The Red CaRnaTion hoTels sToRy

a love story, Captured specially for the Guests of RCh

Contents

The heart of Red Carnation our history The Red Carnation Brand The Pillars of Red Carnation hotels Bea Tollmans Influence decor and Cuisine Celebrating our latest awards Commitment To our People Commitment To our Planet our award-Winning Collection The Red Carnation Hotel Collection

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no ReQUesT is Too laRGe, n o d e Ta i l To o s M a l l

The Heart Of Red Carnation

Our History

The Red Carnation Hotels (RCH) story is a love story. It started over fifty years ago, and has lasted a lifetime. at the heart of this love story is our Founder and President, BEA TOLLMAN - a woman and leader greatly respected and much adored by all those who have the pleasure of knowing her as a guest, as a colleague, as part of the RCh family.

it all began, back in the 1950s, when a beautiful young South African woman named Bea caught the eye of a distinguished hotelier named Stanley, who was known for wearing a small red carnation in his lapel. in 1954, as newlyweds of modest beginnings, their shared love for, and innate understanding of, world class hospitality, exquisite style, fine cuisine, grand architecture and inspiring travel, set the foundations for the establishment of leading hotels in south africa. Groundbreaking for the times, each hotel was hailed as the height of taste and excellence in dining, accommodation and service, while staying true to the promise of value. in 1975, their journey took them, and their four young children, to Great Britain. it is there that the next chapter of their story unfolded. in 1984, starting with purchase of London-based The Chesterfield Hotel, Bea Tollman, decided to create RCH. RCh is where her lifelong love for the hotel business, and her husbands signature flower, first came to life.

This booklet has been specially created to share the story of Bea Tollman a true love story - with the people of RCh, so that, every day, you can pass it on to your guests through the special role that you play within RCh.

RCh evolved since into what is now an award winning, family owned and run collection of fourteen five and four star boutique luxury hotels, along with a gastropub and a free standing restaurant. From Africa and the USA to Europe, RCh has established a reputation for timeless dcor, exceptional locations, highly personal and genuine guest care, and celebrated cuisine. RCh has become a home away from home for the business and holiday travellers who know, feel and appreciate, the RCh difference.

The Red Carnation Brand

The Pillars Of Red Carnation Hotels

The Red Carnation brand, and culture, stands tall as one of the finest boutique luxury hotel collections worldwide.

our success is, without question, a result of the 8 pillars that Bea Tollman and RCH have put firmly in place across the collection, across the globe, across the decades: The RCh brand is an enduring symbol, and statement, of all that Bea Tollman stands for as a person, and as a professional. It is also a reflection of her lifetime of dedication to offering the finest that a hotel can offer to its guests, and its people. at the core of the brand is Bea Tollmans commitment to exceptional guest service. This means it is, consistently, genuine, warm, highly personal, and always focused on making the guest feel important in ways that are important to them. The RCh brand is all about knowing - understanding and anticipating guest needs, and fulfilling them with a genuine desire to show that they are special to us Because We Care. it is about looking at the experience through the eyes of the guest, offering real value through RCh values. in her own words: you can build a palace, but it means nothing if you dont focus on your guests. all guests want to feel special. This spirit has lead to the creation of the pay-off line of RCh - an expression which is not only a mantra for staff, it is also a promise to guests: 1. RESPECT - for our guests, and for one another 2. SERVICE EXCELLENCE - living by our Top 12 service standards 3. CLEANLINESS - relentless attention to the look and feel of all aspects of the RCh experience 4. MANAGEMENT AS A CONSTANT PRESENCE - always being accessible and available to guests and staff, continuously feeling the pulse of RCh 5. ATTENTION TO DETAIL - recognising and appreciating just how important the smallest detail can be to the guest experience 6. CONTINUOUS FEEDBACK - from Guests, staff and Management 7. COMFORT - from our food to our rooms to our common spaces, appreciating what guests need to feel at home 8. VALUE - understanding, and delivering, true value

n o R e Q U e s T i s To o l a R G e , n o d e Ta i l To o s M a l l

T h e s e P i l l a R s a R e T R U ly T h e F o U n d a T i o n , and FUTURe, oF RCh.

