Katie and Alex Clarke moved together to Rye with their young family in 2004, taking ownership of The George on that Bonfire Night. Katie remembers it as a literal
baptism of fire; “We opened immediately to a super-busy weekend, and fortunately that has been the case ever since”. Not to pretend it was all plain sailing; “We had to sell our house and everything we owned to buy The George, so that first year was very stressful and a massive learning curve.” The couple relocated from their respective jobs in London. Katie had worked in the Art Department on films and TV (her final film job was on the first Nanny McPhee film) as well as on fashion shoots and shows in Paris for Christian Dior with the designer Michael Howells (who sadly died in 2018).
Alex was a hotel consultant and had a lifelong dream of owning and running one. They had been looking for a hotel for some time all over the UK but knew the minute they saw The George it was THE ONE! Katie recalls “ It was terrible timing as I had just had our second daughter Olive, and Matilda was only 18 months old”. They now have another daughter, Esme, and all three have grown up with the hotel and, in the family tradition, worked there during the holidays. Again, Katie recollects how quickly their lives changed ; “From memory, the whole process from looking at the hotel, to selling our house and moving to Rye took around 2 months so it was a real leap of faith.” Looking back at old photos from then and comparing them to now, Katie is reminded of their achievements; “We have an overriding love of Rye and its community and are so proud of how far the hotel has developed. We were one of the first boutique coaching inns, a genre that is now very well established. We like to think we have stayed true to our first intentions; to create a place we would like to stay, somewhere welcoming and super comfortable, good value and part of the local community”.
That last point perhaps part explains the enduring success of The George. Throughout their tenure as its custodians, the Clarkes have created something very unique and made it synonymous with the town itself. Besides working as much as possible with local suppliers, supporting businesses and craftspeople and sponsoring local charities, the fact that several of their staff, almost all locals, have worked for them for nearly as long as they have been in charge, bears testimony to this. In fact, one staff member, Sue, even pre-dates them, as she had already been at the hotel for 25 years and cooked lunch on their very first sitting. Now approaching her 45th year at The George, she is now still one of their breakfast chefs! Living proof that the business you build is only as strong as the people you put in it. Happy birthday George and here’s to many happy returns!
What brings you to the George?
Alex and I fell in love with the George at first sight, back in 2004. We weren’t in the best position to be looking for a hotel as we had two children under two and we both had jobs in London, but the minute we saw it, we knew it was the one! We have enjoyed being The George’s custodians ever since.
List 3 things you won’t leave home without
For Alex it’s his notebook, a black A4 Moleskin, which is full of a million notes in his very neat, and very tiny handwriting. For me it’s a measuring tape (although some people may say I borrow and then lose theirs all too frequently). I’m always on the search for something fabulous for the hotel and a measuring tape to hand is essential! And for both of us, it is sadly our phones!!
What is your earliest hotel memory?
One of my earliest memories is staying in the hotel Danieli in Venice and sitting with my siblings in the open windows of the bedroom, looking out onto the lagoon and watching my parents below, dressed up and heading out for a romantic dinner in the Piazza San Marco.
What is the best/most important part of staying away in a hotel for you?
Pillows, duvets and delicious linen are essential to me. But probably the most important thing is encountering a happy team of staff in the hotel, who want you to have the best possible experience and love what they do.
What are you currently reading/binge-watching/listening to?
It’s a bit of a cliché but Alex and I just devoured Rivals (Disney plus). I also always have a huge list on the go and a WhatsApp group entirely devoted to TV recommendations!
Do you have a hotel lobby/lift story you’d care to share with us?
This one might not be for the faint-hearted! My grandmother had lots of Pekingese dogs over her lifetime who she adored and who travelled everywhere with her. She told a story of once getting into the lift at the Carlyle Hotel in New York and the lift door accidentally shutting on one of the dogs, resulting in its eye popping out. She said the lift attendant miraculously caught the eye in his hand and they quickly found a vet to put it back in!
What do you always forget/lose when you go away?
My phone charger! I’m clearly not alone in this respect, as it is also the number one item our guests leave behind in their rooms.
Hypothetically, who would you most like to discover is a fellow guest?
I would love to meet Barack & Michelle Obama.
What helps you get to sleep at night? (Keep it clean!)
I always go to sleep to BBC Radio 4, wherever I am in the world.
My secret Rye discovery is….
Oh that is a tricky one. St Anthony of Padua Church in Watchbell Street always surprises me as a tucked away treasure.
