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Private Notes
One year after first visiting The Caspian, a failing hotel in west London, Alex is back to see whether the Samari family have continued to follow her advice. When Alex first arrived, she found mother-and-son team Nousha and Samandar fighting to stay in business. The Samaris had left their home in Iran more than 40 years ago, drawn to London’s bright lights and the prestige of running their own hotel. But with the bedrooms looking tired and The Caspian’s breakfast and conference room remaining underused, occupancy rates had dropped as low as 10 per cent. Even Nousha’s pride and joy, her doll museum, had failed to draw in the crowds. After transforming a bedroom, Alex wanted the duo to follow her template and redesign the other rooms as well. Alex renovated the breakfast and conference room, creating a warm environment for both customers and potential business clientele. To top it all off, she even managed to get the Caspian a three-star rating. Have the Samaris succeeded in keeping their three stars? Has their occupancy rate risen? Or will Alex find that all her hard work has gone down the drain?
When Alex Polizzi last visited the First in Last Out in Winchester, she found a struggling bed-and-breakfast of questionable cleanliness and cripplingly bad reviews. She was so appalled by the dodgy decor and a dirt-encrusted shower cubicle that she refused to stay the night. Three years on, will owner Jon Sweeney be able to supply a warmer welcome?
Alex Polizzi returns to Who’d A Thought It, which on her first visit resembled the Kent countryside’s answer to the Playboy mansion. Self-styled showman Joe Mallet had aimed to bring a taste of four-star city luxury to rural Kent, but his unique taste in decor - featuring cowhide bedspreads, four-man hot tubs and erotic artwork - had not proved to be to everyone’s liking. Alex made a number of improvements, but what will she find this time round?
Alex Polizzi revisits the Artist Residence in Brighton. Three years ago, she found the nine-room B&B was decorated and staffed by young artists, who were left on their own during the week while the student owner Justin studied in London. The hotel was slammed by guests and occupancy levels were low. Has Justin's management style improved?
Alex Polizzi returns to the Meudon Country House Hotel. When she visited two years previously, she found a father-and-son team at loggerheads, an uninspiring restaurant menu and dated decor. Having done her utmost to turn the situation around and make son Mark into more of a leader, the hotel's fortunes were looking up. Have the family kept up the good work?
In her troubleshooting role as the Hotel Inspector, Alex Polizzi has helped to turn around some of Britain's worst-performing hotels and guest houses. Some of them proved more of a challenge than others and some hoteliers were downright difficult. Two years after she first visited them, she is back to see how these establishments are faring and whether her good advice is still being followed. This week, the only way is Essex for Alex, as she returns to The Oakland Hotel in South Woodham Ferrers. Two years ago, she found a struggling business suffering from appallingly bad décor featuring garish orange and green designs in the bedrooms. Family tensions meant that the proprietors were running the risk of bringing their own business to its knees. The family were embroiled in a fierce battle of the sexes as father and son Jeff and Andy ended up taking control of all the decisions and leaving mother and daughter Marilyn and Shelley out in the cold. With Alex brought in against Jeff's will, he swore that he would ignore her advice as a matter of principle. Two years on,will Alex find a family now working harmoniously and making a profit, or will she find them stuck in the past and still fighting endlessly among themselves?
Alex revisits Margaret 'Muff' Ashwood, whose hotel was losing money hand over fist.
Alex Polizzi pays another visit to Ross and Jayne McBeath's 15th century hotel in St Albans.
Alex revisits The Paramount Hotel in Nottingham – one of her ‘toughest gigs’ - to check up on owners Mary and Milad. Has the garish décor finally been put to bed? Did the shisha den disappear in a puff of smoke? And is it possible that the dilapidated garden has blossomed into something beautiful? When Alex first arrived at the establishment 18 months ago, its future was bleak: Mary and Milad were exhausted, and finances were at breaking point. Now she’s back and keen to find out whether the couple have learnt their lesson. But, with the unwelcome return of the restaurant and that squeaky door, the hotel inspector might take some convincing. . .
When she first visited the five star guesthouse Alex found couple Christina and Warwick Jackson and their daughters at risk of losing not only their business but the family home as well. Crippling repair bills to the old Georgian building and a lack of business know how had left the family with a serious problem. Plus Christina’s penchant for filling the B&B with nick nacks and nudes was in danger of turning more guests away than turning them on! Returning 6 years later will Alex see a change in the family fortunes or has the business finally reached rock bottom?
Alex returns to Eden Lodge in Falmouth to check in again with hapless hoteliers Lynn and Ziggy
Alex Polizzi returns to the Caspian in west London.
Documentary series in which award-winning hotelier Alex Polizzi offers practical advice to failing hotels and guest houses. Alex revisits the Cornish hotel to see if her advice to modernise has had any effect.
Documentary series in which award-winning hotelier Alex Polizzi offers practical advice to failing hotels and guest houses. The Hotel Inspector checks in on brand new hoteliers Ben and Emma, to see whether their new venture, Albion House, is flying or flailing.
Documentary series. Alex Polizzi revisits the scene of some of her most difficult challenges. Alex walks the hall of fame once again at the Hotel Celebrity in Bournemouth. When she first visited the hotel, she worked hard to convince owner Ken to adopt her radical but glamorous plans. Has Ken kept to the new image and how is the hotel faring today?
Alex returns to Redditch where, 18 months before, Donna was struggling to channel her energy away from the front line and into transforming her hotel's concept. How is the value-conscious establishment faring now?
Alex Polizzi returns to Bude in Cornwall to see if Trevor, the previously shy owner of the Atlantic House Hotel, has taken her advice to step out of the shadows, and to see whether the tide of customers has started flowing in the right direction.
In 2017, Alex checked into a Peaky Blinders themed hotel in Southport, where John and Mel were full of ideas but lacking in experience. Is the venue still a hit, or is it sleeping with the fishes?
Richard had a grand vision of running a rustic B&B out of a renovated barn, but it came under threat from developers. Has he been able to reclaim his dream?
The occupancy rates and dwindling profits at Joe's unique Maidstone guesthouse told their own story. Alex first visited in 2011, then again two years later. Will her third try finally see success for Joe?
In 2009, when Alex Polizzi first visited the Norfolk hotel, the owner was relying on his bustling bar to keep him afloat and neglecting his, often empty, rooms. Last in the series.
