Stoke-on-Trent’s highly anticipated new hotel has reached yet another milestone on its journey to opening in October, with the recruitment of its full team.

Following a successful recruitment drive, which saw more than 3,500 applications submitted for a range of roles at the new Hilton Garden Inn Stoke-on-Trent, the initial team of 30 is now in place and undergoing training.

And this week, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Cllr Abi Brown, visited the hotel to see the team training in action, and to offer her well-wishes.

The new staff members, covering a range of full and part-time roles across a variety of departments, will be responsible for ensuring guests of Stoke-on-Trent’s first Hilton-branded hotel receive nothing less than first class service.

They join General Manager, Ben Carey, and Director of Sales, Steve Alty, who were recruited earlier this year.

Among the new recruits is Juan Jose Valdivieso, who takes up the position of head chef within the hotel’s Garden Inn Bar & Grill. With nearly 30 years’ experience gained in a range of roles in hotels and restaurants in Australia and the UK, he brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to the team.

Juan said:

"I’m proud to take up my new role, especially since the recruitment process was so competitive. We’re already gelling really well as team and getting to know the new hotel in great detail, but we’re eager to begin welcoming guests. In particular, I am looking forward to seeing guests try the fantastic dishes on the menu at the Garden Inn Bar & Grill.”

Cllr Abi Brown, leader of the city council, said:

"It was great to meet the team at the hotel at the start of what is a very exciting journey for both them and the city as a whole. Having been fortunate to have a sneak-peak inside the hotel myself I’ve got to say it looks absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait to see it welcoming its first guests. This is a really big moment in the transformation of the city centre and a major investment in Stoke-on-Trent’s leisure offer.

So many companies have already told us they send people to stay out of the city because of a lack of availability and choice when it comes to hotels, so the Hilton Garden Inn will go a long way to addressing that.”

General Manager, Ben Carey, said:

"It’s with great pride we introduce our full team as we make the final preparations for opening our doors and welcoming our first visitors in a matter of weeks.

We were overwhelmed with applications – all of which were of a very high standard – but I’m confident that we have found the right candidates for each of our roles, all of whom will offer the best experience to our guests. Right now, we’re all focused on ensuring we’re fully prepared to welcome those visitors when our doors open.”

Richard Ingham, partner at Genr8, said:

"Leaving a lasting legacy of local job creation has always been one of our core aims with Smithfield, and so it’s brilliant to see this positive news for the city – especially in light of the fact that the pandemic has caused turbulence within the job market.

This is another great step forward for the development, as we look forward to the official hotel opening later this year.”

Operated by RBH – the UK’s leading independent hotel management company – Hilton Garden Inn Stoke-on-Trent will boast 140 bedrooms, state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities and a fully equipped gym. A stylish bar and full service restaurant will also feature, offering locally sourced produce where possible.

The £20 million hotel is part of the landmark Smithfield development brought to Stoke-on-Trent in a partnership between developers Genr8 and Stoke-on-Trent City Council. Genr8 will retain ownership of the hotel when it opens in 2020.

For more information on the new hotel, or to book a room, visit www.hilton.com