July 6, 2006
In Somerset, Ruth Watson visits the three-diamond, eight-bedroom hotel Saxonia in Weston-super-Mare. She suggests to owners Jon and Sandie Harrap that unattractive decor and cluttered, kitschy rooms could explain why customers are no longer flocking to stay.
Ruth Watson visits Langtry Manor Hotel in Bournemouth, which was built in 1877 for King Edward VII in honour of his mistress Lillie Langtry, and later turned into a hotel. Ruth immediately cites the building's painted brickwork as off-putting, while outdated decor and imprudent budgeting add to her horror, as she points out why the business is squandering potential profits.
Ruth Watson travels to Newquay in Cornwall in a bid to improve the Key West Hotel, owned by Brian and Gill Scott, who opened the establishment as part of their retirement plans. However, it is constantly overrun with stag and hen parties that leave a path of destruction in their wake, and the couple are reaching the end of their tether.
Ruth Watson visits Sparkles, a child-friendly hotel in Blackpool suffering from financial problems due to a severe lack of guests. Owner Sue spent £1 million turning the former terraced house into a themed B&B, but unless she is prepared to tone down the decor and cut her prices - something she seems reluctant to do - Ruth predicts she is heading for disaster.
Ruth Watson is faced with her toughest challenge yet when she visits 15-bedroom Georgian guest house Blossoms in the centre of York. The owner's cost-cutting has led to complaints, the staff are in need of intense customer service training, and the decor is outdated. The hospitality guru believes she can turn the business around - but only if the hotelier loosens the purse strings.
Ruth Watson visits the award-winning Tasburgh Hotel in Bath in a bid to discover why the establishment has a distinct lack of guests. She meets the B&B's owner Sue, and tries to convince her that no amount of classy decor can make up for the cramped bedrooms full of soft toys, dingy bathrooms, poor presentation and a steep starting price of £110 per night.
Ruth Watson travels to the Hanmer Arms on the border of England and Wales to find out if owners Keith and Val Morris have listened to the advice she gave them in the previous series. During her first visit, disorganised staffing, a lack of commitment and losses of £250,000 a year made turning the establishment into a success a huge job.
Ruth Watson revisits Worlington Hall in the Suffolk countryside to see if owners Joy and Sharon have taken her advice on how to save their failing business. On her first trip, she pinpointed an unwelcoming reception, a messy booking system, a confusing food policy and lack of publicity as the main problems impeding its success.