A florists guide to Hotel flowers

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Jeff Leatham at George V, Paris.

Since I became a florist I have been a fan of hotel design and the flowers that accompany them. Living in London we are experiencing extraordinary times with the opening of luxury  5* hotels becoming the norm, sleek design, the best materials and impeccable service. A hotel lobby is a space of imagination and theatre and somewhere we can go to experience life from a very different perspective.

The most famous hotel florist is Jeff Leatham who provides the most incredible and extravagant installations for the Four Seasons, George V in Paris. With a reputed budget in excess of £1,000,000 he has the extraordinary luxury of setting the ultimate bench mark and, if you find yourself at a lose end in Paris you must visit the hotel for a look around.

Coming back to earth, for this feature I wanted to speak to both the florist and the hotel and give an impartial view of how both parties can approach their collaboration. I have asked experts in their field to contribute in making this feature relevant, to take a look at how the industry has developed over the last two decades and highlight the amazing work of 3 talented London based florists who are decorating hotels daily.

Interview with a game changer!

Stephen Woodhams opened his first shop in 1992 and became known for his impressive decorations and installations of the newly opened One Aldwych in 1998. It was during his tenure as hotel florist to One Aldwych that he was part of the movement that changed the perception of hotel flowers and what they could do for a space.

one aldwych hotel with Stephen wood hams for petal to the metal blog

Stephen Woodhams installation at One Aldwych

Stephen heads up Stephen Woodhams Design which is an award winning intergrated design and consultancy service. Importantly for this feature he also works as a consultant to numerous 5* hotels, travelling internationally and helping guide them through the process of best presenting their hotels.

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Stephen Woodhams at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

And so with this rich experience and unique perspective on the industry Stephen was the obvious choice for an interview.

PTTM – Firstly if you could good briefly tell us a little bit about what it is you do now?

SW – Stephen Woodhams Design is a landscape design consultancy and we create beautiful outdoor spaces that are functional and workable for the families living with them. The work i do is so varied with lots of interesting urban gardens and rooftop spaces to a quintessential country garden, I then have clients in Ibiza and work on landscaping projects throughout Asia. Part of my work I act as a consultant to a number of hotel’s and help them develop and design a landscape that works for them.

PTTM – And flowers are part of that landscaping

SW – Very much so, I recently worked with a Hotel in Asia to create a landscape that was consistent inside with the gardens outside. Flowers and their design are very much a part of this process.

PTTM – So what makes a good Hotel Florist?

SW – I suppose ultimately a good florist will have an appreciation for the Hotel, its location, architecture and surroundings. It is so important that the flowers represent the city and culture they are surrounded by, when a guest walks into the lobby to check in after a long flight they should have a sense of where they are. Also fragrance, scent is so evocative and where possible its always great to include within the displays.

PTTM – How do you think the marketplace has changed since you opended at One Aldwych.

SW – I think people are so much more aware of flower design these days, and a greater appreciation for their ability to help create a brand identity. As the market has opened up it has meant that there is much less of a battle to convince hoteliers to make flowers an important part of the front of house experience.

PTTM – OK so what advice would you offer to a Hotel considering taking on a florist.

SW – No1. Give a good brief, as much detail as is possible and also understand the costs involved in the service so that you can put together a realistic and workable budget.

Give the florist as much creative freedom possible and allow them to use the budget creatively, holding back with plants for a few weeks in order to go overboard for Easter or Valentines day.

Look for passion and for someone who cares.

Finally I would recommend the hotel provides one night stay for each florist to experience the hotel from the inside. All of my team at One Aldwych stayed at the hotel and it was a really powerful exercise for them to understand how the hotel works and what the customer actually experiences, and as such what the florists part in that experience actually is.

PTTM – Thats a great piece of advice, so flipped round the other way what would you advise the florist?

SW – Well for any florist a Hotel is a great opportunity to showcase your work and get exposure to lots of potential new clients, so don’t be greedy, be fair and where possible give a little extra by going the extra mile.

I would recommend building a close relationship with the Marketing and PR team, they will be appreciative of your willingness to assist them in creating special events or simply making their life a little easier.

In short, see the bigger picture, put the hours in and work hard!

PTTM – And finally if money or travel were no object please would you recommend 3 Hotels we should check out for great floristry and landscaping?

