Whilst on our trip to Jersey earlier this month it was great to visit and stay at The Atlantic Hotel, one of Jersey’s most iconic luxury retreats renowned for its breathtaking coastal views, elegant design, and exceptional service. It was lovely to interview Patrick, a central part of the family-owned hotel, whose leadership and vision have guided The Atlantic for over three decades. We spoke about the journey and evolution of the hotel, and his commitment to championing Jersey as a tourist destination.

Tell us about yourself and your experience in the hospitality industry. 

Well, we moved to Jersey in 1959 when I was very young. My father started with a guest house in Portelet, a beautiful bay on the south coast of the island. So that’s where I grew up, right in the middle of this seasonal hospitality environment.

I went to school here until I was 12, then went to boarding school in the UK. During that time, especially over the summer holidays, I worked in the guest house and in other local hotels, constantly gaining experience in the industry. That exposure led me to apply to the University of Surrey, which had just launched the very first degree course in hospitality in the country. It was a four-year programme and included a placement year at the Royal Lancaster, where I worked in every department of the hotel.

After graduating from Surrey, I moved to London. I’d always known that if I were to return to The Atlantic, which my father had established in 1970, I wanted it to be on the strength of my own merit, not simply as the boss’s son. I wanted to prove to myself that I truly understood the business. So, I trained at the Carlton Tower, which was one of the top hotels then, and still is. I joined as a graduate trainee, working in various departments. I remember doing six months as an assistant night manager, which gave me a very deep understanding of hotel operations.

I then took up a position at the Intercontinental at Hyde Park Corner, which was quite new at the time. I worked there as an assistant manager for three years, a fantastic experience.

There was always the question of whether I’d eventually return to Jersey, but I had this strong desire to travel. I loved skiing and water sports like windsurfing. I applied to a very different kind of business, Mark Warner, which operated ski chalets in winter and beach clubs in the summer. I told them I was happy to come over and do the washing up, just so I could ski. After the interview, they came back to me and said, “Well, the good news is we’re offering you a job, but as the manager, because you have so much experience at a young age.”

I ended up managing in Méribel, a ski resort, and later did a summer season in Corsica. It was a summer club, the seasonal equivalent of a ski chalet. After that, I went on to Verbier in Switzerland for six months, and finally helped open a new club in Skiathos, Greece.

What I really took away from those experiences was the contrast. I’d gone from the very top tier of hospitality in London, five-star hotels, to beach clubs and ski chalets, where the staff often had little to no experience in hospitality. I had to pull everything together very quickly, train the team, and get operations running smoothly.

As a family-run hotel, what important values have helped shape it over the years?  

Well, I suppose when you think about The Atlantic, we’re now talking about 55 years, it’s a long time. We came to Jersey before that, starting with a smaller property called The Penguin. So, the values we hold go right back to those roots.

Family businesses are very different to corporate structures. What we do here is particularly unusual these days because I remember when most small hotels were owned and run by families, that’s now quite rare. Running a family hotel means thinking long-term. We’re not part of a chain; we can’t just call head office and ask for more funds, because head office is my desk. I’m very fortunate, my wife Treena is our financial director. We work closely together, which makes decision-making straightforward.

The team is everything here. We provide a stage for talented people to express themselves on, our executive chef, for example, should feel like it’s his kitchen. Hotels have many departments and personalities, but it’s essential they have a clear line of communication with us, and that decisions can be made quickly.

Much of the hotel is shaped by family traditions and continuity. When I returned 40 years ago, we already had a great team—two are still working here today. We’re set on evolution, not revolution. We know where we’re going, and we understand it takes time.

We work in a very seasonal environment, which is different from most mainland hotels. Guests often say the service here is both friendly and attentive, a balance that reflects our values and our location. We set high standards, but we’re in a leisure setting, looking out over an amazing bay with five miles of sand, so we avoid excessive formality.

