Lamington Group appoints sales consultant and new openings manager 

Room2, part of the UK’s Lamington Group, has announced the appointment of Michelle Davis as sales consultant and Michelle Thomas as new openings manager for its latest site, room2 Belfast. 

Set to open on 16 October 2023, the opening will be the latest hometel in the brand’s portfolio, and the first outside of England. 

Davis has 18 years of experience in the hospitality and tourism industry, and is described as a “highly skilled” sales and marketing leader, having worked as a consultant for a variety of brands. 

Specialising in areas including business development, social media marketing and content creation, Davis is said to be “passionate about driving new business and organic content through carefully considered strategies”. 

After graduating with a bachelor’s and master’s degrees both in Marketing from the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, Davis went on to work in hotel sales in various hotels in Northern Ireland and, most notably, worked as sales manager for over a decade at Ramada Encore in Belfast. 

During the pandemic, she took up a role in digital marketing, and it was during this time that she became well-known in Belfast for her knowledge of the hospitality industry, when she created the blog ‘Staycations NI’. 

Since then, Davis has established herself as a freelance sales and marketing consultant, leading strategy planning sessions and social media masterclasses for accommodation providers as well as offering sales training to local hotels and mentoring to small businesses.

Meanwhile, Thomas was previously general manager for five years at Room2 Southampton. Lamington Group said she was promoted “due to her dedication and impeccable results in Southampton”. 

The group described Thomas as a “commercial, dynamic and seasoned hospitality professional” with proven leadership skills and management experience, including overseeing revenue matters, guest satisfaction, and effective project implementations as well as overseeing the performance of all hotel departments.

She has 15 years of experience in various hospitality roles including those in front of house, reservations, meetings and events departments. 

In her new role, she will be responsible for managing the pre-opening processes for all new Room2 hometel openings, including Room2 Belfast, working on operational and supplier partnerships, hiring, training and developing teams that deliver positive customer experiences, building brand engagement in local areas, and more.

Robert Godwin, MD of Lamington Group, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Michelle Davis to the team and see Michelle Thomas progress in her role at Lamington Group to work on this exciting project, representing our brand’s commitment to sustainability and our values of People, Planet and Places. 

“They will be leading the opening and operations of Room2 Belfast and are expertly positioned through their excellent knowledge and local reputations to deliver our unique hometel experience where we invite every guest to feel at home. With their strong connections in the city and passionate approach to hospitality, the hometel is set to become a hub for the community, supporting both local talent and businesses.”