Successful first seven years for Stockton’ s Hampton by Hilton hotel
HOSPITALITY
Warm welcome – Hampton by Hilton guests are often driven by what’ s happening on its Stockton doorstep.
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Successful first seven years for Stockton’ s Hampton by Hilton hotel
WORDS: DAVE ROBSON PICTURE: TOM BANKS
Big changes are taking place in Stockton – and a flagship hotel is wellplaced to benefit.
As part of a reimagining of Stockton town centre, part of the famous old High Street is making way for an ambitious“ urban park”, with landscaping, play areas and even an amphitheatre on land adjoining the River Tees.
And as Tees Business talks to Hampton by Hilton manager John Lambourne- Richardson, he’ s enthused by what’ s happening on his hotel’ s doorstep.
Since it opened in 2019, the 128-room Church Road hotel has already benefited from custom generated by the reborn Globe Theatre.
And as Teesside increasingly attracts major companies and emerging industries wanting to do business, midweek occupancy rates are high – it was fully booked the day Tees Business visited – as the corporate market takes advantage of its smart rooms and convenient location.
A new era, therefore, for Stockton and Teesside – and one the Hampton by Hilton,
At the helm- manager John Lambourne-Richardson FIH.
with its dedicated, 28-strong team, is happy to embrace.
John said:“ People might not realise we’ ve been here seven years. I think many still think of us as brand new, which is a compliment in itself.
“ We opened because there was a shortage of hotels in Teesside, and the corporate market needed more bed stock. There’ s still not enough capacity for the demand that’ s coming to the area, especially midweek, so we’ re usually at least around the 95 % occupancy mark.
“ But at weekends, it’ s a very different mix. Yes, there’ s an element of corporate, but mostly it’ s driven by what’ s happening in the area. So, if Boro are doing well, which they are at the moment, visiting spectators will potentially stay with us. And if there’ s something on at the Globe, the ARC or the Georgian Theatre, all three venues create a demand.”
But one success story that’ s surprised John over the hotel’ s first seven years has been the local market – and by that, he means VERY local.
He explained:“ I’ ve been managing hotels since the 1980s and if someone had said to me the local market would come from within a three-mile radius at weekends, I’ d have thought they were mad. But it does and sometimes it’ s not necessarily driven by an event at the Globe or something else happening.
“ Quite often it’ s‘ We fancied a Friday night out, we’ ve got a babysitter in, so we’ ll have a night away’. A lot of‘ last minutes’ occur on a Friday or Saturday when our breakfast-inclusive rates aren’ t driven by the corporate market.”
Coinciding with the changing landscape nearby, the hotel will get a new look this year, with the famous Hampton by Hilton brand insisting on a“ soft refurb” after seven years to ensure the internal environment – despite already feeling clean and modern – remains welcoming and up-to-date.
And for corporate guests, a workzone meeting room, free wi-fi throughout the hotel and complimentary on-site parking when hiring the workzone are all added perks of a Stockton stay.
Overall occupancy rates topped 80 % in 2025, with September providing a monthly record for occupancy, revenue and profit.
And as John, like the whole of Teesside, eagerly anticipates the urban park’ s unveiling, he’ s confident it can further boost the hotel’ s pulling power.
He said:“ I remember eight years ago, when I told my family and friends I was moving up, they asked,‘ What are you going there for?’ Then they’ ve come up to visit and found the moors on the doorstep, the beaches, places like Durham and York, and we’ re only a relatively short distance to Newcastle and the Northumberland coastline.
“ There’ s a wealth of things to do in the area, but it’ s trying to tell people that Stockton is the place to come for those things. That’ s been quite a challenge, but a challenge we’ re rising to and I’ m sure the new developments will help that further.”
To find out more, contact Hampton by Hilton – Stockton sales manager Toni Bainbridge on 01642 4325420 or to book a room, visit hampton. com
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