Hospitality ‘newbie’ Elephant Rock wins Boutique Hotel of the Year at the Georgina Campbell Awards
Just a few years ago, a Portstewart Chemistry graduate never imagined that she would be swapping microscopes for mini breaks in her own award-winning north coast hotel.
But that’s exactly what has happened for 33-year-old Charlotte Dixon of Portrush’s Elephant Rock Hotel which has won a number of awards in the last month - Boutique Hotel of the Year, Romantic Hotel of the Year and 4 Star Hotel of the Year and the Boutique Hotel of the Year at the Georgina Campbell Awards.
“If someone told me four years ago that I’d be running a hotel with my mum and that we’d win big at respected hospitality awards, I wouldn’t have believed them”, said the Portstewart woman.
“I had zero hospitality experience, I’m not someone who was surrounded by hoteliers. I moved to St Andrew’s at 18 to study and then to Manchester where I worked for an academic publisher and that’s where I thought my life and career were taking me.”
Charlotte, and her mother Heather, an integral part of the hotel’s success, heard locally that a building at Portrush’s Lansdowne Crescent was going up for sale and they were convinced to take a look.
The building that was to become the Elephant Rock Boutique Hotel had an immediate impact.
Charlotte said: “On the drive up to the hotel it was the stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean, visible from many of the rooms, that made me catch my breath. I thought to myself, ‘who wouldn’t want to wake up to that view’; it never gets old and there’s something so calming and energising about being close to water.
“On the property tour we could see that it had good bones however the interior needed a total makeover. There wasn’t a single room that didn’t need attention, which we knew would put many people off but to us that was part of the reason why we wanted it.
"We realised we had a unique opportunity to breathe new life into this building, showcase a place I love so much, create jobs and a property that would reflect our own personal style whilst making the most of the incredible location.”
Charlotte saw a gap in the market for an art deco inspired property with emphasis on quality cocktails, local food and great service.
“I’m so proud to be a local employer; we have 35 amazing people working at the hotel, all of them dedicated to giving our guests the best possible experience. Our staff are the heart of the hotel and we count ourselves incredibly fortunate to have such a great team.
"Not only that but we’ve helped to boost the local economy, which has had a knock-on effect on tourism providers and food and drink producers in the area.
“We’re a fairly new kid on the block but these trusted hospitality professionals saw in us the love and dedication we put into every aspect of Elephant Rock. We hope to win many more in the years to come”, concluded Charlotte.