Lee and I took over Springwood Guest House in August 2007. Prior to that I had been working as a Probation Officer in Croydon for 10 years and Lee had been a stamp dealer. I had experience in catering and a Hotel Management qualification from a previous career and Lee had worked with his son in their Hotel in Eastbourne; so together we just about made up a competent pair. Since then we have drawn on our previous experience and learnt more about what makes a positive experience for Gatwick travellers requiring accommodation and holiday parking.

Many of our guests have been coming to Springwood for years. It is lovely to see return guests many of whom take a real interest in the improvements we have made since they last visited. So many of our guests kindly recommend us to their friends and family and we have three generations of some families staying at Springwood when they are flying from Gatwick

I loved the architecture of the house and its original features when I first saw it. However, the hotel had not been cherished by the previous owners. They knew they didn’t really like the life so hadn’t invested in the house or its furnishings. So this was a chance for me to ‘put my stamp’ on Springwood. The hotel now has an Art Deco and Arts and Crafts theme which makes it unique among other accommodation providers around Gatwick. It has been a journey which has been hard work but great fun and continues, as I am always thinking about and planning  improvements. Naturally, this sometimes makes Lee nervous about the bank account! But I am a seasoned auction bidder for original Art Deco pieces and he is as pleased as I am with the interest it generates from our guests.