Founded over 60 years ago, Hastings Hotels is Northern Ireland’s foremost hotel group, offering six distinctive properties located across the country. James McGinn, managing director of Hastings Hotels, talks to Hospitality Ireland about his life and career so far, and new developments within the group.
This article was originally published in the Autumn 2024 issue of Hospitality Ireland Magazine, in October of 2024.
Please tell me a little bit about your own background – where you grew up and studied.
I’m from Killyclogher, a small village in Co. Tyrone, in Northern Ireland.
During my teenage years, I worked in hospitality. My uncle was the general manager of the Knock Na Moe Castle Hotel, on the outskirts of the village, and from about the age of 15, I worked there – first as a waiter, and then as a bartender.
I graduated in 1988, from Queen’s University Belfast, and moved to London to work, before returning to Omagh in 1990, to work as food-and- beverage manager in my family’s business, the Woodlander. Upon returning to Northern Ireland, I re- entered the educational system, gaining a postgraduate certificate in hotel and catering, followed by an MSc in hotel and international tourism management from the University of Ulster.
In 1993, I went to Washington, DC, to work as food-and-beverage manager for the Hilton Hotel, before returning to Northern Ireland in 1996, when I began my career with Hastings Hotels at the Europa Hotel. Twenty-eight years later, I still enjoy my career with Hastings.
What first drew you to hospitality?
I come from a family with a great work ethic, and from the moment I started working at the Knock Na Moe Castle Hotel, I knew that hospitality was ingrained in me. I loved the buzz, the atmosphere, and the connection with other people. It is where I first learned my people skills, and I knew early on that it was the start of a special career for me. It allowed my confidence and personality to grow and develop.
When did you first realise that you wanted to do this professionally?
Working in bars and hotels throughout my youth gave me a great taste of what I could achieve. After graduating from university, I moved to London in the late eighties and initially tried to follow the academic career route and started my training as an accountant. However, I quickly realised that it was just not the working environment that left me feeling any way engaged. After a few exams, I left the practice.
I swapped my accounts and ledgers for food and beverage, working for an American-style restaurant in Ealing, London. There I experienced the pressure and adrenaline of a fast- moving-goods environment where you had to stay sharp – it never stopped. It was a fantastic learning experience.
I then returned home, and my father built and opened an American-style roadhouse, complete with bars, a restaurant, a shop and filling station – the whole gambit was covered. I was involved in this with family members for a few years before moving to America.
It was here that I got a real insight into tourism and hospitality, from a managerial perspective. I could see the amazing potential of a career in hospitality, even from the early 1990s – and to have been involved in this great industry in the years since has been one of my greatest pleasures.
Please tell us about your move to group managing director after being general manager of the Europa for 20 years.
I joined Hastings Hotels as quality development manager of the Europa Hotel in 1996, and I then held general- manager positions at the Stormont Hotel, the Culloden Estate & Spa, and the Europa Hotel, where I was at the helm for over two decades.
In 2018, I was appointed director of hotels, which included joining the group’s board of directors. That was a memorable year, as we opened the five-star Grand Central Hotel in Belfast. I was still general manager of the Europa Hotel at the time, but I’m proud to have helped Howard Hastings oversee the vision and construction of what is now Northern Ireland’s largest hotel.
In late 2021, I was appointed Hastings Hotels’ managing director. It was an absolute honour to have been asked by the Hastings family to lead the company. It also reflects the opportunities we provide to our employees as a group. We are committed to fostering talent and helping everyone reach their full potential. Moreover, many of our properties’ most senior positions are held by individuals who have been home-grown and are still growing with the company.
Please tell us about the recent Hastings Hotels rebrand.
We recently unveiled a complete rebrand across Hastings Hotels, from group identity through to distinct visual identities for each of our six hotels, which we worked on with Belfast-based creative agency the Collective.
