FEATURE
FRONT OF HOUSE | WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO RUN A PRIVATE ISLAND?
ERISKA DRAWING ROOM
are attracted to the Isle. “Whether it’s an the Isle of Eriska more than just a seasonal approach however, with Wainwright insisting
expanding the far eastern market for our destination. Saying that the seasonal that despite the desire to expand, there are
winter trade, boosting our US trade for operation of the hotel has a “damaging no plans to change their guest experience,
the summer, or contributing to the local impact on staff continuity”, he hopes the other than to “continually polish what we do
community. We set ourselves for all comers.” property can tap into the newer emerging day in day out.”
However, Wainwright and the current
owners have set their sights on making
markets and become an “all-year round”
location. Confidence remains in their
As much as the Isle of Eriska offers a
stay which isn’t commonly seen across the
UK, Wainwright still considers the property
to be in competition with other British
hotels as well as the hotel’s former and
ever-evolving self. The team constantly
tries “to be better than we were yesterday”.
“Imagine a 100m sprinter on a time trial. It
doesn’t mean that because the sprinter is
seemingly racing alone there are no robust
targets and unforgiving standards of
quality to deliver.”
With the entire island under
Wainwright’s control, he sympathises with
other hoteliers no matter the size of their
hotel, concluding on the sentiment that
although he sits on an island of relaxation,
he rarely gets any time to himself as the
manager of a private destination. “Ha!
I’m a hotel general manager of a five-star
property. My peers will tell you that there is
ERISKA HILLTOP RESERVE LOUNGE AND VIEW
September 2017
very little downtime.”
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