The Hotel (British TV series)


The Hotel is a fly-on-the-wall British television documentary series which ran for four series consisting of 33 episodes. It has been broadcast on Channel 4 since 17 April 2011.

Format

Unlike Hotel, a 1997 BBC docu-soap that offered similar backstage access to the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool, the series is filmed using fixed cameras positioned in several locations around the complex rather than using a camera crew.
The second and third series of the show were broadcast in the 8pm slot on Sundays on Channel 4, and featured the same hotel, The Grosvenor Hotel in Torquay run by Mark Jenkins.
On 25 May 2014 it was confirmed the show had been commissioned for a fourth series at The Grosvenor's rival hotel, The Cavendish. Mark Jenkins appears in the show as Entertainment Manager; he worked at The Cavendish for five weeks throughout the summer of 2014. The fourth series began airing on 28 December 2014 on Channel 4 in the 8pm slot. The final episode in the series, on 15 February 2015, however, aired in the 7pm slot.

Transmission and production

Series 1 consisting of eight episodes, was filmed at the Damson Dene Hotel in the Lake District over five weeks in the summer of 2010. It was first broadcast in 2011. The second series was filmed at the Grosvenor Hotel in Torquay, owned by manager Mark Jenkins. The second series ran from Sunday 1 January 2012 and aired until 26 February 2012 with 8 episodes and The Hotel at Christmas episode. Due to the popularity of the second series, a third series, also filmed at the Grosvenor Hotel, began on 30 December 2012 and also consisted of 8 episodes. These episodes were filmed throughout the summer of 2012 and as featured in the last episode of the third series, Mark Jenkins sold The Grosvenor to the Richardson Hotel Group. Many jobs were lost in the sale.
In May 2014, a fourth series was commissioned by Channel 4. This was filmed in The Cavendish Hotel in Torquay throughout July and August 2014 and saw Mark Jenkins being employed by The Cavendish for five weeks throughout the summer season as their new entertainments manager. The series of eight episodes commenced on 28 December 2014 and concluded on 15 February 2015.

Episodes

Transmissions

Series 1 (2011)

Series One consisted of eight episodes and was set at The Damson Dene Hotel in the Lake District.
Viewing figures are from BARB.
Episode No.EpisodeAirdateViewing FiguresChannel 4 Weekly Ranking
1The Proposal2,257,0001
2The Wedding1,817,0005
3Kids Eat Free1,872,0008
4Bedlam and Breakfast2,129,0003
5There's a Fly in My Soup1,981,0004
6Do Not Disturb2,127,0005
7Pillow Talk1,340,00022
8Damson in Distress1,905,0004

Series 2 (2012)

Series Two consisted of nine episodes and was set at The Grosvenor Hotel in Torquay.
Viewing figures are from BARB.
Episode No.AirdateViewing FiguresChannel 4 Weekly Ranking
12,205,0003
21,680,00021
31,540,00022
41,580,00023
5Under 1,400,000Outside top 30
6Under 1,530,000Outside top 30
71,500,00026
81,791,0009
9*1,685,0007

Series Three was announced after the success of Series Two earlier in 2012, it was filmed again at The Grosvenor Hotel in Torquay. It saw the owner, Mark Jenkins selling the hotel to The Richardson Group at the end of the series. It was an eight episode series.
Viewing figures are from BARB.
Episode
No.		AirdateViewing
Figures		Channel 4
Weekly
Ranking		Summary
130 December 20122,479,0005Another summer season has started at The Grosvenor in Torquay. Mark decides to make new ways forward for the hotel by attracting posher guests through the aid of special events. Reservations manager Alison is not convinced but is soon swept along in his maverick mission.
26 January 20132,551,0003As Mark tries to bring the hotel upmarket he decides to invite a former AA Chief Hotel Inspector. With the hotel inspectors high standards and The Grosvenor currently failing on all accounts; the inspector couldn't have chosen a worse time to visit.
313 January 20132,473,0006Mark plans to launch a new 5-star breakfast, with his investment on a new gourmet sausage as the main attraction. Meanwhile, a stag party from Bristol are checking into the hotel.
420 January 20132,260,0005Mark and events manager Christian are still on the hunt for the strippers, for the hotels event of the season – Ladies' Night. Meanwhile, the former hotel inspector returns to check on the efforts to upgrade the hotel.
527 January 20131,993,0005Mark attempts to broaden The Grosvenor's horizons and attract new guests with an Indian themed night, with Indian singing and an Indian feast. Meanwhile, the hotel has some important guests, Indian millionaire Gulu and his daughter Dibna.
63 February 20131,967,0005Mark decides to get tougher on his staff management, and informs events manager Christian that it is about time that he has to become more cost-conscious. Tensions begin to rise when Mark finds out that Christian has made the decision to give the wedding couple the two most expensive things on the menu: duck a l'orange and pink Cava. Mark finally decides to take decisive action and asks to talk to Christian, but their meeting takes an unexpected turn.
710 February 20132,026,0006Mark has come to the decision that he is going to sell the hotel. Meanwhile, the reservations manager Alison's favourite family, the Fountains, make a return visit.
817 February 20132,073,0005Although Mark has put the hotel up for sale, the doors are still open and the staff still have their jobs, but Mark is looking for a buyer before the summer comes to an end. Meanwhile, Mark asks reservations manager Alison to step into his shoes and run the hotel. Alison is far from convinced but agrees to do it 'on a trial basis'.

Series 4 (2014–2015)

The fourth series of The Hotel began airing on 28 December 2014 on Channel 4. It sees Mark Jenkins, former owner of The Grosvenor Hotel, becoming an entertainment manager for The Cavendish Hotel for one summer season; located opposite The Grosvenor, a few metres down the road.
Viewing figures are from BARB.
Episode No.AirdateViewing FiguresChannel 4 Weekly RankingViewing Figures
12,065,00052,100,000
22,015,00052,031,000
31,835,00081,919,000
41,730,000111,770,000
51,496,000101,550,000
61,536,000101,620,000
71,563,000101,610,000
81,535,000101,600,000