Bovey Castle named among UK's best hospitality employers

Bovey Castle has been named one of the best places to work in UK hospitality for the second year running.

The hotel resort near Moretonhampstead appears on the Caterer's Best Places to Work in Hospitality 2025 list, which recognises the top 30 operators for staff engagement and workplace culture.

The accolade recognises the efforts of Bovey Castle’s parent company, the Eden Hotel Collection, which also operates hotels in Cheltenham, Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon and Kidderminster.

Companies on the list are nominated by their own employees. 

The annual survey is considered a key benchmarking tool for hospitality employers to recruit and retain staff.

In a recent survey of Eden’s 500 employees, 150 of whom are based at Bovey Castle, 95 per cent said the company cares about its people, and 91 per cent described the leadership as “inspiring and positive”.

The recognition follows a strong year for the group, with Eden reporting its highest retention increase since 2018. 

The company said its 90-day retention rate averaged 97 per cent, with overall staff retention up 28 per cent. 

Vacancies have dropped by 68 per cent in recent years, and the average time to interview and screen candidates is now under seven days.

Eden has also promoted more than 70 employees in the past year, and nearly 50 staff have completed apprenticeships or leadership programmes.

Key staff initiatives include the rollout of Wagestream, which allows early access to earned wages, and a new “science-backed” reward and recognition platform known as the Happy Hub, designed to support staff wellbeing.

It was also stated that a further £1.5m has been invested into staff accommodation, with the purchase of a 15-cottage complex at Bovey Castle. 

The company has also enhanced its employee referral scheme, offering up to £1,000 for each successful referral.

Dean Gunston, General Manager at Bovey Castle, said: “I feel lucky to work with a team who love what they do, and that really shines through in the feedback that we have from our guests, but also in industry recognition such as this, which is well deserved.”

Lisa Redding, Group People Director at The Eden Hotel Collection, said: “To not only break into the top 30 hospitality places to work, but to stay there, is something we are extremely proud of.

“Hospitality is a really rewarding career for people of all backgrounds, and we have created a brilliant culture where those starting out in their careers are able to learn from some of the industry’s best – which alongside acting on feedback from our people – has helped us to retain and grow our workforce.”

Mark Chambers, Managing Director at the Eden Hotel Collection, added: “Ensuring we have a happy and motivated workforce is our greatest asset as a business, which is why surveys such as Best Places to Work are important to understand how we can remain one of the industry leaders when it comes to both an employer, and a leading hotel collection.”