Bea Tollmans Influence

Decor and Cuisine

RCh is blessed to have such a remarkable figurehead as an active, inspiring part of the business, across the collection. From london to Palm Beach, from Cape Town to Geneva, from the front desk to the kitchen, Bea Tollman is there - encouraging the people of RCh to create and deliver the best that we can offer to our guests. With her unique vision, style and warmth, she so elegantly and effectively personifies leading by example. And her influence can be seen, and felt, all around us.

Two areas that showcase the deeply personal and highly creative involvement of Bea Tollman are dcor and Cuisine.

OUR DCOR
Walking into a RCh property, guests are immediately struck by the distinctive blend of world-class style, richness of local character, and genuine warmth of hospitality.

Unique to RCh: as stated by Brett Tollman, her son and Global CEO of The Travel Corporation (owners of RCh):
She really isnt there as an icon, standing back, watching - she is there as an active presence, working alongside her people.

Public areas invite guests to feel at home, with lounges, bars, meeting spaces, and dining locations all weaving together with natural, luxurious ease; original, carefully preserved architecture of each specially chosen hotel across the collection, offering an embracing and authentic sense of place; Every guest room, every suite, is original in its design and dcor, using colours, textures and treatments to make the space distinctly comfortable and characterful, thereby enhancing the guest experience Modern amenities effortlessly blend together with personal touches, revealing a sense of knowing what guests need to make a stay comfortable, restful and unforgettable; and Magnificent collections of original artworks from across the globe, generously on display in all hotels for all to enjoy;

Terry Holmes, RCHs Executive Director, goes on to say about Bea Tollman and her influence on RCH:
I see people gravitate towards her. Everyone guests and staff, everyone wants to talk to her. There is a genuine love for her.

Jonathan Raggett, Managing Director of RCH is equally praising of the influence Bea Tollman has on RCH:
This is a tough business. We all need someone giving us a little nudge, encouraging us to be a better person. She makes things very personal. She genuinely cares that we be the best we can be.

and as beautifully expressed by Stanley Tollman, Beas husband and the founder of The Travel Corporation:
Although not born to the trade the way I was, Beas uncanny talent for the business, her instincts, her meticulous attention to detail, her concern for her staffs engagement in pleasing her guests, make her one of the worlds most talented hoteliers. 6

RChs signature style offers guests a place that makes them feel personally and proudly hosted by RCh.
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Decor and Cuisine

Celebrating

OUR CUISINE
B e a To l l M a n i s Pa s s i o naT e a B o U T F o o d !

B E A T O L L M A N S FAV O U R I T E T I M E S A N D TA S T E S
in 2009, Bea Tollmans life story was captured in a wonderful collection of her all-time favourite recipes - a very special cookbook entitled Bea Tollman - A Life in Food. offering a delightful selection of her favourite dishes from across the years and miles, A Life in Food passionately demonstrates Bea Tollmans lifelong affection for fine cuisine. My love of fine dining and good food was immediately felt from my heart, and I have never stopped feeling a thrill of pleasure at hearing that a guest has appreciated a good meal and enjoyed a lovely stay.

since she was a young girl, this wonderful, self-taught culinary master has lovingly and expertly experimented with foods and flavours from across the world. For this reason, the cuisine offered by RCh has become an integral part of not only how the brand reflects the spirit and exceptional know-how of Bea Tollman, but is a critical pillar and aspect of how RCh delivers service excellence to our guests. To this day, Bea Tollman remains a regular in the kitchens of RCh, working alongside RCHs chefs to personally perfect each and every dish that appears on RChs menus. The result: creation of a signature collection of tastes, treats and timeless dishes that have become favourites of RCH guests. When it comes to the cuisine of RCh, Bea Tollman has a distinct appreciation of the fact that travellers not only want to enjoy fine cuisine from across the globe, they also need comfort food. imagine the delight of a guest when they arrive into a RCh property, tired after a long flight, a full day of touring, or heavy day of meetings, and on checking in they receive a hot bowl of Beas signature Chicken noodle soup delivered to their room - home made, soothing, and delicious. its about the TnTs - the tiny noticeable touches that turn service into heartfelt hospitality.

