Q&A with Lucy Kell, SLH’s Social Media Manager

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

Igrew up in West London. I love the European feel to this part of town, from Notting Hill’s leafy terraces to Hyde Park. That said, I also love how British it feels to sit outside one of the pubs along the Chiswick riverside on summer evenings. I live in North London now but know I’ll eventually find my way back West.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT SLH AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT IT?

I’m the Social Media Manager at SLH. My job is to manage all SLH social media channels – Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and our newly launched TikTok account. We are really championing our own brand content, and I recently returned from a trip to the Côte d’Azur where I visited our hotels to capture videos for TikTok and Instagram, just in time for the summer season. Influencer partnerships play a big part in my role, as I organise stays and experiences at our hotels for creators in exchange for social coverage. I also plan group influencer trips to SLH destinations, most recently to Hotel Excelsior and Hotel Bellevue in Dubrovnik with the most wonderful group of women.

Watch on TikTok: A long weekend in Dubrovnik 

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BEST EXPERIENCE WHEN VISITING AN SLH HOTEL?

Dining at the famous Beefbar was an evening to remember. My colleague Chloe and I were seated at golden hour and left in candlelight. The food was out of this world – I will never forget the enormous chocolate soufflé with caramelised sesame seeds that we shared. The service was perfect and atmosphere so intimate, with tables dotted around the terrace overlooking the pool. It’s the place to be in Saint-Tropez.

Suggested article: The ultimate French Riviera road trip

WHICH SLH HOTEL DO YOU MOST WANT TO VISIT?

Le Refuge de la Traye. The mountains make me very happy and I am a real sucker for Alpine design, so this fairytale escape in Méribel has caught my eye. It’s becoming increasingly important to me to stay at hotels that are considerate to the environment and their community, and I love that Le Refuge de la Traye has a pedagogical farm – with mini goats! – as well its own shop selling homemade products and a fromagerie. Walking down a snowy path for an evening of raclette at La Ferme à Fromage sounds like heaven to me.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CITY AND WHY?

Paris. I have some very special memories in that city, and chose to spend a year after university working as an au pair and learning French. Paris can be a tough place, contrary to the images we are sold of the city, but it was a very free, magical time and I made friends for life. That I might return one day and stay at our SLH hotels there would be a real full-circle moment for me.

WHICH DESTINATION DO YOU MOST WANT TO VISIT AND WHY?

I’d love to visit Costa Rica. I’ve never been to Central or South America and am desperate to experience our hotels there, from Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa in the rainforest to Hotel Three Sixty on the beach in Ojochal, and Hotel Nantipa in surfing haven Santa Teresa. A few months ago, the Sales team came to our offices to present the hotels to us, and I was sold on the local breakfasts of eggs, plantain and rice alone.

Suggested article: Costa Rica: on the path to pura vida

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE HOBBY, OUTSIDE OF WORK?

Cooking! My French grandmother was a fantastic cook and I like to think that I inherited my love for it from her. I’m happiest when my friends are over; I set the table and rustle something up as we chat. My signature welcome cocktail is a jalapeño margarita. Many of our hotels offer cooking courses so I must take one sometime.

DESCRIBE AN AVERAGE DAY WORKING AT SLH…

I begin my day with a community management sweep in the morning across platforms, seeing who has tagged us in their posts and responding to the messages that have come in. I’ll then pick up any influencer stays that I’m organising. Next, I’ll plan and schedule content, creating Reels and TikToks from my own footage, plus content captured by my colleagues from their hotel visits. Often I’ll meet an influencer for coffee – I love building relationships within the industry and catching up with our partners and collaborators. Then, sometimes I’ll do a hotel visit – most recently The Retreat at Elcot Park – to meet with the staff, take a tour and capture content for our channels.

Suggested article: A look inside…The Retreat at Elcot Park

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PROJECT YOU HAVE WORKED ON AT SLH?

Launching the SLH TikTok account. When I interviewed for this role, I presented a TikTok I made from my stay at an SLH hotel in Santorini, so when I joined the team I was tasked with establishing SLH on this exciting platform and building a new community there. Hearing positive feedback from users is the ultimate compliment.