Brit List 2017 Hoteliers Profiles

1000 640 Daniel Fountain
  • 0

In the coming weeks, Hotel Designs will be profiling the 50 finalists in the HD Brit List 2017 – this week, we continue with five more of the top 25 hoteliers…

GERALDINE MILSOM – MILSOM HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS GROUP
The history of the Milsom group can be traced back almost seven decades, which has seen the group grow into one of the premium providers of accommodation and restaurant experiences in the Essex and Suffolk area. Geraldine and Paul Milsom opened Milsoms in 2001, and having undergone a refurbishment in 2015, the property has gone from strength to strength.

As someone who could appear in either side of the Brit List, the design of the refurbishment was led by Geraldine herself, which ensured the history and aesthetics of the building were retained, all while injecting a vibrant look for the future of the property.

MARIO OVSENJAK – HOTEL GOTHAM
Mario Ovsenjak arrived at Hotel Gotham in 2016 and has led the property from strength-to-strength ever since. The property has quickly established itself as one of the most buzzed-about hotels in the UK under his stewardship. Having worked extensively across the Bespoke Hotels portfolio, he boasts experience leading teams at a range of fine country house properties, including The Lambert Arms in Oxfordshire, Shaftesbury’s Grosvenor Arms, as well as the Prince Regent Hotel.

Prior to this, he held positions at several London establishments, including the Corus Hyde Park Hotel, The Royal Trafalgar and Piccadilly Hotels, as well as the Colonnade and Hotel Xenia.

MAILO POWER – THE ATHENAEUM HOUSE HOTEL
Mailo PowerThe owner of Athenaeum House Hotel in Waterford, Mailo has the Irish hospitality industry very close to her heart. The Athenaeum came about as a marriage of both hotel management and interior design, with Mailo’s background being in the latter across many hospitality and leisure projects.

Together with her husband Stan, himself an accomplished hotelier, Mailo has turned this Georgian gem into one of the best hospitality offerings in Waterford and the south-east of Ireland all whilst capturing the essence, heritage and history of Ireland. Mailo’s infectious passion for the hotel industry is clear to all those who meet her.

BHARAT RAI – GRANGE TOWER BRIDGE HOTEL
Bharat has more than 10 years’ professional experience within the hospitality industry with skills across a whole host of aspects of the industry, including strategic planning, Bharat Raimarketing, and sales initiatives, financial planning and analysis.

At the Grange Tower Bridge, he heads up a team of up to 250 employees and has consistently achieved against all expectations, surpassing KPI projections for revenue and guest services, and under his stewardship the hotel has become synonymous with affordable five-star luxury in the heart of the capital.

ADOLF SCHAUER – THE LANDMARK HOTEL
Adolf SchauerAdolf’s career in hospitality has taken in various aspects of the industry, from an early career in the kitchen, to financial controller to hotel manager – in both Germany and the UK. In January 2015, Adolf was appointed hotel manager at The Landmark London (having previously served as financial controller) and since, he has been responsible for the day-to-day management of the hotel and its staff, focusing on continually improving the guest experience.

His long and celebrated history in both the front-of-house operations and the financial aspect of hospitality means he has been the perfect appointment for this iconic London property and its continued place at the top table of the capital’s properties.

Daniel Fountain / 14.08.2017

Editor, Hotel Designs

Share

  • 0

You might also like

Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.