a life in Food is available at all Red Carnation hotels, and at www.amazon.com priced at:
GBP 25 eURo 28 Us $45 ZaR 315

All profits go to Bea Tollmans favourite charities: starlight Childrens Foundation The amy Biehl Foundation and The Tick Tock Club (which is a part of the Great ormond street hospital in the UK.)

Our Latest Awards

The remarkable efforts of RCh to consistently deliver outstanding guest experiences is appreciated and applauded by guests and industry alike. RCh is immensely proud of the long history of awards that the collection continues to receive. some of the most recent awards bestowed upon RCh include: The Twelve Apostles Hotel Named on the Cond nast 2012 Gold list, with an overall score of 90.5 The Twelve Apostles Hotel named number 1 hotel spa in africa and the Middle east in Travel + leisures 2012 Worlds Best awards Bushmans Kloof named Best for Food in the Cond nast Traveler Gold list 2012 The Oyster Box Hotel Country Winner: Best luxury hotel spa in the 2012 World luxury hotel awards Hotel dAngleterre Best leading hotel in the World selected by leaders Club Members 2011 Milestone Hotel Ranked 4th in Travel + leisures Worlds Best service awards 2012 in the City hotels category with a score of 97.39 The Milestone Hotel Cond nast 2012 Gold list, with an overall score of 93.8, Platinum Circle inductee for 5 consecutive years on the list 41 named in Travel + leisures 500 Worlds Best hotels 2012, receiving a score of 87.58 41 named on the Cond nast 2012 Gold list, with an overall score of 91.6 The Egerton House Hotel Voted no. 14 Top 40 British isles hotel in Cond nast Readers Choice awards nov 2011 The Egerton House Hotel Winner Best london hotel: 2012 Cond nast Johansens awards nov 2011

The Old Government House Hotel 5-star rating, Guernseys first five-star hotel Red Carnation Hotels debuted in 71st place in The sunday Times Top 100 Companies to work for 2012 Red Carnation Hotels Became the first company to achieve Investors in Peoples new Gold standard across its entire worldwide operations in april 2010 TripAdvisor 2012 Certificate of Excellence awarded to each hotel within the collection (awarded to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on Tripadvisor, only 10% of businesses listed on Tripadvisor achieve this accolade)

Full list of RCh awards can be found at: http://www.redcarnationhotels.com/press-room/awards--accolades still, at RCh, the highest award that can be achieved is the loyalty of guests, returning time and again, to enjoy all that the collection has to offer across all if its properties and people.

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Commitment To Our People

Bea Tollman has always believed that, while the hardware of hotels is important, the guest experience can be diminished if the software the service provided - fails to live up to the promise of the brand and expectations of guests. For this reason, for decades, RCh has remained true to its commitment to delivery of excellence in guest experiences through the care for, and development of, its employees.

The development of the staff of RCh is an area that Bea Tollman takes personal delight in - her rich, naturally nurturing character always looking out for the people of RCH as her own. as expressed by Bea Tollman, we are all part of the same family. in addition to the daily consideration of the needs of RCh staff, Bea Tollman takes great pride in: The annual, black tie, RCh staff appreciation Gala dinner held in london for over 800 of the hotel collections staff - honouring those identified by RCH peers as demonstrating exceptional performance and embodying the RCh brand. her yearly Christmas Gift Giving - an occasion that takes a year of preparation so that she is able to extend to each and every employee of RCh with a personal gift and message to express her thanks for their contribution to RCh through the year. This unique approach to staff care and development has resulted in a number of staff-centric awards, including most recently: 2012: RCh voted sunday Times Top 100 Companies To Work For 2011: Excellence in Learning and Development at the hR in hospitality awards 2010: Investors in People - new Gold standard across its entire worldwide operations; 2009: Best Companies Accreditation Best Places to Work in Hospitality Employee Engagement Award Best Employer Award Hospitality and Leisure

