Keys to the Community
In a week that saw fractious displays from grown-ups inside the Commons as parliament was dealt a five-week suspension, let’s explore a house that seems to be doing a better job at keeping its residents happy.
‘Good Hotel’ is an accommodation that’s harbouring goodwill as well as good people. It’s made impressive steps towards solving social issues long before any -far-fetched Halloween deadline. Its door is knocked on, flung open and at its threshold, it offers much more than sympathy sweets in a plastic pumpkin.
This former Dutch Detention Centre now represents the Good Hotel, a place that’s re-defining traditional business models by combining “doing business with doing good”.
It’s now in the third year of its five year residency, having been shipped over from Amsterdam. And shipped really is the appropriate word here — it’s a floating hotel now occupying the lapping waters of the London Docklands. But impressive aquatic characteristics aside, there’s something else intriguing about this hotel — it’s staff. It offers jobs to the long-term unemployed from the local borough of Newham, training them in all aspects of the business, with a recruitment policy “based on personality, not CV”. The Hotel provides training, a three-month contract and the possibility of a career in hospitality and re-integration into society. A company that is perfectly aligned with its mission statement and proving it — “premium hospitality with a cause”.
And in a post-Brexit world, it feels hugely important. The reality is that a sense of community has arguably never felt more exposed. The notion of democratic harmony has been increasingly dispelled over the last few years with the nation split in two.
It’s, therefore, encouraging to see an institution that is so visibly promoting inclusivity and placing the community at the beating heart of its operation.
Everything is rooted in the community — materials, ingredients and labour are all sourced locally as well as the charities the Hotel works with. They partner with another hotel in the area, “Sunborn London”, which is five minutes away and also takes on those looking to build careers in hospitality.
Another organisation Good Hotel supports is ‘Ninos de Guatemala’ which is directly contributed towards via the hotel’s “Book Direct” system. It’s an exception to their emphasis on the local community but it represents support of a group committed to changing lives. For every booking made online, the hotel donates £5 to their non-profit partners, providing help to the families and children of Guatemala.
Good Hotel falls into the category of ‘Social Responsibility Hotels’, meaning like its friends at Ninos de Guatemala, it’s also run on a not-for-profit basis. The revenue generated from the Hotel is always placed into charitable endeavours and programmes that are aiding the local community. As a result, everyone’s happy — definitely happier than those who are currently checked into their Westminster residence. The Boris Johnson suite isn’t quite matching up to its online pictures. Just ask Amber Rudd — she’s already checked out.
Article first published on OPX Medium