Attention to detail is everything. Almost everything in the hotel has had our personal involvement, most artwork was specially commissioned. That gives the hotel its unique style. We don’t just throw things out; we invest in quality that lasts. Each January we close for a month to bring in a brilliant team of local contractors who check and fix everything. My father used to say, “There’s no such thing as an insignificant improvement”, everything matters, however small.

In the end, it’s really about family. Maybe wanting to look after people seems old-fashioned, but that’s what hospitality is about. And if we do anything well, I’d like to think it’s that.

If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice when you started at The Atlantic what would it be? 

Well, I don't think I'd have listened! But I would say it’s something about enjoying the moment.

What my father did, building the original hotel, was amazing, but he said I was better at running it. Which was kind of him. He could also see that I was driven. And I think, by that, he meant I always wanted to achieve more and more.

It’s not easy being the second generation in any business. The business exists because the first generation was successful. So, there’s that weight of expectation. But yes, I was driven, always looking ahead, to the next challenge, the next dream, the next achievement. As a result, I can never really remember what I did yesterday or last week, I'm always focused on what’s next.

I think that’s meant I haven’t always been very good at stopping and enjoying the moment. Over the years, we’ve had so many achievements, so many awards, and wonderful things have happened, but I don’t always pause to take them in.

What is the proudest moment in your journey as owner of The Atlantic? 

I think when we were admitted into membership of Small Luxury Hotels of the World in 1993, that was a real pinch-yourself moment.

There I was, with this little hotel on a very remote corner of a very remote island and suddenly, we were being recognised on an international stage. It wasn’t digital back then, it was all printed directories, and I remember they said, “It’s great you’ve joined us, but you realise we’ve had to redraw all our maps because Jersey wasn’t on them.” So, quite literally, we put Jersey on the map. That was really special.

Then, to go on and be asked to join the SLH board in 1999, and later in 2006 to become Chairman for three years, that was an extraordinary experience and something I’m very proud of.

I also think being accepted into the Master Innholders was amazing. I still think it’s amazing, because it’s such a small, prestigious organisation. That happened in 2011. And once you’re accepted as a Master Innholder, you’re also offered the Freedom of the City of London, which is a truly fabulous experience.

For the hotel itself, there’s nothing quite like the Cateys. You go around all the top hotels in the UK - everywhere that really matters - and somewhere, often tucked away, you’ll find a Catey.

Our Catey was for Independent Hotel of the Year in 2014. To be called up onto the stage and receive that award... there’s not much that tops that.

What do you think defines an independent hotel? 

Well, I do have some experience of independent hotels, I’ve been to over 300, and those are just the SLH ones.

I think it’s all about the people. It’s about the people who own them, the people who manage them, the people who work in them, and the people who stay in them. It’s also about the wider group of stakeholders, we’re very reliant on so many specialists who support the hotel in different ways.

I’ve thought about this a lot, and it’s absolutely about an independence of spirit. But ultimately, it’s people looking after people. It’s about hospitality.

How do you see the future of independent hospitality evolving - especially in destinations like Jersey? 

I don’t think it’s going to be easy. I think the future is very challenging. Looking back over the time we’ve been here, you get a real sense of just how much has changed, and how much more difficult it has become.

The reality is that running a business now involves so much more. Each year, the demands increase, and that makes it harder and harder to run one successfully, especially under the model we’ve built.

We try to look beyond just this year or next, but it really is difficult now, especially with all the cost pressures on the industry. That inevitably gives an advantage to larger companies with economies of scale.

If you're going to be successful in the future, you're going to have to be very good at what you do. In the UK, for example, you can look at models like Pride of Britain. They’ve got some amazing properties, and one way or another, they’re all run by individuals, and that’s what makes them so special.

Our challenge has always been getting people to come to Jersey for the first time. Not getting them to return, because once they’ve been, they love the hotel, they love the island, and they realise just how much depth there is here.

I do believe the future is bright. I think you must be optimistic. But it’s going to take a lot of hard work, and you’ll need to be on your game to succeed in the long term.

