Eden Hotel Collection gives staff cost of living pay rise of up to 14%

A boutique hotel group in the UK has given employees a pay rise of up to 14% in response to the rising cost-of-living crisis and recruitment challenges.

The Eden Hotel Collection has announced the second of two rises within the space of six months, which it said amounts to “the most significant increases to staff pay it has ever given” which has boosted pay for more than 350 staff across the country and has also been weighted to support those at the lower end of the pay scale.

The company – which has hotels in Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Devon – said the increases have been made to recognise rising cost-of-living as inflation in the UK hit the highest level for 40 years, and to help keep pay competitive at a time of national recruitment difficulties within the hospitality sector.

The Eden Collection also revealed a new Employee Wellbeing Strategy set to be launched in August which will include information sessions as well as a very broad focus on employee brand and experience for its staff, with the first focused on financial wellbeing to support on cost-of-living challenges.

Group managing director Mark Chambers said: “As an industry we’ve all been through an immense pressure in the past couple of years but as we now emerge out of the pandemic, rising cost-of-living is unfortunately placing a new burden on our workforce.

“Our staff are at the foundation of everything we do and we therefore felt it important to offer a competitive pay which recognises the rising cost-of-living and impact on daily life – from petrol to energy and food prices – as well as looking at what initiatives we can offer to support our staff.”

The boutique Eden Hotel group includes The Arden Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon, The Greenway Hotel and Spa in Cheltenham, Brockencote Hall Hotel in Kidderminster, Mallory Court Hotel and Spa in Leamington, and Bovey Castle in Devon.