Honouring The Women Behind Red Carnation Hotels This International Women’s Day – 8th March 2022

Beatrice Tollman, Founder & President

Founder and President of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, Beatrice Tollman, has built one of the most successful and admired hotel collections in the world. As one of the most widely respected and acclaimed women in hospitality, Beatrice has been widely praised for her contribution to the industry, with recognitions including The Leading Hotels of the World’s ‘Leading Legend’ accolade and a Catey Lifetime Achievement Award.

Beatrice was studying to become a nursery school teacher when she fell in love with the late Stanley Tollman, a second-generation hotelier known for wearing a red carnation in his lapel. As newlyweds of modest beginnings, the couple leased a small Johannesburg property in 1954 and Beatrice took charge of the kitchen. As something of a trailblazer, at the age of 22 Beatrice was running her own hotel kitchen – something unheard of for women in South Africa at the time – meticulously tasting each dish and sampling various methods and techniques until they were perfected. This passion for food and her hands-on approach to service and hospitality has been the secret to Beatrice’s success and, 65 years later, she remains intrinsically involved in every aspect of the now internationally acclaimed collection of luxury boutique hotels.

Beatrice reads a detailed report from every hotel each morning, as well as every single guest comment and online review, understanding that guest feedback is the most valuable tool to success. Tirelessly committed to quality, creativity and guest satisfaction, Beatrice is constantly innovating new ideas to enhance the guest experience and is a hands-on leader, individually teaching each of her chefs to create signature dishes and holding regular kitchen taste-tests to brainstorm and perfect menus together as a team. A must-try is Mrs Bea’s Cheesecake which is served at most, if not all, of the Red Carnation Hotels. Design is also one of Beatrice’s passions.

As she travels around the world, Beatrice seeks out the finest fabrics, antiques, furniture and artworks that complete each of the unique rooms, suites and staterooms across the collection. Beatrice is supported by an industry-leading executive team that includes her two highly dynamic daughters, whose passions for the business began from a young age, when they observed – and now share – their mother’s hands-on approach and careful attention to detail. Victoria Tollman is Director of Red Carnation Hotels, overseeing guest experiences, sales, marketing and PR for the properties. She was instrumental in bringing Geneva’s iconic lakeside Hotel d’Angleterre into the collection and is also Director of the family’s highly acclaimed South African vineyard, Bouchard Finlayson, which is famed for its award-winning Pinot Noirs. Toni Tollman is Director of Design and Projects at Red Carnation Hotels, as well as sister brand Uniworld, the market-leading luxury river cruise line. Toni uses her incredible eye, international experience and finely-honed aesthetic to conceptualise, design, decorate, refurbish and restore the stunning portfolio.

To consistently deliver their unsurpassed brand of customer service, Beatrice, Victoria and Toni know that their teams need to feel happy and inspired; staff are treated as part of the family, and individuals’ talent and ambition is lovingly nurtured. Just some of the incredible women whose potential has been realised and developed within The Red Carnation Hotel Collection include…

Michelle Devlin, General Manager at The Egerton House Hotel

Michelle began her career with The Red Carnation Hotel Collection in 2005 as Executive Head Housekeeper at The Chesterfield Mayfair. Her passion for hospitality and guest-focused approach were quickly recognised and in March 2012, Michelle was offered the position of General Manager at the five-star Egerton House Hotel in prestigious London borough of Knightsbridge. She has led the passionate team at this charming, boutique townhouse hotel ever since. Michelle also leads Red Carnation’s sustainability initiatives in London – something that both she and the whole collection are extremely passionate about.

Paula Stakelum, Executive Head Pastry Chef

It’s a far cry from her original career trajectory as an accountant, but Paula Stakelum, Executive Head Pastry Chef at the iconic, 800-year-old Ashford Castle in Ireland’s Country Mayo, couldn’t be happier with how her life has turned out. And who can blame her – she has a simply stunning office. ‘Most mornings I run or cycle around the Ashford Estate and go foraging’, says Paula, who loves having the castle’s 350 acres of beautiful countryside at her fingertips. ‘I often watch ingredients grow so that I can pick them at the perfect stage. That is where each dessert starts – with a special, season ingredient, such as a wild strawberry – and I challenge myself to find the best use for that ingredient to maximise the flavour, texture and create something new for our guests’. In 2018, Paula was a finalist in the prestigious Valhrona C3 International Chocolate Chef competition in New York, having triumphed in the regional heats in Europe.

Arjeta Arapi, Food & Beverage Manager

Arjeta Arapi was just 17 when she moved to the UK from her home country of Albania, where her father owned and ran the restaurant that she had worked in while studying at school. Having learnt to speak English fluently she decided to follow her passion for the hospitality industry in the UK and joined The Montague on the Gardens in 2003. Today, Arjeta manages a team of 33 food and beverage professionals at the hotel, servicing seven fantastic outlets that range from fine dining at the Blue Door Bistro to afternoon teas in the hotel’s conservatories. She also oversees the incredibly creative and successful pop-up experiences, including the seasonally inspired Beach Bar, the award-winning Ski Lodge and the launch of Mix It, a bottomless cocktail experience. In 2017, Arjeta was awarded Food & Beverage Manager of the Year at the Cateys.

About Red Carnation Hotels

The Red Carnation love story began in 1952, when a beautiful young woman called Bea, caught the eye of a distinguished young hotelier named Stanley, who was known for wearing a Red Carnation in his lapel. Today a Red Carnation flower is proudly worn by each and every member of our team as a symbol of our passion, commitment and care. Today the Red Carnation Hotel Collection proudly stands at 20 exceptional properties around the world, each unique and special, whilst sharing the founding values that define the family-owned and run business. As part of the TTC family of brands, The Red Carnation Hotel Collection celebrates over 100 years of hospitality since Solomon Tollman opened The Paternoster Hotel in 1920.