Leading stories

A VERY WARM WELCOME

Nicola Liddiard proudly welcomed LEADER to the elegant Maison des Relais & Chateaux London in the heart of Knightsbridge

Strategically located in the centre of one of London’s smartest retail districts, since December 2007 Maison des Relais & Chateaux London on Beauchamp Place has exemplified the luxury brand’s style, and beckoned us to be part of it.

A two-minute stroll from the famous Harrods department store in Knightsbridge, the boutique showroom replicates the concept perfected by Maison des Relais & Chateaux Paris, which today draws over 10,000 visitors a year. Here too in London, customers can discover everything they need to know about the exclusive Relais & Chateaux collection of properties around the globe. They can come in, make bookings, and buy gift certificates for nine formulas including gourmet dinners, spa experiences or hotel stays. They can even buy certificates in £100 denominations exchangeable at any of the 500 Relais & Chateaux in 55 countries worldwide. The association has just opened a ‘maison’ in New York as well.

The brand

‘Our brand is very well known in Europe and especially in France as we have around a third of our members in France’ says Nicola Liddiard, who wears two hats, as Director of both Relais & Chateaux UK and Ireland and International properties, looking after the needs of members.

‘One of our key objectives from a PR and sales and marketing point of view is to develop even more brand awareness for our members and the brand in the United Kingdom,’ she continues. ‘We try to create a welcoming and enticing window display to encourage people to come in and see us. It’s much more personal than the internet. Besides, our customers expect our personal touch.’

They also appreciate Relais & Chateaux for the 54-year old membership association's quality charter, or 5C's: courtesy, calm, charm, character and cuisine. Such qualities are firmly upheld by all of its hotels and Grands Chefs Relais & Chateaux Restaurants, which in the UK and Ireland number 29 properties, including Chewton Glen, Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Marlfield House and Glenapp Castle.

Eminently qualified

It was Nicola who set up the ‘maison’, and indeed opened the first official Relais & Chateaux office in London. She is eminently qualified.

After completing a four year hotel, catering and institutional management course at what is now Bournemouth University, Nicola succumbed to the travel bug and flew for three years as an air hostess for Gulf Air, travelling the world and staying in the best hotels, before deciding to enter the hospitality industry as PR Manager of the Sheraton Hotel in Oman. From there she strode into sales, where she was quickly promoted to ever more senior sales and marketing roles for Sheraton International in Europe and Asia. She then moved on to SAS Radisson, developing their entire leisure business, before joining Meridien as Director of Leisure Sales for Europe, her last job before Relais & Chateaux.

Fantastic events

Infatuated with her boutique, Nicola proudly shows off the premises, which, a few short steps above street level, resembles a well-appointed home. It’s in keeping with the taste and style of many of the family-run establishments that belong to Relais & Chateaux. There’s a professional demonstration kitchen in the basement, where in September a delegation from Relais & Chateaux’s South African hotels hosted a canapé and champagne evening. ‘It helps that we have a great relationship with Aga down the road,’ she smiles, referring to their immaculate 4-oven Aga.

The boutique likewise offers a flexible space and ambience, considering the number of promotional events Nicola lays on for prospective customers and associates, including spa days. In October, it will be Austria’s turn to showcase its hotels.

‘’My job is fantastic,’ she says. ‘Apart from the fabulous and luxurious hotels with their attention to detail, our wonderful partners and all these fantastic events, you have all these famous chefs as well, like Raymond Blanc, Michel Roux and Heston Blumenthal. For me, working with people like that is such an honour.’

The origin of Relais & Chateaux involves eight founding hoteliers in France who linked their properties to create a route du Bonheur, or road to happiness. For Nicola and Maison des Relais & Chateaux London, the route starts here.