Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has multiple shows under his belt, from MasterChef to Kitchen Nightmares, to the F-Word. Now we know that he has experience in the kitchen, and with the use of the f-word. What about his show Hotel Hell? Does he have experience with hotels? Does Gordon Ramsay own a hotel?
Yes – Gordon Ramsay owns a small hotel overlooking Regents Park in London, called York & Albany. York & Albany opened its doors in 2008 and offers a hotel, restaurant, and a bar and deli.
Ramsay actually has a degree in Hotel Management, so he has been formally taught about owning and operating a hotel, as well as restaurants. Pretty sure this qualifies him for Hotel Hell.
Hotel Hell
Similar to his previous show Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon Ramsay created a series for Fox Television in America, called Hotel Hell. This series looked to reverse the misfortune of struggling lodging establishments, such as hotels and Bed and Breakfasts. It ran for three seasons between 2012 and 2016.
After opening York & Albany, Ramsay said that he would ensure he got that one right before moving on to open another. I’m pretty sure this show gave him plenty of ideas of what not to accomplish with his own establishment.
History of Hotels
Hotels as we know them today, didn’t come about until the 18th century. The first publicly held hotel was opened in New York in 1792. However, it was the Tremont House in Boston that became the first hotel in the present sense of the term.
Hospitality began way before the first hotels appeared, and can be traced back to ancient Greek and Roman culture. Back then there were lodgings that were usually attached to the baths, and it was mainly rich politicians who were traveling that stayed there.
During the Middle Ages, monasteries and abbeys opened their doors to all travelers, and not just the rich, providing them with a bed and supper. At the same time inns, not as we know them, started opening up around Europe and in the 17th century, their popularity rose.
Then, in the 18th century, hotels started to take over and by 1983, there was a huge hotel real estate boom. Nowadays there are several different types of lodgings and you can find them all over the place.
The York & Albany
Just because the York & Albany is owned by Gordon Ramsay, doesn’t mean it isn’t without its own problems. Or, maybe because it is owned by him there was drama surrounding it.
In 2015 there were plenty of complaints about the hotel, and many people didn’t hold back, giving Ramsay a bit of a taste of his own medicine. Many complained the rooms were in need of repair and cleaning, there were mixed reviews on the food, and it ranked below the halfway mark for all London hotels.
By 2017, the problems continued for Ramsay and the York & Albany. This time though, the problem was debt. And still the same complaints as before, with the hotel dropping 100 places in the rankings. There were several reasons behind the money woes, and a spokesperson stated that things were on an upswing.
By 2020 the hotel is still going strong, and appears to have gained in popularity with an average of 4 out of 5 stars across all of the review websites. One of his daughters recently stayed there, making a good impression.
I was unable to find a current ranking out of all of the hotels in London, but I’m pretty sure it started to climb the ladder instead of continuing its fall.
Other Hotels
As mentioned previously, Ramsay had stated that he wouldn’t open another hotel until he got everything right with the York & Albany. While things are looking up for the hotel, with Ramsay even opening up a pizza place right next door, there currently are no other hotels, and while there were rumors he might start one in Oxford, there’s been no confirmation.