BUSINESS & INDUSTRY in SCOTLAND
About Us
meet the team
2 1 Y E A R S O N
Founders Gary & Vivien host awards ceremony 15 years ago
DEDICATED
to our industry
The lead members of our Judging Team have worked on annual Scottish hotel awards since we founded a high profile national awards event in
2003. It's been over 21 years of continuity of experience, passion and support for the industry we deeply care for. Now, in 2025, we are thrilled to be working on an expanded #HOTYS programme which includes
National
Hotels of the Year for Scotland,
The
Scottish Hotel People Awards,
new review site
BestHotels.scot -
plus our busy travel Facebook site
Scottish Life + Travel,
established 2016.
T H I S Y E A R ' S T E A M B E L O W
FIRST & LAST, IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE
When we founded the awards the vision was to have travel writers and industry experts and peers independently and thoroughly get to know individual hotels. We were of the view then, and remain so today, that it is the hotel
people
who matter most: yes, of course, investment is critical, but it is the
skill and qualities of key individuals
that are the heartbeat of every hotel. To understand the dependability and predictable performance of a hotel, and its deserving of recognition, we take time to know people. We place great store in understanding and observing talent, dedication, reliability, charm, performance, promise and constancy.
We shape the full awards results with thought, care and integrity, making sure the facts are bang up-to-date, the recognition deserved and category appropriate.
SOME OF THIS YEAR'S FACES
Hotels of the Year® Scotland
Team 2025
Peer Judges &
Expert Advisors
N O T E
In the Team this year are a number of outstanding, renowned and currently active hotel industry managers and leaders. We can't name them all until their Mystery Visits are complete - for obvious reasons - but will add their names here just before or just after the Annual Awards on 26th February 2025 as part of ScotHot '25.
Chairman
Gary McLean Quin
Managing Director | Founder |
LinkedIn
Deputy Chairman
Vivien Devlin
Senior Feature Writer | Founder |
Smart Leisure Guide
Patron
Lady Claire Macdonald OBE
President &
Vice Presidents
To be announced in November
S e n i o r J u d g e s
Ken Scott
Senior Design Judge | Founder
Lea Harris
Food Judge | Senior Food Writer |
Off The Eaten Track
Peter Ferguson
Senior Events Judge | Event Producer |
Beautiful Events
David Welch
Judge-at-Large & Management Judge | formerly Senior GM
Phil MacHugh
Senior Judge | Journalist & TV Presenter
Ian McAndrew
Senior Judge |
Michelin-starred Chef Patron
Katie & Laurence Mackay
Senior Judges | ex-AA red star award-winning independent hoteliers
Sharon Green-Wilson
Food Judge |
Councillor | Editor,
Bite Magazine - 21st Year
R e s e a r c h J u d g e s
Jan Leatham
Judge Researcher | Reviewer
Denny Periera
Judge |
Education Awards Nominee | Industry expert
Jason Henderson
Judge Researcher | ex-Hotel Owner & Head Chef
Katie White
Judge Researcher | Designer
Susie Farley
Judge Researcher | ex-GM
Iain Fraser
Ops Director & Support | Judge | ex-GM
Jody Marshall
Judge Researcher | former Manager of the Year
Deborah Welsh
Judge Researcher | Print Media expert
A d m i n & S u p p o r t
Elisabeth Laird
Member & Team Support
~~~
➦Judging page
Further members of HOTYS Team 2025 will be added soon
SCOTLAND'S HOTEL HONOURS™
P R E S E N T E D B Y T H E N A T I O N A L
HOTELS OF THE YEAR® | SCOTLAND
B A S E D E D I N B U R G H | J U D G E S N A T I O N W I D E
WORKING TOWARDS SOCIAL ENTERPRISE ACCREDITATION
HOTYS MEMBERS LIMITED
® & ™ 2021 -2024 | Hotels of the Year logo is a UK Registered Trademark &
Scottish Hotel Honours & HH trophy logo are Trademarks | Used in Scotland under Licence from
Hospitality Research Organisation ~ Founded 2003