Recent Projects
Cromlix House
A 5 red star country house hotel owned by tennis player Andy Murray and his wife Kim. This fabulous project commenced in March 2022 with a remit to reposition Cromlix as a more boutique and reimagined country house hotel offering.
Working closely with the owners and wider team over the last 2 & 1/2 years, I have project managed the transition of the hotel from being operated under a management contract to becoming a fully self-managed independent operation.
Key project areas included:
Removing the previous hotel management contract structure and overseeing the transition to a new in-house staffing structure
Producing the feasibility reports for expansion plans including new luxury lodges, a wellness facility and new restaurant (all now going ahead)
Working up the financial assumptions and 5 year P&L projections
Recruiting the new senior in-house team members including GM, S&M Manager, Finance Manager and Reservations Manager roles.
Project managing the marketing rebrand project, development of a new website, marketing collateral, email campaign creation, social platforms and establishing ongoing digital support.
Reviewing and implementing a new tech stack for Cromlix including PMS, booking engine, gift voucher platform, revenue management feed-ins, and more.
The result - Cromlix awarded 2024 Scottish AA Hotel of The Year!
See Cromlix.
“Rosemary was brought on board as a consultant to oversee Cromlix’s transition from being run by a hotel management company to being self managed. This included establishing new systems and procedures, recruiting a new senior management team and being key part of a rebrand of Cromlix. She has been a total pleasure to work with throughout this process. She has added an invaluable dimension to this exciting project. As a Non Exec Board Director of Cromlix I welcome what I’m sure will be her on going participation”.
Neville Ablitt, adviser to the Murray family
Douneside House Hotel, Royal Deeside
Currently working with Douneside House Hotel (4 red stars) located by Aboyne in beautiful Royal Deeside, with a remit to assist the hotel as they look to further develop their hotel facilities, including the development of an improved Health Club and Spa offering.
Rosebery Estates
Rosebery Estates cover a diverse & beautiful landscape from the coastal shores of West Lothian near Edinburgh to the upland moors of Leithenwater in the Scottish Borders. Dalmeny House & Estate which sits on the Firth of Forth has been home to the Earls of Rosebery since 1662. These working estates thrive on sustainable enterprise and community, agriculture, forestry and property management, in careful balance with the environment and preserving the estates for future generations to enjoy.
Also across the estates are Rosebery Venues, a prestigious selection of exclusive-use corporate, film location, private gatherings and wedding venues in Edinburgh and Midlothian. The venues include a fabulous selection of unique destinations comprising Barnbougle Castle, The Walled Garden on Dalmeny Estate, Rosebery Steading, Rosebery House, looking ahead to 2027, also Dalmeny House itself.
HHC are delighted to be working with the team to oversee the next stage of business development for the hospitality venues.
Innes House
Currently working with the Tennant family to develop a new commercial plan for Innes House, located in the heart of Moray-shire in the Northeast of Scotland
Steeped in history, the estate covers 5000 acres of forest, farmland, meadow and woodland, surrounded by beautiful scenery. At the centre of the estate sits Innes House, a 17th century historic house with 20 bedrooms and several event areas.
Heritage Hospitality Consulting were initially involved to carry out a full Business Review with recommendations for future action. This has been followed up with staying on to work with the family and inhouse team to fulfil the suggested activity in the Review ~ including the development of a robust sales and marketing plan to target exclusive use business, development of a new website and other marketing materials, and working closely with the inhouse team to implement new business procedures. See the new website www.inneshouse.com.
Cairns Farm
This 1200-acre country estate and working sheep farm sits at the foot of the Pentland Hills, a 20 minute drive from Edinburgh. The estate has been in the Hamilton family ownership since 1869. The family have diversified their estate by turning an old sheep shed into a fabulous new multi-use events venue which reflects its agricultural roots and sits naturally in the stunning rural location. There is also accommodation on the estate for 24, including Cairns Farmhouse, a 19th-century country house which sits on the edge of Harperrig Reservoir and sleep 10 guests; a hideaway for two called The Keep; and six luxury cabins sleeping a total of 12.
Heritage Hospitality Consulting were brought on board to create a new Business Plan for commercial activity on the farm including how the events venue was being run, and to oversee a transition in the operating structure from working with an outsourced caterer management contract to bringing the business back in-house, enabling the owners to maintain much more control over their future and to be more involved in the day to day running of the business. This is a full ongoing project covering all aspects of running a successful business.
