Global Update
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Independent nomInees
Gordon Campbell Gray cHairman campbELLGray HOTELS , LOndOn
Tim and KiT Kemp fOundErS firmdaLE HOTELS , LOndOn
A trained hotelier by profession and founder of his current collection of hotels in Europe and the Middle East , Campbell Gray also acts as an advisor to various companies , both hotel and non-hotel related . He is vice president of Save the Children UK , and is involved in various philanthropic projects around the world .
In his 20s , Campbell Gray worked for Save the Children , running projects in Bangladesh , Morocco and Nicaragua , before returning to his hotel career in London in the early 1980s . In 1982 he bought and opened The Feathers at Woodstock in Oxfordshire , followed by The Draycott in London in 1987 . The success of these two boutique hotels prompted him to pursue his vision of creating a modern classic hotel in London . After spending time in East Hampton , New York , where he re-launched The Maidstone Arms , in 1996 he acquired the classic Edwardian building in Central London that is now One Aldwych , which opened as a hotel in July 1998 . In 2004 , he opened Carlisle Bay , Antigua , and in 2009 he launched Le Gray Beirut .
His operating philosophy focuses on engaging and inspiring his teams to deliver intelligent service with individuality and care for the environment .
“ Hotels should be living things , not stuffy institutions ” maintain Tim and Kit Kemp , owners of Firmdale Hotels .
There are eight boutique hotels in London and one in New York . The high standards of excellence and unique townhouse style of decoration have over the years added up to a winning combination for the Firmdale collection .
Kit Kemp has designed the interiors of each hotel in her unique personal way , which reflects a fresh , modern English style . She was named the Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year in 2008 and has gone onto win many more accolades .
Firmdale Hotels has received the Queens Award for Enterprise in 2000 , 2006 and 2009 , a recognition of its outstanding achievement to international trade . A further hotel is currently planned for New York .
12 HOTELS April 2016 www . hotelsmag . com