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surrendering to the ‘brand values’ of a
group. As many of our readers know who
themselves run independent hotels, it
is a long hard slog: years of saving and
investing, making gradual improvements,
and attention to detail, all day, every day.
There are comparable examples nearer to
home: the Goring, still in the same family
after over a century, and Kit Chapman’s
Castle Hotel at Taunton come to mind.
“Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose”
- 50 years after the Rochedys borrowed to
the hilt to open their nine-room chalet,
everything has changed. Today’s 41 room
Relais & Chateaux spa hotel with two
Michelin stars is unrecognisable from
their humble starting point.
It is clear that there is no easy formula or
quick route to establishing an exceptional
business like Le Chabichou whilst keeping
family ownership and control, and not
Yet everything is still the same . . .
the same family, the same attitudes to
guests, the same need to continuously
improve, the same single-minded focus
on making guests want to come back.
The same hospitality.