TGt Meets...Mary Stringer, Marketing Manager at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa

Meet our latest TGt Meets...Mary Stringer, Marketing Manager at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa. She gave us the inside scoop into what it's like working in one of Bath's best hotel and spas.

Describe yourself in three words…

Creative, strategic, empathetic

How did you come to work in the hospitality industry?

My first in-house role in the hospitality industry was at Thermae Bath Spa and The Gainsborough Bath Spa. The bug bit hard – I can’t imagine working in another sector now! The people I work alongside are so passionate, hard-working, and have the best senses of humour.

What has been the most difficult challenge you have had to face since working at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa?

The lockdown was very challenging; some of us remained on site, but many staff were furloughed. The hotel felt eerie without any guests, we missed our other colleagues, and there was a lot of uncertainty within the industry.

Putting together our reopening strategy was really exciting though, and it was rewarding to see new business building ahead of our reopening. The commercial team have worked flat out to build the business back up, and so it has been incredibly rewarding to get to the point where we are beginning to sell out again.

What do you find most fulfilling about working at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa?

The team here are very close-knit and everyone really cares about each other, so I feel really lucky to work here. Departments support one another as our aim is the same: to deliver an optimal guest experience at every stage. The staff here are highly skilled and experienced, and this makes working here really fulfilling because you know you’re working alongside people who are amongst the best at what they do.

Starting a campaign from scratch and seeing it come to life is also a really fulfilling experience. At Christmas I planned a “Hunt the Nutcracker” garden trail, and it was a great feeling to see visitors hunting the nutcrackers, many of whom never knew we even had gardens hidden behind the hotel! I adapted this for summer with a poetry trail recently, featuring famous poems by Great British writers, and this has also generated lots of interest and additional F&B revenue (people often stay for lunch or afternoon tea in the garden). These campaigns also add value for our staying guests, and give people an extra reason to stay with us.

What does The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa offer that people might not be aware of?

We recently rehomed three rescue hedgehogs in our gardens, who tend to sleep during the day then roam around the gardens in the evening. Children love finding their igloo homes, and the excitement of the prospect of coming across a hedgehog on its evening travels is real – for staff and guests!

What makes The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa different to any other hotel in Bath?

We are so incredibly fortunate to have our acre of gardens - rare for a city centre hotel. Our setting is also a huge advantage, as not many hotels can say they are based in the centre of an iconic Grade-I Listed building. We also have a five red star rating, which sets us apart for discerning guests.

What are the benefits of staying at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa? 

When you stay at the RCH, you get more than just a luxurious room for the night. We have an award-winning spa, restaurant and gardens all on site, so you can have an amazing experience without leaving the grounds. If you do wish to explore further afield, we have several “add on” experiences that we can arrange on your behalf, such as paddle-boarding and culinary tours. And our wonderful concierge team can help you to book anything from dinner to a hot air balloon ride!

What advice would you give those who would like to pursue a career in marketing?

I didn’t know anybody who worked in marketing or anything like that, so I started from scratch. After graduating with a degree in English, I spent four years working in a marketing agency, which gave me a really solid grounding across a breadth of disciplines, from PPC to social media, PR to email marketing – and also a tight handle on delivering ROI for clients. While I prefer working in house, I am very aware that my agency-side experience has really informed everything I do now. All of my activities for the RCH are grounded in a strategy built around driving optimal ROI. So I would definitely recommend getting some work experience in an agency if you can, because you learn so much!

Find out more about The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa by visiting their website, https://www.royalcrescent.co.uk/