Are there any sustainability or community initiatives you're especially proud of? 

Coming out of the pandemic, I found myself thinking more and more about sustainability. It’s always mattered to me, but it took time to figure out how to translate that passion into something meaningful here at the hotel.

We started looking around the world to see who was doing sustainability well and came across an organisation called EarthCheck. It was probably one of the most demanding things we've ever done, just in the first year, we had to answer over 600 questions about the details of our business.

At the end of that year, we were inspected and awarded Benchmarked Bronze status. Then, in our second year, we progressed to Silver, which we’ve now successfully renewed. We were the first hotel in Jersey, and one of the first ten in the UK, to achieve EarthCheck Silver, which is something we’re incredibly proud of. It puts us on the map for sustainability.

But it's not something you do once, it’s a continuous process. We have regular meetings about it, always looking for ways to improve. It’s all about measuring, comparing, and improving year-on-year. Of course, sustainability reports and computer dashboards are quite dry, so we try to bring it to life for our guests. For example, we introduced tablets in our bedrooms, and among other information there's a list of around 60 small but meaningful initiatives we’ve implemented to support the environment.

Sustainability is now something we want to be known for, alongside the things people already associate with The Atlantic: family, exceptional service, great food, our incredible kitchen team, our location—and of course, being a proud member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) and Pride of Britain Hotels (PoB).

SLH, around the same time we joined EarthCheck, launched their Considerate Collection, which recognises hotels with strong sustainability credentials. We were thrilled to be among the first 10% of their global membership to be awarded this. It was a very special moment for us, knowing how high the standards are, and how impressive so many of those hotels are.

To me, sustainability, community and business are all connected. I don’t look at them in isolation. When we commit to something, we stick with it. That’s why, some years ago, we formed a long-term partnership with Durrell—the Jersey Zoo founded by Gerald Durrell. It’s a beautiful place, but beyond being a zoo, it’s globally respected for its work with endangered species. Over the years, we’ve raised in excess of £60,000 for Durrell.

One of the key ways we’ve done that is through our Eat Jersey Food Festival, where we invite top chefs, last year we had Michel Roux Jr,. We host around 60 to 70 guests and run a silent auction with all proceeds going to Durrell. It’s a brilliant event, and it’s raised a significant portion of our total donation.

More recently, we’ve supported Durrell’s Rewild Carbon programme. Rewild Carbon is a carbon balancing initiative, and because EarthCheck has helped us measure our emissions so precisely, we can now calculate the CO₂ impact per room per night. At checkout, we invite guests to contribute £1 per night to offset their stay. The money supports Durrell’s work in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, which has been heavily deforested. The goal is to restore and connect the remaining areas of forest by creating corridors so wildlife can move freely again.

We were the first hotel in Jersey to support this scheme, and we’re very proud of that. Not everything we try is a success, but when something works, we stick with it and build on it.

What does a great customer experience look like at The Atlantic, and what makes it unique to other hotels on the Island? 

I think what makes The Atlantic unique is really the setting in which the whole guest experience is delivered, and the combination of elements that come together to make it special. I mean, unique is a strong word, very few of the individual elements are entirely unique on their own, but together, they form a kind of cocktail of ingredients that create something truly distinctive.

I've said before that independent hotels, in particular, are all about people. The Atlantic isn't about me; it's about the team. It’s the people who do the work, who care for our guests, and who create this very genuine sense of welcome and hospitality. I've had the privilege of watching this unfold over a long period of time, and from the very beginning, we’ve been blessed with truly special people.

Of course, food is also incredibly important to us. We’ve always had a good culinary offering, but around 20 years ago, when food really began to take centre stage in hospitality, we took things further. That’s when we created Ocean Restaurant as a dedicated luxury dining experience, something more than just a hotel dining room. We learned a lot on that journey, not just about food, but also about wine.

