Cateys 2025: Hotel of the Year – Group: Art’otel London Battersea

It’s not every day you hear of a hotel being described as “caring” in a business context, but this year’s Hotel of the Year – Group winner, Art’otel London Battersea, has earned that title with grace and glamour, inspiring judges with its truly innovative and exciting concept south of the Thames.

The 164-bedroom property launched in early 2023 as the UK’s first Art’otel and the only hotel within the famed Battersea Power Station development. The site contains two restaurants, including one from internationally acclaimed chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, four bars, a coffee shop, six meeting and events spaces, an infinity swimming pool, spa, treatment rooms and artists’ studio – all the resources needed to provide an exceptional luxury lifestyle experience.

But what really stood out for judges besides the glitzy rooftop movie nights and the property’s strong financial footing – demonstrated by the fact that the hotel achieved its highest average daily rate during the past year – was general manager Jennifer McCabe’s impeccable leadership. McCabe is driven by a sincere ambition to champion her people and is known to walk the building once a week with team members from every department as a refresher or as an induction.

Imaginative members of staff are encouraged to join the hotel’s Creators programme, where they discuss and execute projects that celebrate the arts, in keeping with the ethos of the Art’otel brand. There are also clear development pathways in place and a solid internal promotion pipeline. In 2024, there were 46 internal promotions, with 10 of the 11 opening heads of departments moving up the ranks within the London property or at group level, resulting in an outstanding head of department retention rate of 90%.

And it’s not just about promotions: Art’otel London Battersea has recognised the importance of investing in the likes of in-depth duty manager training courses, mental health first-aider certification, and emergency first-aid qualifications to ensure staff feel prepared in any situation at work.

While many London hotels have been vocal about the challenges to F&B in an increasingly saturated market, Art’otel London Battersea has managed to significantly increase covers and average spend over the past year, leading to impressive growth in F&B profitability that has beaten budgetary expectations.

And as much as the hotel reaps commercial rewards through its meticulous offering, which has impressed global brands including Heineken, L’Oreal and IWC Schaffhausen, it always engages in broader charitable and community projects to showcase true hospitality. For example, the hotel’s Tozi and Joia restaurants raised almost £4,000 for the Felix Project by adding a discretionary £1 to every bill, and the hotel also donated £11,000 worth of event spaces to the Nine Elms Art Ministry to host their workshops and meetings.

Judges were genuinely amazed by what this hotel has managed to achieve in its short but compelling history, describing it as a “bold” and “refreshing addition” to an overlooked area of London.

What the judges said

“Art’otel Battersea has established itself as a modern, innovative and caring business. It has adopted a curated program of workshops and activations to help establish the hotel as a destination in its own right.” Gareth Banner

“A worthy winner, providing a real sense of place. A bold hotel with a great focus on guests and an excellent approach to team wellness and development. A fantastic business performance for the year underpinned by real effort in the growth and development of people.” Simon Mahon

“An exciting and innovative concept in a non-traditional area, beautifully executed with curated experiences in food and beverage and service delivery.” Danny Pecorelli

“There is a special feel to this hotel – you can sense a strong culture and team engagement. It has brought a new perspective in a new location.” Anne Golden

The shortlist

• Art’otel Battersea, London
• Brown’s hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel, London
• DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central 
• Hilton London Metropole
• Langdale Chase, Windermere

The judges

• Gareth Banner, The Ned
• Michael Bonsor, Rosewood London
• Anne Golden, Pan Pacific London
• Simon Mahon, Watergate Bay Hotel Group
• Laura Sharpe, Firmdale Hotels
• Stefan Soennichsen, the Langham London 
• Danny Pecorelli, Exclusive Collection
• David Taylor, Lore Group

If you would like to enter the 2026 Cateys, or you know someone who you would like to nominate, register your interest for updates