The Hotelier Edit: Elysium Collection's James Houlston on building a new luxury staycation brand

Elysium Collection is one of the newest names in British luxury hospitality, bringing together six hotels, spas and health clubs across Cornwall, Surrey and the Lake District. The collection will begin welcoming guests with the opening of the 56-bedroom Elysium St Mawes, created through the transformation of the historic Ship and Castle Hotel on Cornwall’s harbourfront.

Leading the brand is Chief Executive Officer James Houlston, whose experience includes the restoration and repositioning of St Michaels Resort in Falmouth and The Swan Hotel and Spa in the Lake District. His vision for Elysium Collection centres on “informal luxury”: relaxed, highly personalised stays combining distinctive design, destination dining, restorative wellness and a strong connection to place.

For the latest instalment of The Hotelier Edit, we speak to James about creating a recognisable collection without imposing a standard design formula, balancing the restoration of historic buildings with the expectations of today’s traveller, and why guests increasingly value their time as much as their money. He also discusses the opportunities technology presents for independent hotels and his ambition to build the UK’s leading luxury staycation brand.

What inspired you to launch The Elysium Collection, and what gap do you believe it fills in the UK luxury hotel market?

Our experience in the sector over the last few years in restoring and repositioning two hotels (St Michaels Resort and The Swan Hotel and Spa) has inspired us to create the Elysium Collection. The increasing cost of travelling abroad and greater awareness of the environment is resulting in an increased demand in the UK staycation. The problem is that the majority of hotels have suffered from decades of underinvestment and are generally not fit for today’s traveller. There are very few brands established in this sector. We therefore see a big opportunity to create a luxury hotel brand focussed hotels located in beautiful locations throughout the UK, providing luxurious but attainable staycations.

You've described the collection as offering "informal luxury". What does that mean to you, and how does it shape the guest experience?

We believe that our guests want to kick back and relax when they come and stay with us. They do not want to have to dress up, they want to go somewhere which is relaxed, informal but provides seamless service and creates unforgettable memories.

You have mentioned guests valuing their time as much as their money. How has that philosophy informed the way you've designed and operate the collection?

Time is one of the greatest luxuries we have, so everything within the Elysium Collection is designed to help guests spend it well. For us, that means removing friction and giving people the freedom to enjoy a stay in their own way, whether they want to completely switch off, explore somewhere new or reconnect with the people they love.

It influences everything from the buildings and locations we choose to the experiences, technology and service we provide. We use guest preferences to make each stay feel more personal, while our teams offer thoughtful, intuitive service without being overly formal.

Our hotels bring together beautiful bedrooms, destination dining, restorative wellness and a genuine connection to the local area, so guests can enjoy a complete experience without feeling rushed or having to plan every detail themselves.

Ultimately, luxury is not about filling every moment. It is about creating the right conditions for guests to be present, feel looked after and leave knowing their time was genuinely well spent.

Many of the hotels are historic buildings being thoughtfully restored. How do you balance preserving their heritage while creating a contemporary luxury experience?

It is a tricky balance; we are an experienced developer who have worked across the UK for the last 30 years. We have local experts appointed who work in partnership with ourselves and the local planning authorities, to sympathetically restore yet modernise these beautiful, historic hotels. We work very closely with our contractors, often visiting the sites two or three times a week, so we are on hand to make decisions and ensure that both the quality of what we are delivering and the restoration of each hotel is delivered.

Each property is designed to reflect its location rather than following a standard template. Why was it important for the Elysium Collection to celebrate individuality over uniformity? What will connect the hotels in the collection?

It is a fundamental part of the brand to create unforgettable, quality interiors which celebrate each location’s history and DNA. Ironically, in development you can have both individuality and uniformity. Beneath the surface of each project, we have standardised our specifications, this means that even though each hotel will look different it is unmistakeably an Elysium hotel. You do not need to rewrite the specification of a room when you develop the next hotel, there are subtle changes you make to the decoration, finishes etcetera, so that they look completely different. As a result, each hotel has multiple bedroom styles all celebrating the local area and the hotel.

Wellness is central to the collection, from spa partnerships to the overall guest journey. How do you see expectations around wellbeing evolving in luxury hospitality?

Guest expectations are changing, with social media and the general pace of life, life is getting pretty stressful. So, when our guests come to stay with us, they want to switch off, make themselves feel better, recharge their batteries, so when they leave us not only have they left with some amazing memories, they are refreshed and revitalised. Wellness and wellbeing is at the heart of that. Whether it’s enjoying our spas, going for walks, enjoying local activities – our aim is to curate and tailor our guests’ break with us, so when they leave they feel like their time with us has been well spent.

Food is another key pillar, with Stephane Delourme leading the culinary direction. What role do you see dining playing in creating a memorable hotel stay?

Our restaurants are a fundamental ingredient to create a memorable stay for our guests.

We have spent a considerable amount of time developing a restaurant concept which not only celebrates the local area, with local dishes and produce, but also provides value for money and sets a new standard in quality and customer service.

You've successfully transformed hotels including The Swan and St Michaels Resort. What lessons from those projects have helped shape The Elysium Collection?

The Swan and St Michaels have informed our understanding of the market and what our guests want. From the lessons learnt at these hotels, we have developed the Elysium Platform which takes the best technologies in the market and has integrated them into a single platform to provide best-in-class systems. This is helping to drive demand and improve overall efficiency.

Independent hotels often have the freedom to innovate more quickly than larger brands. Where do you think independent hospitality has the greatest opportunity over the next five years?

Independent hotels have a unique opportunity over the next few years, to not only increase their market share but to also significantly reduce their overheads.

OTAs and other channels are not only weakening the dominance of the major international brands, but they are giving an easy and effective way of accessing significant customer databases.

This, twinned with advances in technology which can transform the efficiency of a hotel, can potentially revolutionise the fortunes of the independent hotel industry. However, change in this market is hard work, and it’s very hard to achieve - but if you get it right, the rewards are significant.

Looking ahead, what are your ambitions for The Elysium Collection, and what can the industry expect to see from the brand next?

Our ambitions are clear, we want to become the leading luxury staycation brand in the UK and potentially beyond!

We currently have three hotels being transformed, and three further projects starting within the next 12 months.

Find out more about Elysium Collection at elysiumcollection.co.uk. Click here to register for your free trade ticket to the Independent Hotel Show, in partnership with James Hallam Insurance Brokers, on 5-6 October at Olympia London.