Balmoral Hotel

Rocco Forte's The Balmoral is celebrating after a double win at The Scottish Thistle Awards. The Balmoral picked up two gongs for People Development and Marketing Initiative at the glittering Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner, which took place in Edinburgh on Friday night (27th October).

The People Development Award was open to all tourism and hospitality businesses throughout Scotland who could demonstrate they had achieved success by developing their people. The Balmoral was recognised for its five-star approach to recruitment, which along with a cutting-edge training and development strategy, had secured a 67 per cent staff retention rate and 30 internal promotions in one year. The judges cited this as a winning formula for a business that puts its people first.

The Marketing Initiative Award applauded the hotel's unique "Five-star Kids" Marketing Campaign. The key objective of the campaign was to attract more families to the hotel by dispelling the myth that five-star hotels were stuffy and unapproachable. The Balmoral implemented marketing tools to "wow" its younger guests including customised robes, slippers and children's menus, as well as the innovative teddy turndown service. The "Five-star Kids" Programme was also a Finalist in the Innovation Category.

Now in their 15th year, the Scottish Thistle Awards were created by VisitScotland to recognise and celebrate excellence and quality in one of Scotland's most important industries, and they are widely recognised as one of the top accolades a tourism business can receive. The Balmoral was the only business to pick up two awards on the night. The hotel is also a previous winner of two Scottish Thistle Awards: Flavour of Scotland for its Michelin-starred number one restaurant in 2005, and Customer Care - Hotel of the Year in 2004.

Debbie Taylor, General Manager commented: "I am delighted to receive two Thistle Awards in one night, which is a first for The Balmoral. These awards are a testament to my outstanding team, who deliver the highest standards of service with the greatest pride and enthusiasm. I am thrilled that we have been recognised as leaders in staff development and marketing, in such a competitive environment."

For further information, please contact:

Emma Offord or Jessica Trotter in The Balmoral Press Office on 0131 622 8805/25 or please email: press@roccofortecollection.com