Champneys Eastwell Manor Hotel and Wellness Spa has appointed Carl Graham, Estates Manager, as its Access Champion, following the hotel and wellness spa’s recent membership of Accessible Hospitality Alliance (aha).
The appointment adds an important estates and facilities perspective to aha’s growing Access Champions community and reflects the increasing movement of accessibility from intent into commercial practice.
Set within the Kent countryside, Champneys Eastwell Manor Hotel and Wellness Spa combines a historic hotel estate, spa and wellness facilities, dining, events, weddings, grounds and supporting infrastructure. That breadth makes accessibility an estate-wide consideration, shaped by buildings, services, guest movement, safety, maintenance and investment.
Graham’s role places him close to many of those decisions. As Estates Manager, he is responsible for the safe, efficient and compliant operation of the property, including maintenance, statutory compliance, contractor management, risk management, environmental standards, asset maintenance and capital project delivery.
Carl Graham, Estates Manager, Champneys Eastwell Manor Hotel and Wellness Spa, said: “I’m incredibly proud to be nominated as an Access Champion for Champneys Eastwell Manor Hotel & Spa. Accessibility isn’t just about ramps and lifts, it’s about dignity, independence, and ensuring every guest can enjoy the same exceptional experience, regardless of ability.
“Open every door, remove every wall, because great hospitality should welcome all.
“This nomination means so much because it reflects a purpose I’m deeply passionate about. Every improvement we make, every barrier we remove, and every conversation we have brings us one step closer to creating a hospitality industry where accessibility is the standard, not the exception. I’m committed to continuing this journey, striving to equalise disability in hospitality and helping to create environments where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and able to enjoy everything our industry has to offer.”
Graham’s quote is personal, but it also speaks to a wider operational shift. Across aha operator members, Access Champion appointments are now being taken up by people with responsibility for guest experience, buildings, sustainability, events, front office, concierge, senior leadership and estate management.
That range matters. It shows accessibility being carried by people who influence how hospitality is planned, delivered and improved.
The appointment also reflects the widening reach of aha operator membership. From Cornwall to Scotland, via Bournemouth, Eastbourne, North Wales, the Yorkshire Dales, Newcastle, London and many other locations, aha members now represent a broad hospitality map.
That map includes caravans, castles, skyscrapers, cottages, country estates and coastal luxury properties. The breadth of setting reinforces a central point: accessible hospitality is not confined to one type of business, building or destination.
Charlotte Evans, Group Partnerships Director, Accessible Hospitality Alliance, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Carl Graham as Access Champion for Champneys Eastwell Manor Hotel and Wellness Spa. His appointment reflects the growing leadership role accessibility is playing across hospitality operations, and his commitment to creating welcoming, inclusive environments demonstrates how meaningful change happens when accessibility is embedded into everyday decision-making and guest experience.”
As an Access Champion, Graham will join peers from other aha operator members within The Access Champions Collective, the operator-led peer group created to support open discussion, shared learning and practical progress between hospitality businesses.
His contribution will be particularly valuable because estates and facilities decisions often determine whether accessibility is built in early or addressed later. Refurbishment programmes, infrastructure upgrades, capital investment, maintenance planning and contractor work all shape the guest and colleague experience.
For The Access Champions Collective, that perspective strengthens the group’s practical value. Historic properties, spa environments, grounds, event spaces and supporting infrastructure all bring different challenges. Graham’s experience adds a voice grounded in the realities of managing complex hospitality estates.
Accessible Hospitality Alliance brings hospitality operators, people with lived experience of barriers to hospitality, and service partners together to help make hospitality more accessible for guests, colleagues and communities.
Commercial reality exposed: accessibility is strategic investment, not just compliance
