We ask the questions: a Q&A with the Barnsley House boys
Posted by Lucy on October 8th, 2008
In the first of what (we hope) will be a series of insider interviews with hoteliers, we caught up with Tim Haigh and Rupert Pendered – the boys behind Barnsley House – to find out what makes them tick and reveal some behind-the-scenes goings-on (warning: may contain bullwhips and sailors).
Barnsley House is one of Mr & Mrs Smith’s favourite Cotswolds hotels, and the hotel was featured in our fifth guidebook, Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel Collection: UK/Ireland Volume 2. (You can check out the anonymous review of Barnsley House online if you like, or buy the book, which has nice pictures, too.)
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Hey there. Introduce yourselves to our captive audience…
We are Tim Haigh and Rupert Pendered, and we own Barnsley House, as well as The Village Pub in Barnsley, and the Catherine Wheel in Bibury.
Fine establishments… What makes Barnsley House so special do you think? How would you describe its style?
The world-famous gardens [by Rosemary Verey]: they are quite simply breathtaking. In addition, the 17th-century manor house is one of the prettiest in the Cotswolds. The style is relaxed and informal, but with professional service.
If you were booked into Barnsley House for the night, which room would you go for and why?
We would stay in Room 7, which has its own conservatory, a private terrace and a sitting room with an open fire. The terrace leads onto the formal gardens. The rooms were also where Rosemary Verey kept her library, wrote her books and designed her gardens.
What would you suggest we do in the area near Barnsley House if we were staying with you?
Beautiful country walks, visiting pretty Cotswold villages and towns, and the Daylesford Farm Shop.
Where do you go when you don’t fancy eating at the hotel?
For lunch or dinner, we recommend the Village Pub or the Catherine Wheel in Bibury, as Barnsley House guests can charge everything to their room tab.
How about recommending some pubs you don’t own?!
Alternatively, there’s the Swan at Southrop and the Plough at Kingham, both of which we also like to visit!
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve found in one of your rooms after a guest has left? Or tell us about a special request you’ve handled for a guest…
The funniest thing left in a room was a black leather bullwhip (the guests never contacted us to ask for it back, unsurprisingly!). The most interesting thing we’ve been asked was to provide a sailor, in uniform, for two guys from New York (we did actually manage to arrange this!).
What do you think are the ingredients of a great hotel manager?
A great hotel manager should be welcoming and friendly, while offering an unobtrusive professional service.
What trends do expect to see taking off in hotels in future?
We believe that more and more hotel restaurants will offer simpler food with ingredients that have been locally sourced. Guests are demanding very high standards of service, and we believe that the interiors will become less cluttered, and less fussy.
Any big plans for Barnsley House’s own immediate or long-term future you want to share with us?
We have just opened our second pub, the Catherine Wheel, and we hope to open a Barnsley House farm shop soon. We’ll keep you posted.
Aside from your own (obviously), what’s your favourite hotel, and why?
Villa Feltrinelli on Lake Garda in Italy for its location, style and fabulous service.
If you didn’t run a hotel, what would you do?
Rupert: Wine merchant.
Tim: Pilot.
If you could work in any destination in the world, where would you choose and why?
Rupert: South America, for its scenery and culture.
Tim: New Zealand, for its beautiful countryside, wine, food and weather.
What do you do when you’re not at work?
Rupert: Gardening, fishing and driving my classic car.
Tim: Flying.
Where do you go on holiday and do you find it hard to switch off?
We always go somewhere new and exciting; we like to try out new destinations. And, yes, we find it very hard to switch off!
What do you never leave home without?
A good book and sunglasses.
What’s the first thing you check out when you’ve checked into a hotel?
We tend to dump our bags and head straight out to explore.
Where’s the most romantic place you’ve ever been?
Fiji, for beautiful weather, relaxing and dinners on the beach.
Find out more about Barnsley House…
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