We’ve had some fantastic people involved along the way. One of our sommeliers was recently ranked #40 in the UK in a London competition to identify the top 100 sommeliers in the country, which is a wonderful achievement. We’re very lucky to have such talented, passionate individuals here.

And I always say—you can tell how well a hotel is running by how many staff are smiling. I see a lot of smiles around here, and I think that speaks volumes.

Is there a guest experience or piece of feedback that has really stuck with you? 

I think, for me, it’s all about the guest experience. We have so many guests who return regularly and truly value what we do here. What’s often said to me, time and again, is how special The Atlantic is in people’s memories. It becomes a meaningful place because of the experiences they’ve shared here with loved ones, particularly their partners.

It’s not unusual, sadly, when someone loses their partner, for them to reach out to the hotel, just to reconnect with a place that meant so much to them as a couple. That says a lot. It shows that what we do goes beyond service, it creates real, lasting memories. It speaks to the sense of community and warmth that exists within the hotel, something that’s built by the team. I think that’s incredibly powerful. When your work has that kind of emotional impact, when it forms part of someone’s most treasured moments in life, that’s something really special.

In terms of a particular story that stands out, there are many, but one that comes to mind involves our concierge, Nathan. There was a young couple staying with us on their honeymoon, and they returned to the hotel distraught after losing a wedding ring on the beach. As you can imagine, it was devastating for them. Nathan stepped in straightaway—he said, "Right, let’s see what we can do." He managed to track down a local metal detectorist in Jersey and went back to the beach with the couple. They met the man, searched the area, and they found the ring.

That story spread far and wide, as you'd expect. But for me, it’s just another example of how far the team here will go to create memorable, meaningful experiences for our guests.

One thing your guests always take a photo of at The Atlantic.  

It’s definitely the views. What's particularly special, is that we get the most incredible sunsets and these sunsets  happen right out over the bay. The sunlight just streams onto the ocean, and it's quite something. It often causes a bit of a kerfuffle for the team because just as people are enjoying their meal or about to have a course, the light changes, the sunset's amazing, and everyone heads outside to snap photographs.

Favourite hidden gem on the island you always send guests to? 

Personally, for me, it's all about this area. You see, one of the key reasons the island is so dramatic is the tidal range, which is something like the third highest anywhere in the world. When the tide goes out, the island practically doubles in size. This means the view over St. Ouen's Bay is constantly changing; it's a real panorama.

It's a very, very special place, and at the very least, I'd suggest to someone to walk down to the secret bench  on the headland. Because as you walk down there, the view just gets better and better. If they've got the time and energy, I'd say go to Corbière. Follow our little map, get onto the coastal path, and head around to the lighthouse. It's just such a dramatic location, about a 40-minute walk. But do remember that tidal range, so don't go walking out to the lighthouse and forget that the tide might be about to come in!

What’s one thing guests have to try at Ocean Restaurant? 

Definitely try our Liberation IPA sourdough and the seaweed butter. We collect the seaweed ourselves from the bay to churn the butter right here in our kitchen. It really highlights our commitment to using the best local and seasonal produce to create something unique. In fact, our sourdough even has the Genuine Jersey mark, which isn't easy to get.

Do you attend the Independent Hotel Show? If so, what do you value about the show? 

I absolutely love the Independent Hotel Show and have been coming for a while. From a business perspective, I find it a valuable event for us because we can see a lot of people in one place. It's certainly not feasible for us to come over for multiple shows, so this is the one we prioritise. Many of our key suppliers are there, which makes it a great opportunity to catch up with them annually. Of course, we're also looking for new ideas and to understand the current trends. Plus, it's great fun because the hotel industry is brilliant at networking, and you bump into so many people you know. My perfect moment at the show, which I discovered last time, is actually on the staircase. If you stop halfway up and just stand there, you don't have to do anything because, over time, everyone you know will walk past, and you can have a quick chat.

We are looking forward to bringing the community together again at Independent Hotel Show 2025 on 6-7 October, add the dates to your diary and join us there.