Marketing Communications: Holdsworth House

Freelance Hotel Marketing Manager: Strategic hotel marketing planning and comms at Holdsworth House Hotel, Halifax

Holdsworth House Hotel is a family owned hotel, restaurant and wedding venue in Halifax. Over 10 years ago, the team needed an extra pair of hands to help generate and implement revenue-driving ideas. As an ex group marketing director for two national hotel groups, I was able offer specialist hotel marketing advice. I understood how Holdsworth House Hotel operated and what it needed to grow its core accommodation, wedding and restaurant business.

15 years on and Holdsworth House still hires me as their hotel marketing manager.

KEY ACTIVITY SUCCESSES: 

• Revenue & Occupancy: Implemented strategic marketing plans to achieve targets and address low seasons.
• Weddings: Increased off-season wedding business to 33% of total wedding sales, through targeted packages, collateral and events.
• Short Breaks: Developed a thriving short break market (3,000+ room nights annually, 41% of all room nights). Used targeted packages, screen tourism and hotel digital marketing.
• Gift Vouchers: Established a successful gift voucher program, selling 1,500+ hotel vouchers annually, managed through a third-party system.
• Direct Bookings: Reduced OTA reliance and increased direct bookings to 80% through digital marketing, CRM and website optimisation.
• Website Performance: Created and optimised website content (WordPress CMS) for SEO and conversions, achieving 195,000 site visitors in 2024 (115,000 direct/organic).
• Guest Engagement: Leveraged CRM to increase on-property spend loyalty, and RevPAR.
• Social Media: Managed active social media presence (16,000 Facebook followers, 8,500 Instagram followers) to build brand awareness and demand.
• Data Collection: Executed successful media competitions, generating 1,200 GDPR-compliant leads.
• Events: Organised and promoted hotel events, including a wedding open day with 177 attendees (157 pre-registered, 20 walk-ins).
• Marketing Collateral: Designed and produced compelling marketing materials (brochures, menus, posters).
• Brand Consistency: Enhanced brand image and consistency across all platforms, including OTAs and consortia, utilising professional photography.
• Public Relations: Achieved a 95% publication rate for press releases distributed to local, regional and national media.
• Internal Communications: Developed internal communications and SOPs to ensure team alignment with marketing activities.

Today, Holdsworth House is a driving force of inbound tourism to Halifax. I have forged strong links with regional tourism bodies, nearby attractions and local influencers. Attracting film crews and famous faces has helped lift the hotel’s leisure sales to a healthy 40% of the business. Leisure business is flexed to fill trough periods and increase on-site spend. Wedding business has increased to an average 125 events per year. It’s always exciting to work with Holdsworth House!