When I finished university, I had a hospitality-related degree but absolutely no idea what I wanted to do next. Like most graduates, I applied for everything. Retail. Corporate schemes. Big brands that felt “safe”.
To be honest, Premier Inn wasn’t even on my radar.
In fact, when I applied for the Whitbread graduate programme, I didn’t really understand what I was applying for at all. I certainly didn’t realise I was stepping into a career that I’d still be enjoying more than a decade later.
Thirteen years on, I’m a Multi-Hotel Manager in Leeds city centre, responsible for four hotels. I’ve worked across operations, new openings and head office roles. I’ve moved cities, moved sideways to move forward and grown alongside the business.
And I can say this without hesitation: I wouldn’t want to do this job – or build this career – anywhere else.
I joined the operations graduate programme straight out of university. What stood out immediately was how quickly theory turned into reality.
Leadership stopped being something you talked about in a classroom and became something you practised every day – sometimes imperfectly, sometimes under pressure, but always with support around you.
That support mattered. Senior leaders were visible. Feedback was real. Development wasn’t a tick-box exercise, it was lived.
Within a few years, I was helping open a brand-new hotel in Manchester city centre. We staffed it largely with people who had never worked before – from students to career-changers to people re-entering work after long breaks.
Trading a busy city-centre hotel with a largely first-time workforce was challenging, demanding and honestly one of the most meaningful things I’ve ever done. It taught me more about people, leadership and responsibility than any course ever could.
Hospitality isn’t a stop-gap job. It’s a career – if you choose the right place to build it.
One of the biggest myths about career progression is that it has to be in a straight line up. My experience has been the opposite.
I’ve moved locations to unlock opportunities. I’ve stepped sideways into head office roles to learn new parts of the business. I’ve then brought that experience back into operations.
That flexibility is intentional. Premier Inn doesn’t just talk about ambition, it makes room for it. If you want to stretch yourself, try something new, or see the business from a different angle, those conversations are welcomed.
And importantly, moving doesn’t mean losing your identity as an operator. Operational experience is valued. It’s trusted. It’s needed – everywhere.
I’m passionate about this because I’ve seen the alternative narrative out there about careers in hospitality – and I know it’s wrong.
There’s still a belief that hospitality is “temporary”, or something you do until a “real job” comes along. I push back on that every chance I get, because I’ve seen what’s possible here.
In my teams, people from all over the world, at different stages of life, with completely different backgrounds, come together and make it work. That diversity isn’t a slogan, it’s just how Premier Inn operates day to day.
I’ve watched team members join us at 16 and progress into Hotel Manager roles in their early twenties. I’ve supported people through apprenticeships, leadership programmes and major life changes. I’ve seen hospitality provide stability, progression, purpose – and yes, financial security.
I’ve invested in the Share Save scheme every year I’ve been eligible – I like having a real stake in the business I help run. The flexibility around holidays matters too: 33 days, with the option to buy more, makes a genuine difference when you’ve got a family. And yes, the discounted Premier Inn stays get used – because I trust the product and I’d happily choose it anyway.
Premier Inn proves there are rewards in hospitality careers, not through slogans, but through lived careers.
We don’t just develop people, we trust them with real responsibility.
At this level, you’re trusted to run complex businesses, not just buildings.
My role today is about enabling great Hotel Managers to succeed. So setting standards, supporting difficult decisions, managing risk, and being there when it matters most. It’s strategic, people-focused and commercially real.
Yes, it’s demanding. But it’s also flexible in a way many people don’t expect.
You manage your diary. You balance your time. You use technology, trust and strong teams to make the role sustainable. I’ve got a young family and that balance matters.
This isn’t about burning people out. It’s about building leaders who can go the distance.
Premier Inn is changing… and that’s exactly why I’m excited about what comes next.
The brand is confident in who it is. It knows what guests expect and it delivers consistently. Behind the scenes, the investment in people, systems and leadership has never been stronger.
For Hotel Managers in the UK who want scale, complexity, support and a future – this is the place.
Not because it’s easy.
Not because it’s perfect.
But because it’s real, it’s ambitious, and it lets you build something that lasts.
And if you’re willing to bring your ambition with you, then Premier Inn will meet you there.