A brand can’t change overnight. In our hotels, we pride ourselves on attention to detail, and the rebranding has been given the same attention. It took us two years to create, but we’re very pleased with the new look right across the board. When you factor in all the touch points and places you see a hotel’s logo or branding within the building, online, and in print, it adds up to a comprehensive list, especially when you are doing it for six hotels.
The rebrand allows us to be more creative in our approach, with visually striking patterns and rich, bold colour palettes in both in the branding and hotel interiors. We’ve also given each of the six hotels its own personality and tone of voice, as we recognised that each property serves a different audience. That said, our endorser brand, Hastings Hotels, ties everything together, including our two five-star properties, the Grand Central and Culloden, our two neighbourhood hotels, the Stormont and Everglades, and our two destination hotels, the Europa and Ballygally Castle.
I’m pleased to say that, already, the feedback from our guests and our staff has been very positive.
Please tell us about the renovation projects across the Europa, Culloden and Everglades hotels.
The world-famous Europa Hotel, in Belfast, has recently completed a four-year renewal project, following a £15 million investment. The five-star Culloden Estate & Spa, overlooking Belfast Lough, has received an £800,000 investment, and the Everglades Hotel, in Derry- Londonderry, completed a £100,000 renovation programme. Ballygally Castle and the Stormont Hotel have also continued upgrading fixtures and fittings, while the Grand Central Hotel has already had a few enhancements. The work and investment are an ongoing cycle.
Please tell us about the recent changes/developments at Ballygally.
Last year, we completed a £160,000 investment programme of Ballygally Castle, our beautiful property on the stunning Causeway Coastal Route. This included the renovation of Shaw’s Lounge, the addition of a new Seaview Suite, installing Ulster Carpets throughout the hotel, and upgrading the windows in the bedrooms and lounge areas, to maximise the stunning panoramic views. New lounge furniture was also added, and we recently replaced the elevator in the hotel, which was quite the challenge!
We’ve also launched a selection of unique aquatic experiences, including Sauna by the Sea, designed to encourage guests to embrace the brisk Irish shore. Perfect for autumn and winter stays, this package offers an icy dip in the waters of the Antrim coast, followed by a sauna on the beachfront, courtesy of local company Scenic Sauna. The package includes dry robes, slippers, and a thermos filled with a comforting warm beverage, either enjoyed fireside, back at the hotel, or on the beach. Guests also have access to ESPA products for a hot shower and a full Irish breakfast – for those brave enough to take an early-morning dip.
Who are the customers who you feel will be attracted by these, and what do the additions bring to Ballygally?
We hope these experiences will appeal to the growing number of guests interested in cold-water swimming and wellness retreats.
The health benefits of open-water swimming, or cold-water immersion, are now well known and considered a good way to calm the nervous system and drive individuals to test their limits. The contrast between cold-water immersion followed by the heat of a sauna stimulates blood flow, detoxifies the body, and improves circulation.
Cold-water swimming has grown hugely in popularity over the last couple of years, and we hope that more guests will be encouraged to take advantage of Ballygally Castle’s location and enjoy a morning on the shores of the Causeway coastline.
Please tell us how Hastings competes in an ever-competitive sector.
At Hastings Hotels, we strive to lead the way in hospitality. Our guests are at the heart of everything we do, and we focus on delivering a world-class experience throughout our six hotels. We are proud of our properties and of our people, and we invest heavily in both. We are committed to the development of our talented teams, to ensure they can progress their own careers while enabling us to provide the very best experience for our guests. We can build beautiful properties, but our colleagues create the experience, and people are buying experiences.
We’ve won countless awards for our excellence in customer service. The Grand Central and Europa received Merit Awards at the CIE Tours International Awards of Excellence, achieving customer satisfaction ratings of over 92%, based on post-stay feedback from 25,000 customers.
The Culloden Estate was crowned Northern Ireland’s Best Hotel Spa at the World Spa Awards, which aim to celebrate and reward excellence in spa- and-wellness tourism and inspire exceptional standards, and the Grand Central was named Hotel of the Year at the 2023 Ulster Tatler Awards, based on a public vote.
