BWH Hotels GB is seeing continued success in a number of its city centre locations despite the challenges facing the wider hospitality sector. With a focus on innovation, tailored guest experiences and strategic revenue management, the brand is outperforming market trends and setting a benchmark for city centre hospitality.
While ADR across the sector has stabilised over previous months, city centre hotels have delivered growth with revenues up 2.5% year to date driven by a 3% uplift in bookings. As always there are regional variances in performance, but it is the North West which has seen the strongest uplift with revenues up 8% on the same period prior year, with Chester and Blackpool seeing double digit growths.
While mid-scale and economy hotels are under strain, the BWH Hotels GB Revenue Team focused on optimising the leisure segment through targeted promotions over the summer months which resulted in the brand gaining market share.
Key to success has been accurately forecasting future demand so ADR can be optimised over peak nights, while putting strategies in place to drive volume where demand is expected to be low. With bedstock being a hotel’s most perishable product, BWH has been focusing on sell-out efficiency, measuring the number of sell-out nights their hotels are achieving where there is a forecasted opportunity to do so.
These examples demonstrate how BWH Hotels are maximising efficiency while still delivering memorable guest experiences.
Andrew Glover, Head of Revenue at BWH Hotels GB, said: “By combining data-driven strategies, digital innovation and a relentless focus on guest experience, BWH Hotels GB and our Revenue Management team, are not just weathering the challenges in city centre hospitality - we’re outperforming market trends and setting new benchmarks for success.”
Digital performance is also contributing to growth. Website conversion rates have improved by 28 per cent, page load times are now 68 per cent faster and organic clicks are up one per cent in two months. Impressions have risen by 18 per cent, supported by a culture of continuous testing that has already delivered seven successful changes. Social media engagement is increasing, with 15,000 new Instagram and TikTok followers gained in the past six months, BWH Hotels GB is gaining traction faster than most hotel brands in social.
Loyalty programmes also remain a key strength. BW Rewards and WorldHotel Rewards now have 64 million members globally, including two million in Great Britain.
Members have generated 112,000 stays in the past year, providing an uplift of £44,000 per hotel, an 18 per cent increase year on year. Loyalty data shows members are twice as likely to stay more than once and three times as likely to use multiple hotels.
Meetings and Events remain challenging, however, BWH Hotels has a conversion rate of double the industry average of 8 per cent, reflecting the focus on maximising value from every opportunity.
With data-driven strategies, advanced technology and personalised experiences, BWH Hotels GB is proving that city centre hospitality can thrive.
By combining operational efficiency, digital engagement and loyalty-driven growth, the brand is well positioned for continued success.