On Friday 30th September the prestigious C&IT awards selected South Lodge, a hotel based in West Sussex, as the UK's top venue. Widely recognised by agencies throughout the industry, the awards celebrate successful role models who use innovative thinking and professionalism during their work. Categories include (but are not limited to) best events, hotels, budget initiatives, and agencies.
The award for best venue was a competitive one, as the hotel was shortlisted with some of the UK’s biggest conference and convention centres. What made it stand out, however, was its uncompromising approach to sustainability, mental health, and wellbeing.
South Lodge forms part of Exclusive Collection, which is a B Corp accredited collection of hotels and spas spanning across the south of England. This means the company must meet high environmental and social standards.
The team is unsurprisngly ecstatic that their commitment to the group's values have been recognised, especially since Exclusive Collection only received its B Corp accreditation in October 2021.
Dan Wait, Hotel Manager at South Lodge, had this to say about the win:
'We were in a tough category with some exceptional, globally recognised names as fellow nominees. This win means so much to the team and to my wider Exclusive Collection colleagues as we've all made a massive commitment to sustainability through our B Corp certification.
And as a group we've paid huge attention to the onus corporates are placing on mental health and wellbeing when sending their teams to events'.
This isn’t the first time South Lodge has won an award related to their social responsibility, as it won the Best Sustainable Spa award at the Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards, in July of 2022.
As well as this, the work completed by Exclusive Collection has been recognised with a shortlisted place at The Cateys, and it was named as a finalist in the Boutique Hotel Awards. Clearly, this will provide a great foundation for South Lodge to keep expanding on their values and vision.
The hotel is a versatile venue space, complete with a range of amenities and features, including the beautiful spa, luxurious rooms and breathtaking views of the South Downs.
Within South Lodge lies The Pass, which serves a unique dining experience in an intimate space, seating 28 diners. Guests are invited to indulge in a seven-course tasting menu that incorporates innovative dishes with an immersive experience.
Sticking to the theme of venues, why not check out this new 6,000 sq ft multi-purpose venue set to open in Manchester this Autumn?