SW –  The Arts Hotel, Barcelona. A stunning hotel in a fantastic location and really wonderful flowers throughout. Check out this great video from  the florist Donna Stain talking about her inspiration. Aman resorts, a beautiful example of less being more. Finally I would have to say that for anyone in London to just visit any of the top hotel representing some of the finest florists producing outstanding design.

Stephen Woodhams new book Garden Design Solutions – Ideas for outdoor spaces is available now. Click here to buy direct from Stephens website.Garden-Design-Solutions

The very best London has to offer

OK so with Stephen’s advice in mind I have highlighted 3 florists who collectively spearhead the London scene, each with a very different style of work but all three making the very best of their respective Hotels.

Paul Thomas Flowers at The Ritz London

Paul Thomas

Paul Thomas decorating the Palm Court at The Ritz

Hotel Brief – I have worked as the hotel florist to The Ritz since 2004 and we were brought on board to re introduce the art of floristry and design which is in keeping with the Ritz’s brand identity.

Inspiration – Cesar Ritz designed the hotel blending Edwardian style with the decadence of Baroque design. The Ritz Hotel is steeped in history and tradition and as the florist it is our job to maintain and embellish what is already in place. I describe what we do there as very much english classic, using impressive giant pedestals and urns filled with a rich collection of the best flowers from each season. It isn’t the sort of hotel where gimmicks or contemporary work, guests and visitors to the hotel are looking to be transported into the world of the Ritz, and we work hard to play our part in that magic.

Operation – The main installation takes place in the early hours of Tuesday morning with replacement decorations on a Friday morning in the main lobby and Long Gallery. Our team are onsite daily maintaining all the displays which guests seem to really enjoy.

Top tips – As hotel’s are a seven day operations its always best to allow budget to change at least some of the vases twice a week so as to increase the variety of flowers available. This allows for using beautiful all time favourite flowers like Peonies, roses and sweet peas. Top tip for florists, to keep water clear pop in a water sterilising tablet. This will keep water in clear vases looking crystal clear for a week.

www.paulthomasflowers.co.uk 

Bloomsbury Flowers for Firmdale Hotel Group (including Soho, Covent Garden and Haymarket Hotels)

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Mark & Stephen of Bloomsbury Flowers at the Haymarket Hotel

Hotel Brief – We started working for the Firmdale group 15 years ago, our brief was fairly straightforward in that the arrangements had to work cohesively with the hotel interiors rather than big, in your face decorations.

Inspiration – We have a unique relationship with the hotel designer, Kit Kemp, which means we are involved throughout the design process and our work is very much a part of her overall vision. There are 8 hotels in the group now and each one has it’s own look, style and personality which for a florist keeps the designs fresh and interesting.

Operation – 8 hotels in central London are a challenge! We tend to install over Mondays and Tuesdays and then maintain and check up at the end of the working week. Firmdale want their hotels to be organic and our role in that is relevant in that our work there is a part of the day to day life of a busy hotel which visitors and guests enjoy seeing.

Top tips – For a Hotel looking for a florist id ask that they give the florist their time to walk the course with them and listen to their suggestions, be open minded and of course realistic about budget. For a florist I would say be prepared to have your work scrutinised by lots of different people, build a strong working relationship with housekeeping as it is they who will have to deal with any problems on a daily basis.

www.bloomsburyflowers.co.uk

McQueens – Claridges, The Connaught, The Berkeley, Rosewood London and The Grove.

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A McQueens installation at Claridges

Hotel Brief – We provide the flowers for a number of 5* hotels and each Hotel has a signature look, our brief across each of them is to create visual impact, change with the seasons and keep each of the installations interesting throughout the year.

Inspiration – Primarily we look at the interior design and architecture of the hotel and from this we carefully select vases and props that will work well with each design. The atmosphere for each hotel is so important and we work hard to make sure that our flowers are in keeping with the desired welcome for guests of the hotel.

Operation – Hotels are in action 24/7, some like the theatre of having a florist work on site during ‘normal’ hours but all the heavy duty installation work must be completed by 7am.

Top tips – The most important element for a successful hotel contract is good relationships with the management team, communication is key.

www.mcqueens.co.uk

Inspiration

Thank you to everyone who helped contribute to this feature, Im so grateful to have had the opportunity to speak with such a group of experienced and talented people.

I hope that you felt inspired to take a look at any of the hotels mentioned or to pay closer attention to a hotel closer to home, perhaps point them towards this blog if they need a little guidance or nudge in the right direction!

I hope one day to be sharing images and tales from my very own hotel contract! Until next time.

Much love

Paul X