Channel 4 has commissioned Fred’s Ultimate Hotels, a new four-part series following hospitality expert Fred Sirieix as he checks into some of the world’s most extraordinary hotels before stepping behind the scenes to work alongside their staff. The series will take Sirieix to The Royal Mansour in Marrakesh, the Royal Madikwe safari lodge in South Africa, Raffles Hotel in Singapore and Les Barmes de l’Ours in the French Alps. At each location, he will first experience the hotel as a guest before swapping luxury for a staff uniform and joining the teams responsible for delivering its service. He is certainly putting in a shift, then.
Sirieix will assess each hotel using his own Five Fs: First Impressions, Facilities, Flawless Service, Fine Details and Feeling. Every episode will also end with him presenting a Hospitality Hero Award to one member of staff whose work has stood out during his stay.
Speaking about the new series, Sirieix said the real secret behind a memorable hotel is always its people, from the welcome guests receive to the care and attention shown by the wider team. “For me it’s always about the people,” he said. “The welcome, the attention to detail and the passion of the staff are what turn a wonderful hotel into an unforgettable experience.”
Channel 4 Senior Commissioning Editor Clemency Green described the series as a mix of escapism and discovery, adding that it should appeal to both armchair travellers and viewers dreaming of their next stay.
Fred’s Ultimate Hotels is produced by Belfast-based Waddell Media, with Paula Campion as series producer, Luke Campbell directing and Jannine Waddell executive producing. The series is sponsored by Tripadvisor.
At CultureCues, we always enjoy a good travel show, and the locations in Fred’s Ultimate Hotels look incredible. However, it is the decision to focus on the staff behind each stay that gives the series something beyond the usual luxury travel format. We are ready to check in and check it out.
A release date for Fred’s Ultimate Hotels has not yet been announced.
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