Acorn Awards 2024: Matthew Wallace, 27, director, the Cairndale hotel, Dumfries

Age 27

Position Director, the Cairndale hotel, Dumfries

Nominator Rebecca Brocklesby, managing director, RBP Agency, Lincolnshire

Years of training in some of the world’s renowned five-star hotels have prepared Matthew Wallace to spearhead the redevelopment and repositioning of his family’s hotel, the Cairndale. Indeed, along with managing his marketing communications plan, he has put not just the hotel but the local region on the map for Scottish tourism in a relatively short space of time.

He started accruing knowledge at the age of 16 in the kitchens at Claridge’s in London, moving into housekeeping and then on to the concierge desk at the Dorchester. During his hospitality management degree, he worked at Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons in Oxfordshire, followed by a management traineeship in New York at the Peninsula hotel. But while he has learned from some of the best in the industry, he says one of the biggest inspirations has been his father, Matthew Snr, who was general manager of the 91-bedroom Cairndale for 40 years.

Now in the hot seat, Wallace has already overseen major refurbishments, overhauled the reservations system, implemented new staff training and completed a rebrand. He is now creating a £2m spa, having secured £400,000 in funding from the South of Scotland Enterprise, and his next project is to upgrade the current Reivers restaurant.

Wallace’s vision also extends beyond the hotel, and he works with local tourism operators and visitor attractions to promote Dumfries and Galloway to put both the hotel and region on the visitor map.

Most importantly, Wallace has made sure that staff have engaged with the new concept. For instance, he involved the sales, marketing and accounts teams in building the new Guestline property management system and invited staff from housekeeping and front desk to make suggestions. As a result, the whole team felt part of the process during what is ordinarily a disruptive process and routines have run smoothly.

When not doing all that, Wallace works with charities, such as Developing Young Workforce and educational institutions to inspire the next generation of hospitality staff and leaders.

How do you get the best out of your team?

"Clear communication, respect and recognition. I check in regularly with the team, ensure that we have an open and honest cascade of information internally and try to be as flexible as possible in understanding individual needs. I also focus on recognising individuals and teams for exceptional effort and results."

What excites you most about the future of your role?

"The continual change and evolution in the hospitality sector means it’s always an exciting industry to work in and the growing focus on wellness and continued shift towards evolving guest experiences is something I’m monitoring. On a personal level, the development and launch of our new luxury spa, aligned with full hotel refurbishment and improved digital journey is hugely exciting for 2024."