Gareth BannerGareth was most recently the General Manager of The Hempel, the 50 bedroom luxury property credited with being London’s first boutique hotel, and the one which set the standards for hotel architecture and interior design. Prior to this, he was Hotel Manager at The Cavendish London, the luxury hotel located in the heart of Mayfair. Before working in boutique properties, Gareth was with Marriott International and spent over 8 years working within operations and project management. Gareth worked on a number of exciting initiatives whilst Project Manager for the London Marriott Kensington Hotel from 2002 to 2003 before going on to be the Director of Operations at Cardiff Marriott from 2003 to 2006. During his time at The Hempel, the hotel won several awards including “Coolest Boutique Hotel” 2008, 2009 & 2011 and “Coolest Independent Hotel” in 2009 & 2010. Whilst at Marriott, Gareth himself won the Caterer & Hotelkeeper Acorn Award in 2004 for his contribution to a £600 million acquisition. In 2012, he received a scholarship place on the world renowned General Managers Programme (GMP) at Cornell University, New York awarded by the Master Innholders. At 36, Gareth is one of the youngest General Managers in London and is excited to be returning to Marriott to take up the role: “It is a real privilege to be joining this iconic hotel and I look forward to building upon the great reputation the hotel has already established. Whilst the stunning architecture and history of the building are unparalleled in many ways, this Victorian masterpiece is only re-awakened through the passion, innovation and attention to detail of the team.”