One of the Granite City’s leading hotels has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of two of the North-east industry’s most respected figures.
Macdonald Norwood Hall Hotel, Aberdeen’s country house in the city, has welcomed Diane Paterson as director of sales and Caroline Thomas as standards and training manager to help drive the business forward.
With 30 years’ hospitality experience covering Scotland and the North-east of England, Diane will combine her role at Macdonald Norwood Hall with sister venue Macdonald Pittodrie House, near Inverurie, and will be responsible for growing the commercial offering at both hotels, including conference, meeting and room bookings.
Diane previously enjoyed 18 years at Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, including supporting the launch of the company in the early 1990s, before moving to Skene House. Most recently, she was sales manager for Stewart Milne Group in Aberdeen.
She said: “I am extremely pleased to return to Macdonald Hotels & Resorts and I’m thankful to the company’s founders, Mr Donald Macdonald and Mr Gerry Smith, for this opportunity.
“Both Macdonald Norwood Hall and Macdonald Pittodrie House remain among the top destinations for business and leisure guests here in the North-east and I am genuinely excited about what the future holds for each hotel, the staff and, of course, our guests.”
Caroline Thomas, meanwhile, possesses 40 years’ experience in catering and hotel management, having formerly held senior positions for several independent, family-run establishments.
This has included management roles at Simpsons on the city’s Queen’s Road, the Tor-Na-Coille Hotel in Banchory and, most recently, The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa.
She said: “We are extremely fortunate to work in one of Aberdeen’s finest hotels at Macdonald Norwood Hall, therefore my role will concentrate on enhancing the product that’s already here.
“Having worked for other family-oriented businesses, led by characters such as Ricky Simpson and Stewart Spence – who were paramount in instilling high standards and training in my career, I’m looking forward to the challenge of working closely with the team already in place at Macdonald Norwood Hall to help raise the offering to the next level.”
Built in 1881 on the site of the 15th century Pitfodels Castle, Macdonald Norwood Hall offers 73 luxury bedrooms surrounded by breathtaking Scottish scenery.
Located within easy reach of Aberdeen city centre, the hotel boasts state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities and is perfect for business and leisure guests with family events, including weddings, catered for all year round.
In 2015, Macdonald Norwood Hall celebrated a hat-trick of prestigious honours as part of the Scottish Hotel Awards. The venue was named conference hotel of the year and wedding hotel of the year, while Kenny McMillan won executive chef of the year.