Wyboston Lakes Hotel completes “deluxe” bedroom refurbishment

 The final phase of the £1million bedroom refurbishment project at Wyboston Lakes hotel is now complete and guests will now be occupying the brand new Deluxe Oceania bedrooms.

“The final phase of bedroom refurbishment has been especially exciting as the Deluxe Oceania rooms offer an added level of luxury with the new amenities and mini bars. It was important to us that these rooms continued to compliment the overall leisure and spa experiences available to guests whilst delivering an indulgent and unique feel. We have continued to work with the best designers and contractors on this project and feel the results we’ve achieved will continue to improve the guest experience” - Mark Haynes, Director of Property.

Continuing the already successful partnership with Butterscotch Designs, the new Oceania rooms offer a luxurious and stylish space for guests to relax. These include super king size beds with Hungarian down-topped mattresses, a new pillow menu, 50inch smart flat screen televisions, Espresso coffee machine and Canton tea stations and in-room mini bars with fresh milk and various alcoholic and soft drinks. The en-suite shower rooms feature LED rainfall showers, luxury toiletries and illuminated make-up stations.

Guests staying in the new Deluxe Oceania rooms will also benefit from evening turn down service and complimentary hire of GHD hair straighteners, Xbox game stations and DVD players on request.

The new bedroom designs stem from 138 guest reviews on a number of sample bedrooms created in 2015. From this essential feedback, Wyboston Lakes has once again worked to ensure guests will continue to receive the best experience when staying at the hotel.

Wyboston Lakes takes pride in being an independent eco-friendly company, donating much of the existing soft furnishings and loose furniture to the Emmaus Cambridge Charity as part of the refurbishment programme. 

The exceptionally popular in-room technology and guest services platform, Crave, will continue to be available in all hotel rooms via tablets with software created exclusively for Wyboston Lakes. Guests can view menus, order room service, book spa treatments and access local information from the comfort of their own rooms. 

This has been an incredibly exciting project for Wyboston Lakes and the team looks forward to guests enjoying the new Deluxe Oceania rooms.

Wyboston Lakes appoints Operations Director

Wyboston Lakes are delighted to announce the appointment of Steve Jones as Operations Director for this £multi-million family business. Steve joins with a brief to further improve the Hospitality skills, operational efficiency and guest care - thereby delivering an even more secure future for this largest of independent specialists.

With over 24 years in hospitality, Steve’s career has followed consistent early promotion and four general management roles in his earlier career.  He was instrumental in creating the enormous success of Four Pillars Hotels through nine years rising to be the Board Director responsible for operations across all 6 properties with over 900 bedrooms. Most recently he has been the General Manager of the prestigious 414 bedroom Beaumont Estate following the purchase of Four Pillars, PH Hotels and De Vere Venues by Starwood Capital.

“Wyboston Lakes is a family business with a 50 year history and a long-term view of the Hospitality industry and the team that makes our success possible. Steve Jones joins us as Operations Director because he embodies all the Values and Principles that are at the core of our business and is hungry for further success and the opportunity to bring his ideas and wide experience to bear on our future.” Mark Jones, Managing Director.

Wyboston Lakes’ employee shortlisted in this year's MiaList Awards 2015

Davide Graziano, HR and Training Co-ordinator at Wyboston Lakes has been shortlisted in this year’s MiaList 2015, after being nominated by his Director of HR.

“Davide has only been here seven months and has already shown great dedication and support to his colleagues. He truly cares about the efficiency of the team and is always willing to go the extra mile. It is a fabulous achievement for Davide to have reached the shortlist.” Heidi Pegrum, Director of HR at Wyboston Lakes.

The miaList Awards recognise the individuals who inspire those around them, to go above and beyond the call of duty and have a positive impact on the business, and Davide embraces all of those qualities.

The miaList was created to celebrate the amazing industry individuals who are prepared to go that extra mile to ensure that their venue, service or product is nothing short of excellent.

Wyboston Lakes is very proud of Davide’s journey so far and wishes him the best of luck in the awards.

The judging lunch is on Wednesday 15 July and the winners will be announced at a celebratory lunch on Monday 28 September 2015, Park Plaza Riverbank, London

Wyboston Lakes suits the business traveller...

