The Red Carnation Hotel Collection
Red Carnation Hotels in a boutique hotel collection with a vision for service excellence and a passion for generous hospitality. Today, the Collection proudly stands at 17 exceptional properties around the world, each unique and special, whilst sharing the founding values.
Years awarded: 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Region: London
Size: 1000+ employees
Sector: Hospitality
Delivering a talent pipeline for management roles
Theme: Talent pipeline / Career pathways
Topics: Bespoke training; In-house; Work experience, interns and graduates
Red Carnation Hotels’ Management Programme has built a sustainable leadership pipeline while supporting recruitment, retention and progression across the business. Since 2003, 394 employees have completed the programme, with 21 achieving promotion since 2023. The initiative has reduced external recruitment costs, strengthened operational performance and contributed to an average employee tenure of 5.27 years, significantly above the hospitality sector average.
Creating competent managers through high quality training
Theme: Leadership and Management; Onboarding; Talent pipeline / Career pathways
Topics: In-house
This collection of family-run hotels achieved an Award in 2017 and went on to gain a revalidation in 2020. Since then it has further developed its Graduate Management programme with 53 participants commencing the training in the past 3 years. Recruitment processes onto the programme have been adapted to focus on resilience and adaptability and all participants from the 2020/21 cohort have been promoted with some former participants now in senior management roles in flagship hotels.
Lives and breathes learning
Theme: Leadership and Management; Onboarding; Talent pipeline / Career pathways
Topics: In-house
This collection of family-run hotels uses its Graduate Management programme to attract, train and retain exceptional graduate talent. Running for 18 years, the programme successfully provides a succession pipeline into management roles which has enabled recruitment savings of over £100,000 and staff turnover costs that are lower than industry averages.
Establishing talent pipeline
Theme: Leadership and Management; Onboarding; Talent pipeline / Career pathways
Topics: In-house
This hotel collection established a Graduate Recruitment Programme to address the challenge of recruiting junior managers. The development programme has produced a talent pipeline to fill management roles, reduced external recruitment costs to zero and has reduced staff turnover from 80% in 2008 to 28% in 2016.
News and case studies featuring The Red Carnation Hotel Collection:
Meet the 2026 Princess Royal Training Award recipients: from stained glass restorers to prison mentors
Every year are genuinely moved by what we read in the Princess Royal Training Award applications. This year was no exception. Today, we're delighted to share that 56 training programmes have been recognised in the 2026 Princess Royal Training Awards, chosen from 132...
Case study: home-growing future managers through exceptional training opportunities at Red Carnation Hotels
This collection of family-run hotels achieved an Award in 2017 and went on to gain a revalidation in 2020. Since then it has further developed its Graduate Management programme with 53 participants commencing the training in the 3 years following, leading to the...
Celebrating the very best training and development programmes in the UK and Ireland
Last week, 53 recipients from the UK and Ireland were warmly welcomed to St James’s Palace, in London, to receive their Princess Royal Training Award from Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal. Now in their eighth year, the Princess Royal Training Awards were set up...
53 Princess Royal Training Awards across UK and Ireland for achieving positive impact through skills development
HRH The Princess Royal, President of the City and Guilds of London Institute, has approved 53 Awards to a range of organisations across the UK and Ireland, for their outstanding training and skills development programmes, all of which have shown a significant positive...
Celebrating the Award class of 2020
On 15 December, we celebrated the innovative training and development successes of the 43 recipients who achieved a Princess Royal Training Award in 2020. By necessity the ceremony was a little different this year. Whilst it needed to take place virtually rather than...
39 UK businesses receive excellence in training Award commended by HRH The Princess Royal in 2020
HRH The Princess Royal, President of City & Guilds Group, recognises organisations whose training has delivered measurable business impact 39 businesses celebrated at virtual ceremony for their innovative training programmes in the Princess Royal Training...
UK businesses’ training is recognised by HRH The Princess Royal on her 70th birthday
HRH The Princess Royal, President of City & Guilds Group, recognises organisations whose training has delivered measurable business impact Businesses continue to deliver excellent training programmes in the Princess Royal Training Award’s fifth year, despite the...
A royal seal of approval for businesses that put employee development first
On Thursday 2 November, we celebrated 40 organisations who were recognised after being commended for their commitment to training and skills excellence by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal at a ceremony at St James’s Palace in London. The Princess Royal Training...
40 organisations to receive royal recognition at this year’s Princess Royal Training Awards
Major UK businesses including RBS, Barclays, and Waitrose have been joined by a women’s refuge and an ambulance trust in being commended by Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne for their commitment to training and skills development. The Haven Wolverhampton, which...