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Solent Hotel and Spa in Fareham – part of the Thwaites hospitality group – has appointed a new general manager to head up the hotel’s overall operation.
Jeremy Pardey joins the team with 38 years of experience across the leisure and hospitality sector, including across all three sites for the holiday resort operator, Butlin’s – where he oversaw a £100m investment including the construction of its waterpark and pool facilities.
As general manager, Pardey will oversee the daily operations of Solent Hotel and Spa, as well as the Lodge at Solent and Parsons Collar – which is an additional accommodation offering and a pub complementary to the main hotel and spa.
The group said he will be responsible for ensuring “exceptional guest experience at every touchpoint”, and that he’ll play a key role in rolling out “exciting new initiatives, offers and events”. His management will span across the two properties comprising 171 bedrooms, a business centre, open-grill restaurant experience named FYR Grill, and its spa.
Pardey said: “This is a really exciting move for me. The property has an outstanding reputation for delivering memorable, quality stays, and I’m looking forward to working with the team to continue to build on that.
“After a couple of years off, I was at a point in my career where I was looking for a role that would allow me to lead on quality… which is where Thwaites came in. My opinions and expertise aligned perfectly with those of Thwaites, and we share the same mission and culture: quality, warm hospitality, innovation, and an elevated guest experience. I’m excited to bed in, learn loads, and bolster an already existing fantastic offering.”
The appointment comes after Solent Hotel and Spa saw a complete refurbishment of its pool hall last year. After a six-figure renovation and three months closure for the works to complete, the space now boasts a brand-new pool area, as well as a salt sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and storm shower.
Rick Bailey, executive chairman of Thwaites, added: “We’re big on investment here at Thwaites, and while that can sometimes look like million-pound investments and the purchasing of new properties, investment for us also means in our team.
“We’re really pleased to have Jeremy on board – he has a wealth of experience behind him and has slotted in perfectly with our values at Thwaites. We’re excited to see what the future of Solent Hotel and Spa looks like with him at the helm.”
Thwaites has also confirmed the development of a scheme to invest a further £1.2m into Solent Hotel and Spa’s bedrooms; a move which is intended to elevate the existing offering. Details on this are set to be revealed in the coming months.
