“Our gamble worked” – we speak to the owners of Healing Manor Hotel

Christmas always comes early for hotel owners Steven and Charlotte Bennett – a whole year early, to be precise. No sooner has the last pine needle been swept away from the floor of their 37-room “gamble that worked” than thoughts turn to planning next year’s festivities. Although buying the manor, hotel and Pig and Whistle pub was a huge risk for the former celebrity fashion stylist and her Patron Head Chef husband, they revel in the excitement of it all.

“Research, research, research…

…is the secret. Look what other people and businesses are doing and adapt these ideas. Try them, and if they don’t work, go back to the drawing board. It’s not about copying others but taking inspiration from other areas and bringing something different that fits your business to the table.”

Charlotte’s life running the stylish operation set in 36-acres of woodland is a far cry from looking after the fashion needs of Nigella Lawson, Dannii Minogue and Holly Willoughby.

“I was in London and suddenly realised that being screamed at because I didn’t have the right size pair of Jimmy Choo shoes wasn’t what I wanted,” she adds.

Marketing is key

Now Charlotte spends her days negotiating with suppliers, looking after her 96 staff so that they can look after the customers, and planning exciting new marketing initiatives.

She’s good at it too as the full house for the midweek lunchtime offer of a sandwich, coleslaw, truffle and Parmesan fries with a brownie or lemon drizzle cake for £10 proves.

Cleverly designed packages offering a combination of bed and dine at the relaxed luxury 4-star venue have been curated with the same meticulous planning that precedes every Christmas.

“When Christmas is over, we look at emerging trends in decor, food and drink to explore what our customers will be looking for based on the feedback we get from them,” she says.

Act on feedback

“Whatever the time of year when customers book with us, the automated system sends them a feedback form. Once we get that we always call them to see where we could have done even better.”

The hotel launches its Christmas marketing campaign in September, when the social media countdown for customers and the team swings into action.

Seize the seasonal spend

Most people are happy to push the boat out, so the seven-course tasting menu in addition to the main eight weekly one is always popular. Looking for a snack? Grimsby’s famous haddock and chips is a constant standout bar snack option.

Steven says: “At the other end of the scale we offer smaller plates from the main menu and a few higher margin specials with locally foraged ingredients. I’m doing a Cornish pheasant pastie with brambles and nettles covered in grated Yarg as a small plate that has a good cash margin.”

Local and sustainable

Local provenance and sustainability are major selling points for the hotel, which attracts a significant proportion of its customers from nearby villages, all eager to support producers in their area.

Charlotte says: “We always tell the story of where our food comes from on social media and our menus. We have a ‘Meet the Supplier’ section on our website and many of them are independent, family-run interests.

“Next year we’re planning to hold a Farmers’ Market on the site to support them and the circular local economy; without it, we’d struggle to get great produce and the waiting and hotel staff we need.”

Put sales first and margins will follow

That inclusivity is a key part of the careful strategy behind the growth of the hotel as a destination, admits Steven: “When we started, it was all about sales rather than costs. Margins came second, but now we’ve grown trust and a reputation, we’re flipping that.

“The market will attract people who might not normally come here. They’ll pop in for a glass of wine or a coffee, like what they see and hopefully return.”

Build relationships, offer experiences

Charlotte agrees: “Relationships are crucial so Christmas is a great time to take a helicopter view of your operation and grow them with regulars and new guests visiting in a corporate group or party, who might return with their families.”

As soon as Halloween is over, activity ramps up – and not just for the fast-approaching festivities – as the Healing team send out Black Friday voucher experience email offers to databased guests to fill the lean January to May months.

“People love a treat, and at that time of year everyone is getting in the Christmas mood, so jump on it! Vouchers are a perfect gift and they’ll keep your revenue ticking over when traditionally it doesn’t,” says Charlotte.

The hotel’s marketing plan for 2025 has ensured almost 80% of rooms are always booked, 65 weddings have been hosted and the steady stream of satisfied visitors continues to grow.