At Wyboston Lakes our approach to business travellers has changed dramatically over the years, it’s no longer a simple corporate approach. With rapidly changing global economic realities and a more technology driven world the needs of the individual business travellers have altered significantly. Business travellers increasingly expect combining their business trips with an extensive array of leisure facilities. Whether it be a round of golf, working out in a health club or simply that glass of wine in a relaxing environment; business now definitely mixes with pleasure.

Wyboston Lakes located between Cambridge and Milton Keynes has established a leading position as a provider of specialist facilities for the full spectrum of residential and non-residential events, as well as a quality offering in the serviced office sector. In a recent survey*, over 60 percent of travel managers said the right location was the number one factor in picking a hotel. With a 38 minute rail journey to London, 45 minutes to Luton airport and 1 hour to Stansted, Wyboston Lakes sits in a prime location for the business traveller.

Location combined with strong leisure facilities ensures the business traveller has everything they need to be comfortable in one place. The Waterfront restaurant and bar caters for all tastes and offers any business person that comfort away from home. Further leisure facilities onsite include an 18 hole golf course, a health and leisure club and the award winning spa located within the hotel. Local amenities include a multiplex cinema and 16 lane bowling alley- making Wyboston Lakes the ideal hotel both for location and leisure for the average business traveller.

The most significant shift in the business traveller’s requirements is the need for decent technology - Wi-Fi is expected when staying at a hotel. 44% of hotels in Europe offer a connection that is deemed to be poor (connection speed of less than 2mbs), and over one third of these hotels still charge for the service. We believe the business traveller should expect more from the places they stay. Wyboston Lakes offers free Wi-Fi at a rapid 200mbps over the entire complex, allowing all business travellers to use all their devices comfortably during their stay. We believe the business traveller should expect more from their stay away from home and when choosing their next stop over should assess the facts from the flannel, there is no excuse for poor connections today.

Wyboston Lakes is leading the revolution on Free Fast Wifi connections to all guests and is ready to welcome the modern road warrior!

*National Business Travel Association and Best Western International.

Wyboston Lakes Appoints New Commercial Director

Karen Evans has been appointed to a new role of Commercial Director at Wyboston Lakes, the UK’s largest privately owned single site specialist conference and training centre.  She took up her position on 22nd September.

For the past eight years Karen has been Vice President, Business Development EMEA for BCD M&I.  Previous to this role, Karen spent 16 years in the travel and events industry and brings with her a real understanding of venues from the client and agency world. 

Karen’s new role carries commercial responsibility for the entire company managing a team of 15, and will encompass the day to day sales function optimising all sales opportunities, business development and leading the team whilst representing the company’s Values and Principles.  

Karen said: “I am delighted to join Wyboston Lakes as Commercial Director.  My experience in this industry will allow me to develop further the excellent facilities and flexibility Wyboston Lakes offers all its customers.  It is truly a unique complex”.

Mark Jones, Managing Director added: “We warmly welcome Karen into the Company. Karen’s attitude, professionalism, integrity and energy are entirely in keeping with the way in which we achieve success. I have the good fortune to have great colleagues - and Karen will inspire total confidence in our customers for what Wyboston Lakes can deliver.”   

Wyboston Lakes recently completed a £5 million facility investment and offers sector leading IT infrastructure across its two speciality conference venues.  High-involvement leisure dimensions for corporate away-days and team-building events are available on site together with serviced offices, branded spaces, a hotel with a luxurious spa and an 18 hole golf course.

For more information call 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

Wyboston Lakes achieve AIM Gold accreditation

Wyboston Lakes, northern Europe's largest privately owned single site conference and training centre, has had both of its conference and training venues, The Executive Centre and Training Centre, awarded the Gold Accreditation In Meetings (AIM) standard by the Meetings Industry Association (mia).  

The accreditation is awarded for its first class facilities and high levels of service that are reflected throughout the meeting and conference experience. 

To achieve the AIM Gold standard a venue must demonstrate that it has attained continuous, exceptional standards against the most stringent quality assurance criteria, including rigorous assessments focusing on a venue’s facilities; service and processes, compliance with codes of conduct and corporate social responsibility.

Receiving the accreditation, Wyboston Lakes’ managing director, Mark Jones commented: “To be awarded AIM Gold is a significant achievement for any meeting and events venue. It demonstrates, from the outset, that our business proposition, facilities and service are exceptional, we are very proud of this recognition.”

