Pan Pacific London’s Anne Golden Wins Hotelier of the Year 2026

By Rebecca Stone

Anne Golden, general manager of Pan Pacific London, led its opening at 9% occupancy in 2021; the 237-bedroom hotel has since run at almost full capacity for the past six months.

That swing anchors the commercial achievement behind Golden’s Hotelier of the Year 2026 award. The general manager received the award at a Savoy lunch on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, from Greg Harvey, out of home sales controller at sponsor Taylors of Harrogate, and The Caterer editor James Stagg.

What did the judges recognize?

A judging panel composed of former Hotelier of the Year winners and industry experts recognized Golden for exceptional commercial success and a nurturing, empathetic management style. The panel called her a “passionate and visionary” manager who “truly epitomises the very best of our industry.”

The judges also said Golden had set benchmarks in operations, culture and sustainability. They called her an inspirational colleague who “exemplifies the very best of modern hospitality leadership,” and an incredibly deserving recipient.

Golden led the opening of Pan Pacific’s first European hotel, welcoming its first guests to the City of London in 2021. The 237-bedroom property launched as Covid-19 had decimated visitor numbers to the capital.

It opened with 9% occupancy and more staff than guests, leaving the team to manage labor against very few occupied rooms. Rather than pause, the team took a “forensic approach” to every detail.

Within three months, Forbes Travel Guide awarded the hotel five stars. It later won Best Hotel in Europe in the Ultratravel Reader’s Survey in both 2025 and 2026.

Other recognition included Hotel of the Year – Group at the 2023 Cateys and a Michelin key award. Pan Pacific London also received the Best Employer Award at the 2026 Cateys for the inclusive, supportive workplace Golden built.

The occupancy figures provide the announcement’s clearest measurable operating evidence; it gives no room rate, revenue, labor-cost or margin data. The reported swing runs from 9% occupancy at launch to almost full capacity during the latest six-month period.

How did Golden change the culture?

Golden rejected what she saw as the expected norms of a hospitality career. She said:

“I have an aversion to hierarchy. I don’t like unfairness. I always insist everyone calls me Anne and I try to flatten the structure so that everybody feels comfortable within it.”

Her approach put staff comfort at the center of the structure. She began at London’s Strand Palace hotel as a receptionist and worked upward through the industry, an experience she credits with shaping her determination to do things differently.

Golden said:

“I think that learning the hard way, starting at the very bottom and working my way up, has been really good for me. It showed me all the different things that can go wrong at each level and how we can try and help people.”

She called her own record one with “so much to learn,” while crediting the amazing community of hotels and hoteliers in the capital. The judges were less restrained.

Why did hotel leaders support her?

Sally Beck, deputy managing director at the Landmark Collection, called Golden the most inclusive and progressive servant leader she had encountered, citing her genuineness, thoughtfulness, bravery and kindness. Beck said Golden lifts people wherever she goes, remembers her roots, remains a person and friend, and deserves the 2026 honor.

Daniel Pedreschi, executive vice president of UK operations for PPHE Hotel Group, said Golden set new benchmarks for guest satisfaction and operational performance. He credited her nurturing of talent, inclusive workplace and sustainable business practices with elevating the hotel and inspiring positive industry change.

Jonathan Raggett, chief executive of Red Carnation Hotels, said her stewardship delivered exceptional commercial success, world-class guest experiences and a culture placing people at its heart. He linked that record to her rise from frontline hospitality professional, describing it as evidence of resilience, humility and excellence.

Who joined the celebration?

The lunch was hosted by 2025 winner Franck Arnold, group managing director at the Savoy, where more than 70 guests gathered for the presentation and celebratory meal.

Some 15 former Hotelier of the Year winners attended:

• Gareth Banner (2024)
• Conor O’Leary (2023)
• Sally Beck (2019)
• Danny Pecorelli (2014)
• Jonathan Raggett (2009)
• Robin Hutson (2003)
• Gordon Campbell Gray (2002)

Guests received a three-course menu:

• Starter: Cornish scallop Veronique with Oscietra caviar.
• Main: Rossini beef Wellington with brown butter potato, glazed heritage carrots and bordelaise sauce.
• Dessert: Citrus opera with lemon joconde, citrus confit and mandarine cremeux.

What did the sponsor say?

Greg Harvey, out of home sales controller at Taylors of Harrogate, said the company was proud to sponsor Hotelier of the Year for a third consecutive year. He called recognition by fellow hoteliers a privilege grounded in a thoughtful selection process and the tradition of a previous winner hosting the lunch.

Harvey said the award remained cherished because it honored an individual’s passion, dedication and impact on the industry, while acknowledging Taylors’ small role in recognizing exceptional people.

For the hotel, the next test is sustaining near-full occupancy without losing the employee culture behind its 2026 Best Employer Award. Recognition is settled. Occupancy must be sustained.