The Hotel Inspector

For her first challenge this series, Alex visits the three-star, 62-bedroom Astor in Plymouth, owned by the flamboyant Joseph Louei. Having risen from pot-washer to owner of a hotel in 30 years, Joseph is naturally very proud of his achievements. However, in recent years Plymouth has been flooded with cheap chain hotels, so the independent hostelries are struggling against stiff competition. In the nine years of Joseph’s ownership, the Astor has never made a profit. Its woes are compounded by a raft of terrible online reviews from dissatisfied customers.

Alex’s latest challenge is the Artist Residence in Brighton, a nine-bedroom B&B run by 21-year-old student Justin. Decorated and staffed by up-andcoming artists, the establishment is designed to be a unique cross between art gallery and hotel, but it is currently failing miserably on both fronts.

This week’s show sees Alex turn her attention to the Rutland Arms Hotel in Bakewell, Derbyshire. Set on the edge of the Peak District, the hotel enjoys high occupancy rates during the summer months, but poor organisation, bad reviews and an absence of visitors in the winter have pushed 68-year-old owner David to the brink of financial ruin.

Alex Polizzi tries to reverse the fortunes of the Sandygate Hotel in South Yorkshire, where owners Dave and Dyan Elliott have estimated they have six months before going bankrupt. With occupancy rates as low as two per cent, Alex advises them to increase their online presence, court businesses for extra clients and re-evaluate their restaurant's profit margins.

Alex Polizzi heads to the six-bedroom Windsors Hotel in Chertsey, Surrey, where occupancy rates have fallen to 25 per cent. Although impressed by the service and quality of food at breakfast, Alex advises owner Mel White to improve the poor decor, pay more attention to detail and reclassify the business as a guesthouse.

Alex Polizzi visits the Kingston Estate in rural Devon, where former model Liz Corfield and her husband Michael run a luxury B&B, guesthouses and a spa and conference facility, but are struggling financially due to falling guest numbers and the effects of the recession. Alex suggests room revamps and aggressive marketing, but the couple seem unwilling to listen to her advice.