John Badley to re-join Andrew Brownsword Hotels as chief executive

Former group head of operations John Badley has been appointed the new chief executive of Andrew Brownsword Hotels.

His appointment follows the announcement of current chief executive Stephanie Hocking’s departure earlier this week.

Badley was group head of operations for the group between June 2016 and February 2023, before which he was general manager of Dalhousie Castle Hotel & Spa in Edinburgh and deputy general manager and general manager designate of St David's Hotel & Spa in Cardiff.

He said: “I am overjoyed to re-join the team as CEO, which is a sincere privilege. While I aim to continue to respect the traditions for which the hotels are famed and adored, I am thrilled to support the family to create an exciting new level of hospitality for both our team and our guests to enjoy. To be trusted with the family’s prestigious hotels is the greatest honour of my career and I am looking forward to joining at this very special time.”

Alessandra Brownsword said: “We are delighted to appoint John as CEO of our family hotel business. We worked closely with John during his previous time with us, where he constantly proved his ability, drive and passion for our business and our people. We are now excited to have the opportunity to work with John in a leadership role, as we embark on the next chapter of the business with fresh ideas and a new sense of creativity. We warmly welcome John into this position and will give him our full support.”

Andrew Brownsword Hotels, named AA Hotel Group of the Year 2017/18, has a portfolio of 13 properties. Owned by Christina and Andrew Brownsword, the collection includes Gidleigh Park in Devon, the Bath Priory, Amberley Castle in West Sussex, five Cotswold properties including the Slaughters Manor House, and Sydney House Chelsea in London.