In conversation with PJ Kenny, Regional General Manager London, Lore Group (Exclusive Interview)

What inspired you to pursue a career in hospitality? What inspires you in your everyday job?

My family was in hospitality, so I grew up living and breathing the industry. I’ve always been fascinated by the energy of great hotels – the way they can bring people together, spark new ideas, and create moments guests remember long after they’ve checked out. Hospitality gives you the privilege of making someone’s day better, sometimes in ways they didn’t expect.

What keeps me inspired is our team – watching them bring their personality to their work and working together to deliver a memorable guest experience – whether that’s a perfectly timed cocktail recommendation or going the extra mile to solve a guest request. Human connections are what it’s always been about for me.

How is Sea Containers London Hotel positioned in London’s five-star hotel sector? Tell us more about the USPs and the comp set.

Sea Containers London sits in a real sweet spot between luxury and lifestyle. We’re not stuffy and our service is professional yet relaxed. We want our guests to feel at home from the moment they step aboard – everyone is welcome.

Our location on the South Bank, beside the River Thames, means we can offer some of the best views in London, and our design – in this incredible brutalist building – is inspired by the glamour of 1920s transatlantic travel – which is something unique in the London market. From the moment you walk in, you feel like you’ve stepped aboard a luxury cruise liner, without leaving the city.

We’re also lucky to have an in-house design team, led by Jacu Strauss, who place real emphasis on exploration and experimentation, uncovering and telling the stories of our hotels. Our newly launched Cabin Suites are the perfect example of this.

What is the guest profile? Which are the key feed markets?

We welcome a real mix. Domestic travellers, and international leisure travellers – especially from the US and Europe – love us for our South Bank location, spacious rooms and design. On the corporate side, we host creative, tech and media clients drawn to our event spaces and atmosphere. We also welcome a lot of families and are now proudly positioned as one of London’s leading family hotels, thanks to our Little Explorer programme and amenities for children. The leadership team have lived experience of family travel and understand well that happy children means happy parents.

To what extent do you also target locals (non-resident guests)?

Massively – our locals are just as important as our hotel guests. Our bars, restaurants, and wellness spa are destinations in their own right, and we’ve built strong ties with the South Bank community. Whether it’s someone popping in for coffee in the Den, celebrating a special occasion in 12th Knot, or enjoying a treatment at agua Spa, we want locals to see us as their home too. We often give them priority access to special events – New Year’s Eve being a big one – and alongside our group wide loyalty programme Lore DISCOVERY, we’ve created a local loyalty programme, the Anchor Club, which gives local residents exclusive perks and discounts in our outlets throughout the year.

Tell us more about the F&B and wellness offerings of the hotel.

We’ve got four key pillars. Sea Containers Restaurant with our popular riverside terrace is relaxed yet refined, we focus on simple, seasonal dishes, and just delivering really great service. It’s the kind of restaurant where you can bring your date, your friends or your family – there’s something for everyone. 12th Knot, our rooftop bar, is the go-to for champagne, cocktails, live DJs, and great views of the Thames. Lyaness, is our award-winning bar from Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr Lyan) and his team, and offers an innovative cocktail experience that constantly reinvents itself. And then there’s our spa and wellness hub, agua London, where we offer personalised treatments and therapies for guests and locals – it’s a real sanctuary on the South Bank, calm and inclusive.

Is there a recipe to achieve and maintain desirability?

For me, it’s a blend of consistency, personality, and innovation. Guests expect a high standard every time, but they also want to be surprised – and crucially, we want to delight them, it’s in our DNA. That means keeping things fresh – from new touches in-room to seasonal menus and cultural collaborations – while making sure our service always feels genuine and personal, which is something the team here do so well.

What is your approach to ensuring a consistently high customer service? How do you motivate your team?

It starts with culture. We hire people who genuinely care and then give them the tools and trust to do their best work. I believe in empowering the team to make decisions for the benefit of the guest, and the business, without getting caught up in red tape. Motivation comes from recognition, development opportunities, and creating an environment where people feel part of something bigger than themselves – we all need to feel proud and motivated when we come to work.

Luxury hotels in the most diverse destinations are still challenged by staffing. What has been your strategy to recruit the right talent and ensure the lowest possible staff turnover?

We recruit for attitude as much as experience. Skills can be taught; genuine warmth and curiosity can’t. We also focus on internal growth – developing our people and promoting from within where possible. Retention comes from listening, providing clear career paths, and respecting work-life balance.

How important is it to maintain a balance between service and product?

Crucial. You can have the most beautifully designed room or the best cocktail menu in London, but if the service doesn’t match, guests won’t come back. On the flip side, incredible service can elevate even the simplest offering. We aim for both to work in harmony – the physical space impresses, and the people make it unforgettable.

You recently added new suites. Tell us more.

Yes – we introduced four beautifully designed Cabin Suites this spring, designed by our talented Creative Director, Jacu Strauss. Totally unique to the London market, each suite is a tribute to a different design movement – a one-of-a-kind portal to an era of golden-age travel.

We have the Edwardian Cabin Suite, a tribute to grandeur and elegance; Art Deco which is a real homage to refined 1920s design; Mid-Century which captures the essence of modernist design so well, and then the fabulous Dynasty Cabin Suite, which must be seen to be believed – think 80s excess, where more is more! The Cabin Suites are our most special suites, they offer a truly unique and immersive experience, with curated complimentary amenities and lots of unique touches and surprises.

What novelties shall we be anticipating for the rest of 2025?

We’ve got exciting plans in the pipeline in terms of the development of our spaces – and for the remainder of 2025 we’re working on meaningful collaborations with partners across the hotel, F&B and wellness spaces. We’re the official hotel partner for the BFI London Film Festival – an event which always brings great energy to Sea Containers London. The team are busy finalising our festive plans and creative cultural programming for the remainder of the year, as well as adding some additions to the spa – so expect even more reasons to visit us! You’re welcome whether you’re checking in for the night or just dropping by for a treatment, or drink with a view.

More from LEADERS

---