Hotel Cateys 2023: Hotelier of the Year, Conor O’Leary

Sponsored by Casna Group

Conor O’Leary joined the 233-bedroom, five-AA-star Gleneagles hotel in 2016, having caught the eye of its new owners, Ennismore, after his focus on food and beverage at the 600-key Grand Hyatt Dubai boosted both profitability and guest satisfaction.

It was a chance to put all his experience to work on what Sharan Pasricha, co-founder and chief executive at Ennismore, described as a sleeping giant. It’s safe to say that O’Leary shocked it into life.

To unlock Gleneagles’ potential, he spent a year gaining an understanding of the hotel’s history, team and customers before launching an ambitious five-year plan, including a multimillion-pound renovation. Under O’Leary’s leadership it has undergone a dramatic repositioning from a golf-led hotel to a “glorious playground” fit for the 21st century.

It now attracts multi-generational guests who come not just to golf, shoot, fish and fine dine, but to bring their families to visit the spa, indulge in activities such as falconry, riding, gundog training and – for the younger guests – tree-climbing and even ferret school. In the process the business has consolidated its position as a world-class hotel through winning countless coveted awards – including Virtuoso’s Best Hotel 2022.

Last year also saw the opening of the 33-bedroom Gleneagles Townhouse in Edinburgh, the business’s first luxury city hotel, complete with all-day restaurant, roof terrace and members’ club. Since opening it has received rave reviews.

As a forward-thinking hotelier, O’Leary also makes sure Gleneagles gives back to the community. His team engages with local tourism and community projects, including supporting the local Community Action Plan, and works with local charities addressing mental health and homelessness. Among other initiatives, the hotel works with industry charity HIT Scotland and offers several scholarships, including the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship for aspiring chefs. O’Leary also recently took on the role of honorary catering advisor to the Armed Forces.

Given such achievements and his work in the wider industry, it will be of no surprise to learn that O’Leary was the unanimous choice of the judges when it came to awarding this year’s Hotelier of the Year accolade.

Judge Andrew McKenzie said: “Conor has an unfussy style and very easy manner; he wears his role lightly, which is no easy task when you consider he runs one of the world’s iconic hotels. He is a great example to up-and-coming hoteliers.”

Judge Fiona Duncan told us that, having stayed at Gleneagles this year, she had experienced first-hand why under O’Leary’s “benign, professional and committed leadership, the hotel provides its guests with such a superb all-round experience”.

Robin Hutson marveled: “This is not a simple property to run. The level of service and attention to detail that the team deliver under Conor’s direction is impressive for such an extensive property.”

And the final word goes to Gordon Campbell Gray, who told us: “Conor always exudes a sense of supreme and impressive calm. I have known Gleneagles since I was a boy, and it has always been one of the most special places in Scotland, but it has reached a new level under the professional eye of Conor.”