By Angela Green
Hotel News is sponsored by Guestline
Dean Saunders has joined Dunston Hall Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort as the new General Manager. With an impressive 33 years of experience in hospitality and leisure, Saunders started his career as a teenage lifeguard at Gunton Hall. He then worked for two years at a summer camp in Texas, USA, before returning to the UK.
Saunders worked in management positions for Haven Holidays, Kingswood Residential and Outdoor Activity Centre’s and Premier Inn, before returning to Warner Hotels within senior management, which included two Hotel openings at Studley Castle, Warwickshire and Heythrop Park, near the Cotswolds.
Dunston Hall Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort is an Elizabethan-style country retreat within the rural setting of Norfolk County. The resort comprises 166 bedrooms, a health club with a swimming room & spa, a brasserie-style restaurant & bar, a garden terrace, an 18-hole championship golf course and multiple spaces for weddings and special events.
Saunders expressed the want to implement a strategy to put Dunston Hall back front of mind with local residents and the wider Hotel sphere, saying: “My ambition is to get people talking about Dunston Hall as a great destination within East Anglia. All the foundations are here for this incredible hotel, with a bit of hard work and focus – my strategy revolves around making sure our teams and suppliers are engaged at every level, maximizing positive and successful experiences for every guest and visitor.”
Based in Great Yarmouth with his family, Saunders is passionate and committed to working with the local community, bringing in local suppliers alongside collaborating with more local partners and networks. “I’ve been familiar with Dunston for many years, so coming back to the area I grew up, the community here is incredibly close to my heart. I plan to re-engage with local networks, including associations, charities, and schools, ensuring Dunston Hall is placed back in the forefront for potential visitors and guests.”
With a focus initially on people and community, further plans exist to invest in refurbishments across the Hotel, including bedrooms, event, and conference spaces. This involves modernising facilities and improving digital media options.
Located in the heart of Norfolk, the resort is just 30-minutes away from the North Norfolk coast and 40-minutes from the Suffolk Coast, as well as within easy reach of the stunning Norfolk Broads and neighbouring Norwich.
First built in 1859, Dunston Hall Hotel has been the location for an RAF ordinance factory, a school for talented children, and a furniture storehouse. Today, many period features remain in the impressive Manor House.
Dunston Hall Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort is proudly part of The QHotels Collection, which consists of 19 hotels and resorts across the UK.
Hotel News is sponsored by Guestline