Jane Longhurst, mia’s chief executive, says: “Wyboston Lakes AIM Gold Accreditation sends out a very clear message to meetings and events buyers/planners about their commitment to delivering a high quality product, professionalism throughout every event and integrity. Equally, the venue has secured itself an advantage within their competitors.”

AIM is the UK’s only nationally recognised standard for accredited venues and service providers in the meetings, conferences and events industry. There are around 500 accredited venues and suppliers at entry level of the scheme and 29 are at the Gold standard. 

AIM is endorsed by Visit Britain, Visit Wales, Meet England, ABPCO, MPI and HBAA. 

For more information call 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

Wyboston Lakes launches Thrill Park Dimensions for Corporate Events

Specialist conference and training venue Wyboston Lakes is set to boost the scope it offers for team building and corporate away-days by launching a comprehensive portfolio of contemporary ‘thrill park’ activities.  It makes the most of the venue’s customised water sports lakes and the off-road driving opportunities provided by its 365 acre rural site.

The venue is partnering with specialist provider Ride Leisure, a highly experienced and skilled planner of outdoor corporate events and team building days. Options available to corporate clients include water-based pursuits such as wakeboarding, water-skiing, banana boating, jet skiing – including stand-up ‘SuperJet’ boats - and Zego, the latest powerboat-based activity from New Zealand. On land, delegates can drive on an extensive 4 x 4 off-road course or ride quad bikes. Hovercraft trips on land and water are also available.  The new range of activities complements established options, which include egg catapulting, bungee running, raft building, laser clay pigeon shoots and archery. 

“The demands of team building and away-day clients are changing: companies are looking for more activities that excite, engage and inspire participants,” explains Mark Jones, managing director of Wyboston Lakes: “We are therefore fulfilling the massive potential of our site with what we believe is an unparalleled suite of exhilarating experiences.”

The venue’s experience shows that corporate team building events are not restricted to large organisations, with many small and medium sized firms recognising the value of staff away-days. All group sizes can be accommodated for multi-activity days or specific team building days. The venue will be offering carefully designed corporate packages with activities and refreshments.

As the UK’s largest privately-owned single site specialist conference venue, Wyboston Lakes is already an established base for team building events across many business sectors, for companies of all sizes.  It offers an ideal environment in terms of purpose-built facilities, focus and privacy. Whether activities are based within one of its two completely self-contained centres or outdoors, delegates are never distracted by transient visitors. Residential, dining and relaxation facilities are close at hand, ensuring that camaraderie and mutual support are optimised and the focus remains sharp throughout the period of the event. 

 “Where away-days combine  formal briefings or training, we are able to offer an outstanding combination of dedicated facilities and thrilling, engaging activities – all close at hand on the same private site,” concluded Mark Jones. 

For more information please call us on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

WYBOSTON LAKES RATED ‘OUTSTANDING’ IN SUNDAY TIMES ‘BEST COMPANIES’ SURVEY

Conference, training and leisure venue Wyboston Lakes has achieved a two out of a possible three-star rating in the prestigious Sunday Times ‘Best Companies’ accreditation standard. The two-star status, awarded on the basis of employee feedback, means that the venue is considered an ‘outstanding’ employer in terms of the way it engages with its staff.

The independent ‘Best Companies’ accreditation is regarded as among the UK’s most reliable and thorough processes for assessing the merits of organisations from all sectors in terms of the way they encourage, motivate and generally engage with their employees. The surveys are carried out by means of questionnaires and interviews seeking responses from staff on a range of issues: at Wyboston Lakes, the survey took place in September last year, and gave the opportunity to comment to the venue’s 290-strong workforce.

“Our team is our business - the rest is bricks and mortar. We live or die by the positive experiences we give to our customers - be they with us for training, a conference, a hotel stay, golf or to use our fabulous Y Spa. This is a real highlight for us in so many ways,” said Mark Jones, managing director of Wyboston Lakes: “To achieve such a high rating in these world-renowned awards is a source of enormous pride throughout the organisation.”

Feedback is rated according to a Best Companies Index (BCI) score on a scale of 1 to 1000. Michelin-style star ratings are then determined from that score, with one star acknowledged as ‘very good’, two stars as ‘outstanding’ and three stars as ‘extraordinary’.

Wyboston Lakes is now waiting to hear whether it will be chosen as one of the Sunday Times ‘100 Best Companies to work for’. The successful companies will be announced at an awards dinner, which takes place at Battersea Evolution in London on Thursday 27 February.

