Robin Hutson (born 1957) is a British hotelier, listed by ''

The Caterer ''The Caterer'' is a weekly UK business magazine for hospitality professionals. It covers all areas of the hospitality industry (including restaurants, hotels, foodservice, pubs and bars) providing news, analysis and features about senior industry ...

'' in 2019 as the UK's second most powerful hotelier.

Early life

At the age of 14, his parents decided that he should attend a grammar school in Surrey, rather than London. He did not do well at school and left without attending sixth form. He went on to study hotel and catering operations at Brooklands College in Weybridge, earning an OND.

Career

Hutson started his career as a management trainee with The Savoy Hotel Company, starting at

Claridge's Claridge's is a 5-star hotel at the corner of Brook Street and Davies Street in Mayfair, London. It has long-standing connections with royalty that have led to it sometimes being referred to as an "annexe to Buckingham Palace". Claridge's Hote ...

, as a waiter and then The Berkeley. He then moved to the

Hôtel de Crillon Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel () is a historic luxury hotel in Paris which opened in 1909 in a building dating to 1758. Located at the foot of the Champs-Élysées, the Crillon, along with the Hôtel de la Marine, is one of two identical st ...

in Paris, and after a spell at Elbow Beach in Bermuda was appointed general manager of

Chewton Glen Chewton Glen is a Hotel rating, five star hotel and spa located on the edge of the New Forest National Park on the South Coast of England. It is a member of the Relais & Châteaux association and is part of the Iconic Luxury Hotels group, which i ...

at 28 years old. In 1994, Hutson co-founded the

Hotel du Vin Hotel du Vin is a luxury boutique hotel chain that has nineteen hotels throughout the United Kingdom, co-founded by Gerard Basset and Robin Hutson. History The hotel chain was founded in Winchester in 1994 by Gerard Basset and Robin Hutson, wh ...

chain with

Gerard Basset Gerard Francis Claude Basset OBE, MS, MW, MBA, OIV MSc (7 March 1957 – 16 January 2019) was the owner of Hotel TerraVina, a New Forest Hotel near Southampton in Hampshire, United Kingdom. At the time of his death, he was the only person in ...

. In 2004, they sold the company for £66 million. He was chairman of the

Soho House Soho House is a museum run by Birmingham Museums Trust, celebrating Matthew Boulton's life, his partnership with James Watt, his membership of the Lunar Society of Birmingham and his contribution to the Midlands Enlightenment and the Indu ...

Group until 2009. Since 2009, Hutson has worked closely with chemicals billionaire

Jim Ratcliffe Sir James Arthur Ratcliffe (born 18 October 1952) is an English billionaire, chemical engineer and businessman. Ratcliffe is the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Ineos chemicals group, which he founded in 1998 and of which he s ...

on several projects, and Ratcliffe spent £40 million on the Lime Wood hotel in Hampshire, which Hutson runs. They met because their children were at school together. Home Grown Hotels is an equal shares partnership between Hutson, his management team and Ratcliffe. Hutson is CEO and chairman of Lime Wood Group and of Home Grown Hotels The winner of numerous industry awards including Hotelier of the Year 2003, two industry Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2016 and 2020. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business from Solent University. He is on the Board of Governors for The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and an active supporter of Action Against Hunger. he is also a regular contributor to The Caterer magazine and campaigner for greater representation in Government for the hospitality sector. Hutson was appointed

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(OBE) in the

2022 New Year Honours The 2022 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebrations ...

for services to the hospitality industry and philanthropy.

Personal life

Hutson is married to Judy, a former occupational therapist, they have two sons, and live in

Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...

, Hampshire. He enjoys fishing, wine and has completed many cross-continental motorcycle trips.

References

British hoteliers Living people Businesspeople from Winchester Officers of the Order of the British Empire 1957 births {{UK-business-bio-stub