Incredible honour for Scottish hotel general manager

A Scottish hotel’s general manager has been invited to join a very select group.

Meldrum House Country Hotel’s Peter Walker, from Aberdeenshire, has been selected to join one of the hospitality industry’s most exclusive and prestigious national bodies and become a Master Innholder.

The Master Innholders is limited to the country’s top hoteliers and includes General Managers of some of the UK and Europe’s most prestigious properties.

Entry is by strict invitation only and entrants must submit a 1,500-word paper, get shortlisted by a panel of 12 fellow Master Innholders which is then followed by a rigorous interview with industry heavyweights.

Peter, who is aged 37, is one of the youngest General Managers to ever be awarded the accolade which also entitles him to Freedom of the City of London.

There are only a handful of Master Innholders in Scotland and this year Peter was the only Scot to be handed the title. Going forward he will need to demonstrate his commitment to promoting the hospitality industry locally and nationally.

Meldrum House Hotel

A delighted Peter said: ‘I am proud to have achieved this at a pivotal point in my career. I have been passionate about the hospitality industry since I was at school and have always enjoyed promoting the virtues of working in this industry to university undergraduates and school pupils.

‘I am very lucky to have the backing of the directors at Meldrum House and also want to thank my wife Laura for all the support she has given me throughout my career.’

In November, Peter was awarded the Regional Ambassador title at the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards. He has previously been featured in Scottish Business News Network’s 40 Under 40 list.

The Innholders received their first charter, setting out their rights and privileges, from Henry VIII in 1514. The organisation is renowned for educating, setting standards, generating industry debates and identifying key trends. Walker will be inducted into the 500-year-old Worshipful Company of Innholders in June.