SUCCESSION: Canadian hotel dynasties, who are they & what makes them tick?

Q&A

What does it mean to you to be a legacy owner within the pages of Canadian hotel history?

Being a family business means that the chapters of our company’s story are generational. As the “next generation,” I get to reflect on which parts of the business I need to preserve and which parts I need to reinvent.

When I became CEO, I was able to push the boundaries of hospitality’s rules and create a new brand within our company, Hotel Zed. At Zed, we’re rebels against the ordinary. Hot pink waterslide! Sex-positive Valentine’s Day campaigns! Hidden arcades! It’s totally the next evolution of Accent Inns.

When I was about 12 and my Dad started working in hotels, he was just so happy. He knew all the housekeepers by name. He loved reading all the comment cards and making improvements. It was my Dad who decades ago introduced our iconic Accent Inns rubber ducks to the rooms. That was outrageous at the time!

My Dad set the tone for our company with his values, and when I took over I wanted to treasure and nurture them. The way we lead with love is our key differentiator and it started with him. I worked with our leadership to articulate what we were already doing right, define our values, and let them guide the business.

As a legacy hotel owner, how do you contribute to your community? What are some passion projects associated with your hotel(s)?

I care deeply about making our properties safe and happy spaces for our employees, guests and neighbours. I’ve always invested in employee happiness because I know if my staff can leave work with positive energy they bring that into their communities and homes.

We also invest in the happiness of pets. We have an annual HOWLidays campaign that we do in partnership with the BC Humane Society. We host puppy playdates at our locations around the province where the BC Humane Society brings in puppies in need of adoption. You can imagine the impact on staff and community morale when they can spend part of their day playing with puppies. We also donate a portion of our pet fee to the BC Humane Society year-round.

I’m also fiercely proud that we were the first hospitality chain in Canada to have every single location Rainbow Registered. Rainbow Registration is a national Canadian accreditation for 2SLGBTQI+-friendly businesses and organizations. Seeing the Rainbow Registered symbol tells people that our hotels meet a stringent set of standards to ensure 2SLGBTQI+ visitors feel safe, welcomed, and accepted.

How did you come to work in the business?

I never thought I would work for my Dad! I went to Montreal and got a degree in psychology. But I always spent my summers working at different hotels (never ours!) and definitely got bit by the hospitality bug. When I graduated, I began working for the family business as a salesperson and learned as much as I possibly could. That was actually 33 years ago this month! Safe to say, I fell in love with the company and the business, just like my Dad, and I’m proud to be CEO today.

What was the evolution of Accent Inns…not just over the years, but from one generation to the next?

My grandfather started a construction business that my dad and his partners eventually took over. Out of that business, my Dad built and opened our first hotel in the 80s and, even as a kid, I can remember noticing how much happier dad was when he started working on the hotel. He loved the hotel business. That hotel grew into five and was eventually rebranded to Accent Inns.

When I came on, I combined all of the learnings from our family business with my desire to always rebel against the ordinary to create our second hotel brand: Hotel Zed. It’s now grown to three properties! I’ve also launched our first foray into the food and beverage industry: ROAR, a live-fire restaurant at Hotel Zed Tofino.

What are the core values that have led to your success and been maintained through the years?

We’ve maintained our core values since the inception of our company. While they weren’t written down, our core values were always the driving force behind how we did business. As we started to grow, we spent a lot of time talking to our employees and we articulated our four Core Values: Be Real, Have Fun, Make Everything Better and Have Each Other’s Backs.

How does your management style compare to your father’s?

My style has evolved from my Dad’s example. He always cared about his staff. He worked to make each hotel a happy workplace. He brought fun wherever he went. All of our core values that we have written down now always existed in our hotels because that was what he built. Now I am doubling down on his example. Now I am looking for the next outrageous thing we can do.

What is the longevity of your employees?

Wanna hear something awesome?! Forty-four per cent of our team have been here for over three years. Actually, we have many employees who have been with us for over 30! Our retention rate is 82 per cent which is almost double the average industry retention rate of 42 per cent.

I know these numbers because workaversaries are something we really celebrate in our organization. And not with a boring watch or “gift” that nobody wants. When you hit a milestone with us, your manager is given a budget to buy you a personal gift that you actually want! Because we’re celebrating the person, not the milestone.

What are your plans for the future?

Oh, yes. We’re going to continue to rebel against the ordinary and the status quo of our industry. This month, we launched our tenth Hotel Zed Nooner campaign for Valentine’s Day, and we’re really pushing the envelope with sex positivity. We’ll keep making sure our hotels are inclusive and rebellious, and maybe we’ll keep growing. Watch this space—big things are coming!

Are other family members/upcoming generations involved in the business?

My brother is a lawyer in the States, and isn’t interested in the family business which is fine! Right now, my kids are young and enjoying living their own lives. There’s no pressure for them to become hoteliers.

How has the business moved through the generations…and how was it valued as it “changed hands?”

It was purely voluntary! No family pacts. Shares in the company were frozen when I became CEO in 2008. My ownership equity was born solely out of growth.

There haven’t been a lot of transitions. I joined the ownership group, and the only other transaction was when we bought out one of our previous partners in 2021.

When I was brought on as a partner, a valuation was done based on the real estate and business operations. That value was frozen and remains with the previous partners. No value was handed down in that transaction, all my current value I have has been built since that day!

The enduring legacy of the Gillin family’s commitment to excellence in hospitality, diplomacy & industry

In the heart of Canada’s capital, amidst the ever-evolving tapestry of Ottawa’s cultural, political, and social landscape, stands the Lord Elgin Hotel—a testament to excellence in hospitality, diplomacy & Canadian industry. Its rich history, strategic milestones, and stories of visionary leadership have marked the hotel as a cornerstone of luxury and service in Ottawa.

I spoke with David Smythe, the long-serving general manager and director of operations at Gillin Hotels. Smythe has worked with the organization for over 25 years and he offers STAY Magazine an intimate perspective on the hotel’s journey under the Gillin family.

Constructed amidst the uncertainties of World War II in 1941, the Lord Elgin Hotel was named in honour of the 8th Earl of Elgin, symbolizing a bridge between Canada’s colonial past and its burgeoning national identity. From its inception, the hotel was envisioned as a grand space intended to mirror the aspirations of a young nation, fostered by the collaboration between visionaries like Ottawa businessman, alderman and later Board of Control member Chester Pickering and Prime Minister Mackenzie King.

The evolution of the Lord Elgin Hotel reflects both the development of Ottawa and the adaptive strategies of its management. From hosting dignitaries and celebrities to becoming a preferred venue for diplomatic conferences, the hotel has played an integral role in the nation’s capital.

Acquisition by Patrick Gillin