What makes a great hotel?
Luxurious facilities that are spotless and meticulous, great food and drink, amazing, exceptional people, and an authentic service – the complete experience.
For me, exceptional customer service is the foundation of a great hotel. It is part of our core values, and I’m proud of our teams, who go over and above at every point of the guest experience. From being welcomed by our concierge, checking in at reception, to our housekeepers, who meticulously look after the rooms, our culinary teams and kitchen stewards, who prepare and serve the most delectable dishes from our locally sourced menus, and our bar staff, every customer point ensures exceptional customer service.
This is what we strive for consistently. Do we always get it right? We all know the answer to that. What is important is that when we don’t, we do endeavour to put it right.
What we earnestly aim for is hospitality that understands how to make people feel both comfortable and special alongside a luxury that is understated, plus hospitality that reflects the people and spirit of Northern Ireland.
What are the changing trends in hospitality – people’s expectations, new elements, etc.?
Hospitality is one of the world’s fastest- paced and ever-changing industries. People’s expectations have never been higher – and rightly so. It’s great to see so much choice across the industry. The options for accommodation, food, beverage, and meeting spaces have left consumers spoilt for choice.
Sustainability has become a growing expectation among hotel guests around the world. At Hastings Hotels, we’ve embraced this shift, implementing eco- friendly and sustainable practices across our properties. The Hastings Hotels sustainability policy, Go Green, details our commitment to environmental responsibility and the actions we’re taking.
Three of our hotels – the Grand Central Hotel, Europa Hotel and Stormont Hotel – hold silver awards from Green Tourism, in recognition of the work and extensive sustainability policies that have been implemented. The Europa Hotel also holds a silver accreditation from Green Meetings.
We also recognise the importance of cultivating careers in hospitality. With the appointment of our group head of people and culture and well-being manager, we are fostering a workplace culture that values personal growth and well-being.
What are the major challenges at the moment?
Like all businesses, the industry continues to face challenges, including rising operating costs and the impact of Brexit.
Our capital investments are only part of the solution, while our investment in our people is our single-greatest one. We engage in training and development, managing talent, and, in turn, developing the skills and abilities to improve our output.
Finding skilled talent remains a significant challenge, however, our people are top of our agenda, and we will continue to develop our well-being programmes and our training and development.
What are the main opportunities?
The tourism industry across the island of Ireland continues to go from strength to strength. We are optimistic for the future and are embracing the opportunities. Our recent rebrand, continued renovation programmes across our hotels and talent cultivation programmes mean that we are well placed for continued growth.
We see growing travel markets from Asia, Europe and Australia. We have experienced the strong return of the touring market, especially from the North American market. Domestic tourism remains high, and we will continue encouraging more from the island of Ireland to travel north.
As Northern Ireland continues to attract those interested in film and music tourism, we also hope to build on both.
What do you do when you’re not working?
I like to travel. I take a few short European trips each year, and a longer sun trip. I need that for pure relaxation.
I spend quite a bit of time with my family in Killyclogher. My mother and siblings all reside there, and there are plenty of them to visit.
I most enjoy spending time with my partner and friends, travelling, dining, and doing the simple things that mean the most.
Any other plans on the horizon for the next year or so?
Next year, we will have completed a significant portion of our major capital investments. My goal will be to consolidate on that progress while staying agile and responsive to any new requirements that inevitably arise.
With our hotels in great shape, my primary focus will shift to collaborating with the group’s senior leadership team to clearly define our goals for the upcoming year. We will establish a clear plan of action to achieve these objectives and move towards our next phase of growth.
Additionally, I plan to concentrate on our food and beverage offerings, to ensure we remain fresh and competitive.
Finally, I will continue working closely with the general managers to ensure our product offerings are aligned with market needs, while constantly reviewing and improving service levels. This will include identifying training needs as they arise. That should keep me busy!
