Atlantic Hotel welcomes Mark Yates to join award-winning team
The Atlantic Hotel is proud to announce the appointment of Mark Yates as its new Hotel Manager. With an outstanding track record of delivering exceptional service standards, Mark is now responsible for the smooth running of one of the finest privately owned hotels in the UK and heads up a 60 strong team of staff.
Mark (46) studied Hotel and Catering before joining a Relais & Chateaux management scheme which took place in England and France at well-known country house hotels including the Bath Priory, Hambleton Hall and Hotel du Centenaire in the Dordogne. He then took up a position at the prestigious Savoy Hotel in London as a Front Office Reception Manager.
At the age of 25 Mark left the Savoy to become Manager at Gravetye Manor Hotel – a position he held for seven years. Following a return to London, he managed the London Capital Club and then two years later moved on to become General Manager at Ashdown Park Hotel in Sussex, also a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. In 2001 came a move to the USA and the Vanderbilt Hall, Rhode Island to assist the owners in a refurbishment programme. Thereafter Mark became project General Manager overseeing the opening of the exclusive Queenwood Private Members Golf Club in Surrey, the first European venture undertaken by the American based The Greens Company Group.
His appointment at The Atlantic marks a return to the operational management of hotels having set up and run his own successful hotel management and recruitment company over the last five years.
Patrick Burke, Owner and Managing Director of The Atlantic Hotel, said: “Mark has invaluable experience from running his own business and plenty of hands-on knowledge of the inner workings of the luxury hospitality industry. This makes him the ideal candidate to become Hotel Manager at The Atlantic and we look forward to seeing him make a real contribution to the day to day running of what is already a highly successful luxury hotel.”
Mark is a past Treasurer of the Savoy Society, an organisation set up for ex-Savoy Group senior employees and remains an active committee member. Part of his role was to set up its mentoring scheme and as a result, he is particularly interested in the work being carried out by The Atlantic Hotel with Victoria College, Highlands College and the University of Surrey.
When the opportunity arose to join the team at The Atlantic Hotel Mark was delighted to seize it, having first visited the island seven years ago. Commenting on the move he said: “Jersey is clearly a very special place and it is an honour to be working in the only hotel in the island to be a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. I can already see that I have inherited a dedicated and motivated team, and it is fantastic to work with people who are so happy in their jobs and determined to maintain the hotel’s high standards.”
Mark & his wife Kim are relocating to Jersey from West Sussex and Kim also has a strong background in hotels having recently left Ashdown Park after 16 years’ service. Outside work Mark enjoys travel and is a keen cricketer, as well as enjoying rugby, golf and tennis. Other passions include fine wines and dining out, and he has been impressed by the wide choice of restaurants the island has to offer.