The Gresham Aparthotel recognised as Tripadvisor® award winner

The Gresham Aparthotel has been recognised by Tripadvisor as a 2023 'Travelers’ Choice award' winner.

The coveted award celebrates businesses that have consistently received great reviews on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months, placing these winners among the 10% of all listings on Tripadvisor globally.

Mark Hills, General Manager at The Gresham Aparthotel said: “Guests' opinions and experiences matter the most to us and it is down to their feedback we have gained this award as this means we have consistently earned strong reviews on Tripadvisor. A big thank you to our amazing team at The Gresham who are providing exceptional hospitality to our guests.”

“Congratulations” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor: “The travel resurgence we’ve seen throughout the past year has even further heightened the competition. Earning this award demonstrates that you have provided great experiences to those who matter most: your guests. With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am continually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt. Cheers to another successful year!”

Check out all the reviews, and discover more about The Gresham Aparthotel here.

The Gresham Aparthotel wins Best Operator Award

The Gresham Aparthotel, Leicester has won ‘Best Operator 51-200 units’ at this year's Serviced Apartments Awards.

CEO Snizhana Yesaulenko, Managing Director Mark Copson and General Manager Mark Hills picked up the trophy at the ceremony in central London.

It recognises the aparthotel's delivery of best-in-class guest experience, and innovation in product, amenities and customer service, as well as an adapting offer through the post-pandemic to keep guests safe.

Staff and customer engagement, CSR and environmental policies, and effective sales, marketing and distribution, were also considered by the judging panel.

Snizhana said: “Winning this prestigious award is an amazing achievement and we’re really proud of the success at The Gresham Aparthotel since we opened 18 months ago.

“It was an honour to be nominated for this award; to win on our first nomination is testament to all the hard work of our directors, staff, and everyone behind the scenes that makes The Gresham Aparthotel the premier accommodation provider in Leicester.

“It has put Leicester on the map and we couldn’t be prouder!”

Mark Hills said: “The Gresham Aparthotel is the perfect accommodation for a range of guests travelling for business or leisure.

“The team here works hard to deliver a safe, clean environment for guests and our processes keep the environment and sustainability in mind.

“Our mission has always been to provide guests with the best possible experience, offering quality, comfort and flexibility, and the feedback we receive really reflects this.”

The Serviced Apartment Awards 2023, presented by Boutique Hotel News editor Eloise Hanson and A Place in the Sun presenter Scarlette Douglas, are the first and only dedicated awards created for and by the international serviced apartment, aparthotel, extended stay and short term rental industry.

Each category was judged by an independent panel comprising travel buyers, journalists, architects, designers and service providers.

The Gresham Aparthotel opened in November 2021 with 121 studios and apartments, each with their own kitchenette facilities, as well as a restaurant, bar, gym, meeting rooms and co-working spaces onsite.

The iconic Gresham building in the heart of Leicester, formerly Fenwick’s department store, was sympathetically renovated to incorporate boutique, stylish interiors and deliver a blend of hotel services with the comforts of home.

Book your stay at this award winning aparthotel today.

Fenwick staff reunite at The Gresham ahead of local history month

Nearly 90 ex-Fenwick Leicester employees from as far away as Austria, Newcastle and London, returned to The Gresham on 31 March 2023 to see how the former department store where they used to work, has been converted into a luxurious 121-room aparthotel, which opened for business in 2021.

The reunion was exactly six years to the day since the iconic store closed its doors for the very last time. Previous staff and management– including 91-year-old former chair of the board, Mr. John Fenwick, who travelled from London with his son, Adam – all met up for the first time since the pandemic, to appreciate the impressive transformation of Fenwicks.

In its heyday, around 250 full and part-time staff were employed at Fenwicks. Many of these were guests on the night, delighted to see the legend of Fenwicks living on. They marvelled at how developers, Aimrok Holdings, had taken such care to ensure that the building retained its character and friendly warmth.

Many of the original features they remembered during their time at Fenwicks were still intact, including the hand-made bronze fluting housed within the magnificent grand staircase, installed in the 1920s by Mr. Joseph Johnson (the owner of the building before it was purchased by Fenwicks in 1962) replicating a design he spotted whilst on a cruise.

David Illingworth, who was the Fenwick Leicester store director for 21 years, helped to organise the event, including coordinating the attendance by members of the Fenwick family. He said, “I was delighted that so many people made the effort to attend and enjoy reminiscing about the good old Fenwick days, in such a wonderfully-revitalised environment for all to continue enjoying.

“Like the other former members of staff who were here, I was thrilled to see Mr. John again in particular, and he had a wonderful evening, so it was a great success!”

Mark Hills, The Gresham general manager, was on hand to welcome the special guests at the aparthotel. He said, “It’s great to know that the people of Leicester love The Gresham and its heritage so much. It is an iconic building full of character which has stood steadfast since the 1880s and it is a pleasure to work in, and be part of one of Leicester’s architectural gems.

“We want to make sure that this history is not lost so, as part of Local History Month this May, we are inviting people to send in their stories, photos and press clippings, so that we can collate and share these memories of bygone Gresham.”

The public are invited to send in their copies or scans and tales of the Gresham building’s past when it was Fenwicks and Joseph Johnsons, by 31 May 2023, by emailing contact@thegreshamleicester.com