Dukes St James London has announced Matthew Drinkwater as its new hotel operations manager.
Drinkwater joins the five-star luxury boutique from Amberley Castle, a Relais and Chateaux property in the South Downs, where he was previously general manager. Drinkwater has been recruited at a busy time for the Dukes brand, after the hotel revealed the launch of its first international property in Dubai in May.
Drinkwater has also had experience at Danesfield House Hotel and Spa in Marlow, overseeing the day-to-day hotel operations as well as the four AA Rosette Michelin star restaurant and award-winning spa. Drinkwater was also recognised with the Acorn Award in 2011 and as an active member of the Institute of Hospitality. He said: “It truly is a pleasure to join the team at such a prestigious hotel as Dukes London, with a culture for excellent service which has been led by Debrah Dhugga, our managing director. This culture is something that the team have become well known for in the industry over the past few years and I hope to continue to build on this amazing reputation in the future. It is a very exciting time to be joining the Dukes Collection, which is opening a new property in Dubai early in 2016, with further expansion planned for later in the year.”