in Wester Ross in the Scottish Highlands, as an apprentice in 2015 and was promoted to front of house supervisor in her third year. Her passion and dedication to the role saw her quickly rise through the ranks to guest relations manager and later front of house duty manager in 2020.

Wilkins works tirelessly to ensure the best possible experience for guests and arranged to visit other hotels in her own time to benchmark the Torridon against four competitors, before presenting her findings to the leadership team with recommendations for improvements. Her suggestions have included ensuring all special occasions are marked with confetti-filled balloons, chocolates or gin miniatures delivered to rooms. She can often be found driving guests around the resort and offering recommendations about where they should visit next. This focus on creating a more personalised stay has seen her already hit her target of 90% guest satisfaction during what has been a difficult year for many hotels.

During the pandemic she was responsible for the care of 54 colleagues from different departments. She worked hard to improve the facilities and accommodation for the hotel’s 45 live-in team members, compiling a list of costings and recommendations for the leadership team that resulted in the installation of a new gym, furniture, beds and bedding.

Wilkins has demonstrated she is a passionate advocate for the hospitality industry by giving presentations at events, conferences and schools across Scotland to promote apprenticeships in the sector to applicants and employers. She has volunteered to join the Apprenticeship in Hospitality Scotland (AHS) alumni mentoring programme as a way to give back to the industry, and was asked by Skills Development Scotland to take part in a working group to look at how sustainability measures could be added to apprenticeships.

What the judges said

“Rosie’s passion for hospitality shines through. Guest satisfaction scores are high and she has used the pandemic to implement improvement and training for her team. She is engaged with not only the guests but her team as well.”

Chanel Goy

“Rosie has a natural warmth towards guestsand an eagerness to develop her team. She is an enthusiastic team member who appearskeen to constantly evolve her department.”

Sally Humphrey

“This young person has been a pillar of the hotel during the past 18 months, bringing team members together, inspiring them to be more, and implementing wellbeing, development and sustainable initiatives. Truly a very special candidate and one to watch for the future.”

Ben Seager

“A natural leader, Rosie has the backing ofher team and management, and is one to watch as she progresses in her career.”

Alex Wilson

The shortlist

Isobel Camborne-Paynter Flat Cap Hotels

Veronica Evers The Dorchester, London

Johal Scott The Rubens at the Palace, London

Rosie Wilkins The Torridon, Wester Ross

Past winners

2019 Alex Wilson, Brown’s Hotel

2018 Xiaomin (Min) Sun, Southampton Harbour Hotel & Spa

2017 Sally Humphrey, the Grove, Hertfordshire

2016 Laura Godman, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons

2015 Lorena Somera, the Capital, London

2014 Thoralf Kretzschmar, Lancaster London

2013 Clarisse Abbey-Blackmore, Crowne Plaza London Docklands

2012 Rachel Thomas, Danesfield House

2011 Joanne Alder, Park Plaza Victoria, London

2010 Ben Seager, the Chesterfield Mayfair

2009 Ben Malpass, the Cavendish, London

2008 Carly Taylor, Ston Easton Park

2007 Felicity Wheeler, Four Seasons, London