See the new website www.cairnsfarm.co.uk.
Ballyfin Demesne, Ireland
Ballyfin is a magnificent Regency period 5 star luxury hotel in Ireland, located 90 mins north of Dublin in Country Laois. Winner of Travel-Leisure Awards Top Resort Hotel in UK and Ireland for many years. Already a successful and established hotel, the owners and management were keen to ensure they are doing everything possible to ensure the hotel remains exemplary in all that it offers. Heritage Hospitality Consulting were asked to fully review the Commercial Strategy and to create a new Sales & Marketing Strategy along with working S&M Plan for the in-house team to deliver.
Voted the #1 Resort in Ireland & UK by Travel + Leisure Readers 2024
Ardoch Loch Lomond Estate
I have been delighted to work with the Scottish charity CHAS (Children’s Hospices Across Scotland) over the last 3 years as their Hospitality Consultant. CHAS were gifted the stunning Ardoch Estate on Loch Lomond in 2020 and my role was to reposition and integrate Ardoch into CHAS ownership and to provide hospitality consultancy across all areas of the business, working closely with many parties. Ardoch re-opened (July 2021) with a unique “profit with purpose” model, offering a superb exclusive use meetings & special events venue, and building a sustainable and innovative new source of income for CHAS, which in turn will make a real difference to the lives of many children across Scotland.
This project has involved signficiant ongoing financial analysis and budget preparations, a full rebrand and repositioning Ardoch in the market place, addressing all internal systems and procedures, and managing the sales and marketing role together with overall business development on CHAS’s behalf. See Ardoch Loch Lomond.
“Rosemary’s strategic and practical advice, expertise and tenaciousness in getting the project to an advanced stage was just superb. We just couldn’t have done this without her and I’ve learnt so much from her.”
The Haymarket Hotel, Edinburgh
Working in association with THMC, this project started with a full business review to establish what needed actioned for this 70-bedroom Victorian city centre townhouse hotel. With agreement of the owners, this followed a transformational period overseeing the amalgamation of two hotels into one hotel, a full repositioning and rebrand, new website launch, new digital marketing strategy to focus on driving more direct business, introducing a new PMS and EPOS, smartening up some visual aspects including the intro of lovely new special touches including Victorian lighting and planters along the cobbled street, new F&B menus, and the list goes on. A great team to work with and a pleasure to be involved with this project. See The Haymarket.
Forglen Estate, Aberdeen-shire
Forglen is a 1000 acre working farm estate in North-east Scotland. At the heart of the estate sits the Grade A listed Forglen House which is currently a family house, surrounded by beautiful woodlands, gardens and with the river Deveron running through the estate. As well as operating a busy commercial farm, the owners have successfully diversified into tourism with a number of self-catering cottages dotted around the estate. Heritage Hospitality were brought on board to carry out a feasibility study to review the potential of developing one of the farm’s steading buildings into a successful events and accommodation venue.
The Inn at Kingsbarns, by St Andrews
Heritage Hospitality were delighted to work with The Kingsbarns Community Development Trust and Benefit Society to assist in the smooth takeover of The Inn at Kingsbarns to full community ownership in summer 2024. A lovely historic coaching inn (with bedrooms, restaurant, pub, outdoor seating and future shop), located in the picturesque coastal village of Kingsbarns, close to the world famous Kingsbarns Links golf course and 10 minutes from St Andrews.
Involvement has included project managing the administration handover, recruiting the new team including GM, introducing new operating procedures including PMS and POS, and overseeing the marketing transition.
Seton Castle
Feasibility study to review the potential of developing a luxury exclusive use venue.
Perth Museum, opened April 2024
Assistance with the new Perth Museum Cafe concept and tender document.
Kinross House Estate
Prior to establishing Heritage Hospitality, Rosemary was General Manager of Kinross House Estate which had recently been purchased by new owners and beautifully restored to its full glory. The remit was to develop the estate into Scotland's most prestigious exclusive use country house estate, available to hire for luxury five star events, vacations, parties, weddings, incentives and product launches.
The estate comprises 100 acres of formal gardens, a private island complete with Loch Leven Castle, 24 rooms with space for incredible marquee events for up to 450. We also created a successful luxury boutique day spa facility on the estate from the old stables, open to the public and private clients to book.
Responsible for creating strategy plans across the business, developing budgets, bringing on board a new team and implementing quality standards, and personally carrying out all marketing and business development.