Bea Tollman, to this day, remains an active part of the RCh team. as not only the role model of RCh, but a remarkable example of tireless attention to the essential elements of offering guests an unforgettable experience, Bea Tollman maintains a day-to-day involvement in everything from: Review of guest bookings, ensuring new and returning guests are recognised in ways that make them feel special, analysis of each propertys daily restaurant orders, to track guest favourites and ensure that culinary offerings are always pleasing, identifying any areas across the properties that need attention to ensure total guest satisfaction, be it guest room environments or in social spaces, and Reviewing guest feedback to maximise learning around how RCh can continuously improvement, and where guests experience the greatest pleasures, all to ensure that management and staff have all they need in support and resources to deliver consistent service excellence.

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Commitment To Our Planet

Our Award-Winning Collection

RCh is exceptionally proud of the efforts that it makes worldwide when it comes to social and environmental responsibility.

T H E M I L E S TO N E H OT E L

1 Kensington Court london W8 5dl www.Milestonehotel.com

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SUMMER LODGE C O U N T Ry H O U S E H OT E L , R E S TAU R A N T A N D S PA

These efforts, first established, and still championed by Mr and Mrs Tollman, represent RCHs commitment to living its values, within the hotel business as well as the communities in which we operate. in addition to environmental, nature and culture conservation projects undertaken at RCh, such as: Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Retreats reserve management plan incl. monitoring of water quality, rainfall, soil erosion, vegetation cover & wildlife; the exceptional green initiatives that form a critical part of RChs worldwide responsible business practices, time to local community and service organizations, RCh also actively supports the following organisations working tirelessly to make a genuine difference: The starlight Foundation (UK), Great ormond street Childrens hospital (UK), action against hunger (UK), national autistic society and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust (UK), The Red Cross (Geneva) nelson Mandela Childrens Fund (south africa), and amy Biehl Foundation (south africa)

9 Fore street, evershot dorset dT2 0JR www.Summerlodgehotel.co.uk

H OT E L D A N g L E T E R R E

41 Buckingham Palace Road london sW1W 0Ps www.41hotel.com

T H E E G E R TO N H O U S E H OT E L

Quai du Mont-Blanc 17 1201 Geneva, switzerland www.Dangleterrehotel.com

T H E C H E S T E R F I E L D PA L M B E AC H

17-19 egerton Terrace Knightsbridge london sW3 2BX www.Egertonhousehotel.com

T H E C H E S T E R F I E L D M Ay FA I R

363 Cocoanut Row Palm Beach Fl33480, Usa www.Chesterfieldpb.com

T H E T W E LV E A P O S T L E S H OT E L A N D S PA

35 Charles street london W1J 5eB www.Chesterfieldmayfair.com

T H E M O N TAG U E ON THE GARDENS

Victoria Road, Camps Bay 8040 Cape Town, south africa www.12apostleshotel.com
BUSHMANS KLOOF WILDERNESS R E S E RV E & W E L L N E S S R E T R E AT

15 Montague street london WC1B 5BJ www.Montaguehotel.com

THE RUBENS AT T H E PA L AC E

P.O. BOX 267 Clanwilliam 8135 south africa www.Bushmanskloof.co.za

T H E Oy S T E R B OX

39 Buckingham Palace Road london sW1W 0Ps www.Rubenshotel.com

T H E O L D G OV E R N M E N T H O U S E H OT E L A N D S PA

2 lighthouse Road, Umhlanga Rocks 4319 KwaZulu-natal, south africa www.Oysterboxhotel.com

T H E D U K E O F R I C H M O N D H OT E L

st anns Place, st Peter Port Bailiwick of Guernsey Gy1 2nU Channel islands www.Theoghhotel.com

Cambridge Park, st. Peter Port Bailiwick of Guernsey Gy1 1Uy, Channel islands www.Dukeofrichmond.com

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