For more information please call 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

Two Renowned Centre Directors Join the Conference Centres of Excellence Board

Conference Centres of Excellence, the UK's only marketing consortium to represent specialist, quality conference and training centres in the UK has appointed two new Centre Directors to its board.

Joining the ten-strong board are Stewart Elsmore, Director of Residential Services at Cranfield University, and Steve Crawford, Centre Director for College Court Conference Centre, Leicester.

Conference Centre of Excellence now has 32 members nationwide, including many of the country’s best known specialist conference and training venues, covering a geographical area extending from the South Coast of England to Scotland. Before joining, venues have to meet our stringent criteria in terms of quality, facilities, accommodation and customer care. 

Stewart Elsmore

Stewart Elsmore

Stewart Elsmore, Centre Director of Residential Services at Cranfield University, a world leading and distinctive, wholly postgraduate University, spent ten years in hotel general management, before he moved into the conference centre sector in 1989 and joined Cranfield Management Development Centre, one of the first purpose built centres in the UK.

Stewart’s role has included Director of IT & Data Services and Interim Director of Careers in Cranfield School of Management.

In 2010 Stewart became Director of Residential Services at Cranfield University a role which includes all student and delegate accommodation, a range of lecture rooms and food outlets.

Stewart has long been a supporter of the Conference Centres of Excellence marketing consortium and has widely participated in various roles as Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Chair of Communications and the Membership Committee.  

Commenting on his appointment, Stewart said “I am delighted to be re-joining the Conference Centres of Excellence board, which is so completely focussed within its venues on high quality and customer service.”

Steve Crawford

Steve Crawford, Centre Director for College Court Conference Centre, has focussed on working in commercial areas within University environments, the majority of which has been in professional conference centres.

Steve’s previous roles have included posts at the University of Warwick (Warwick Conferences) and Centre Director at Missenden Abbey, prior to setting up the new 123 bedroom College Court Conference Centre in Leicester which opened on 1st October 2013.

As the first Director for this new conference venue, Steve has sympathetically reinstated a Grade II listed building, creating 55 jobs, bringing new business to the city of Leicester, supporting local suppliers and indeed the University’s strategic aims as all profits generated by College Court are gift aided back to the University.

Steve is also no stranger to the Conference Centres of Excellence board, having previously served for 8 years, two of which were as Chairman. 

Commenting on his appointment, Steve said “It’s great to be back and involved with Conference Centres of Excellence again; I hope to play a major part in the future direction of the consortium and offer support to members where it’s needed”.

The majority of CCE’s members are independent operators, all of whom benefit from the Consortium’s marketing support and central sales function.

 “We are delighted to have both Steve and Stewart join us again on the board, and welcome their experience and breadth of knowledge at a time when renewed business confidence is becoming evident. As a group our aim is to continue to grow our membership footprint and we have complete confidence that our service remains invaluable in promoting the benefits of independent, specialist venues.” commented Anthony Lishman, Executive Director of Conference Centres of Excellence.

Cranfield refurbishment due for completion April 2013

Cranfield Management Development Centre has an established reputation as a Hotel and Conference Centre for those who expect more. 

Service and quality is defined in everything that we do and our recent Bedroom refurbishment programme is no different. Our design team has created a seamless series of bedroom themes throughout our recent refurbishment seeing all our 186 en suite bedrooms redesigned and refitted with the last phase due for completion in April 2013. 

We understand the value of a good night’s sleep and the ambiance of all our bedrooms is comfort and simplicity, clean and classic lines with a European twist, leaving our guests well rested and ready for the day ahead. Mindful of the requirements of the modern business traveler, all our rooms have complimentary wi-fi access, large well lit desk space, complimentary onsite secure parking and our 24 hour reception teams meaning someone is always at hand for assistance.

Because we know our guests all relax in different ways, take advantage of the swimming pool and exercise room exclusively for the use of our guests or unwind with colleagues in the bar lounge before eating dinner in our restaurant. If the weather is good take a bar meal out into the garden and watch the sun come down on another successful day. 

CMDC is conveniently located in mid Bedfordshire, a few miles from junctions 13 and 14 of the M1, mid-way between two London main line stations Milton Keynes and Bedford and within easy driving distance of four International Airports. We even have an airport onsite suitable for private aeroplanes and helicopters.