Red Carnation Hotels

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  • Charles Lotter

    General Manager Charles Lotter

    The wonderful team at Summer Lodge specialises in being of service and surprising and delighting their guests and I truly enjoy being their leader. I have been here for four years, and before this, I was at one of our sister hotels in Cape Town, the amazing Twelve Apostles Hotel near Camps Bay. I am a South African, and that is where I have worked most of my 25 years in the hotel trade. I have learnt so much that could be of benefit to you in the planning of your excursions out into the especially beautiful West Dorset countryside. I look forward to meeting you and ensuring that you have an entirely enjoyable stay. The aspect of my job that I enjoy the most is the coaching of the staff to enjoy the most rewarding aspect of their job – interaction with guests, and I particularly relish witnessing the satisfaction that both guests and staff receive out of these encounters.

    Should you wish to contact Mr Lotter please click here

    Click here to listen to Mr Lotter's Pod-cast about Summer Lodge

  • Oliver Bleckmann

    Deputy General Manager Oliver Bleckmann

    I have been here in Dorset at the beautiful Summer Lodge for just over one and a half years. Prior to this, I was in two Michelin starred establishments, both of which also had award-winning wine lists. I am Austrian by birth and it was here that I received my formal training and enjoyed my formative years in the business of being of service. I meet every guest during their stay with us, and maintain a high level of involvement in the day to day activities of the team that provides the service we are so proud of. I look forward to meeting you and introducing you to my staff and the myriad aspects of beautiful Summer Lodge. The aspect of my job that I enjoy the most, is being with guests, finding out what it is that they are hoping to gain out of a stay at our hotel, and doing my best to communicate these desires to my team.

  • Ines Knospe

    Front of House Manager Ines Knospe

    I am privileged to lead the team of young professionals that creates your first impression of our hotel as well as the last. This I have been doing for the last 4 wonderful years here at Summer Lodge. I began my apprenticeship in Germany in 1992, where after I worked for a while at Longueville Manor on Jersey. This was followed by 2 years of Hotel Management Studies in Dortmund after which I worked as a receptionist at the White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport in Maine, USA. I particularly enjoy managing reservations since this is the first point of contact that most guests have with the hotel and everything that happens at this stage influences the rest of a guest’s stay. I relish helping them get the best out of their stay here in Dorset. I also enjoy the financial management side of things. My team and I hope to surprise and delight you from the moment you make your reservation to waving you goodbye. It is said that Dorset is the most undiscovered county of England and during your stay we will introduce you to its unspoilt beauty.

    Click here to contact reception

  • Sales Team

    Events Co-ordinator - Laure Pages, Sales Manager - Kevin Reid, Reservations Manager - Phoebe Streak

    Our task at Summer Lodge is to determine the needs and requirements of each of our guests and then help to ensure that those needs are not just met, but exceeded. Whether you are coming to Summer Lodge for a relaxing break in our truly scrumptious bedrooms, a gourmet experience in our award winning restaurant, a short business meeting or a residential conference, we strive to not merely satisfy your demands, but to work with you to make your visit to us a truly memorable occasion.
  • Steven Titman

    Executive Head Chef Steven Titman

    For four years, I have been part of the amazing team at Summer Lodge. I came here from the White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport in Maine, USA, a fellow Relais and Chateaux property. I have also enjoyed time at Longueville Manor on Jersey, as well as obtaining invaluable experience in some Michelin starred establishments in Germany. From Dorset’s abundant local produce, my resourceful and imaginative international team with its strong classical foundations and light modern touches, creates delicious dishes to tempt and satisfy you. Whether a nutritious and light salad at the spa or a special celebratory meal in the luxurious restaurant, we hope you will have an entirely gratifying experience. For a while now, we have been collaborating with local producers on finding the very best that the region has to offer. In particular, over and above the quality of the foods we are buying, we are interested in their provenance, and their can be fewer places in England where such an enormous variety of delicious food has to travel such a short trip to arrive in our kitchen.

  • Samuel Pitcher

    Restaurant Manager Samuel Pitcher

    I have been a member of the team here at Summer Lodge for two years now, and prior to this, I was at Tylney Hall and Dromoland Castle in Ireland as part of my degree in hotel management. My team is comprised of bright eyed and happy young men and women who are very proud of the efficient yet warm and unobtrusive service we are renowned for. They come from all over the world and I am thrilled to have them on my team. We will look after you in the restaurant, serve your room service and your early morning teas, service your conference room or make your celebration whether it be a wedding, christening, birthday or even a renewal of vows, an unqualified success. The aspect of my job that I enjoy the most is the time that is spent with guests, ensuring their needs are met with the utmost care and efficiency.

  • Eric Zwiebel

    Cellar Master Eric Zwiebel

    It is 4 years ago that I arrived at Summer Lodge, and my path here has been an interesting one. Prior to Summer Lodge, I was at Cliveden, and before that, I had the great privilege of having Gerard Basset, one of the founders of the Hotel du Vin Group, as my employer and mentor. My parents have always been in the restaurant business in Alsace in France, and this is how I started out. Food service, whilst interesting, did not excite me as much as I would have liked, and so I started to dabble in the wine service aspect, and I quickly realised that this was the right way to go.  Our wine list takes some beating. Ben, the Assistant Cellar Master, and I are well placed, both in terms of experience and wine resources at our disposal, to suggest the absolute perfect accompaniment to your delicious meal. Ben and I regularly take part in competitions to stay abreast of trends and developments throughout the world and our list has won many awards because of its balance and diversity. Our cellar is recognised as one of the best in the world by the Wine Spectator Magazine. I look forward to taking you on a most delicious tour! I am currently preparing to participate in the Best Sommelier of Europe Competition, and I have just made it through the semi-finals to be France’s representative at this competition, along the way, getting to know some amazing wines and learning many interesting things that I hope will enhance your food and beverage experience.

    Click here to listen to Eric's Podcast about Wine Dinners
  • Rosemary Sumner-Pike

    Spa Director Rosemary Sumner-Pike

    I have worked in the Beauty Industry both in the U.K. and abroad for over twenty years and joined Summer Lodge Hotel as Spa Director in 2004. The Spa at Summer Lodge is a place where our guests and members can rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit with our extensive range of treatments. As each of us is a unique being, our guests are treated as individuals with care and consideration. Both myself and my team are dedicated to making your Spa Experience a memorable one.

    Click here to listen to Rosemary's Pod-cast
  • Maureen Hughes

    Head Housekeeper Maureen Hughes

    I have been at Summer Lodge for 4 years. In my 30 years of experience as a Housekeeper, 20 of which have been in hotels and 10 of which have been in the service of high profile families mostly in the Middle East, I have learnt so much that can now benefit our guests here at Summer Lodge.  Total comfort and cleanliness are the aims of my cheerful and hardworking team. No two rooms are the same and furnished as they are in the style of a large private home, they create a homely feel that is as pleasurable for us as we hope it will be for you. We have a wide variety of pillows, duvets and bed sizes and cater very well for preferences in specific colours, music, DVD’s and so much more. The aspect of my job that I enjoy the most is the attention that I pay to detail as well as the comfort and care I relish in providing to our guests.

  • John Eke

    Head Gardener John Eke

    The gardens at Summer Lodge are a wonderful blend of traditional English herbaceous border, kitchen garden, rose garden and superb water feature. I collaborate with the owner, Bea Tollman in the design of the grounds so that they are not just beautiful to look at, but functional too. I am always to be found somewhere on the grounds and would welcome the chance to meet and discuss the joys of gardening with you.

    Click here to listen to John telling about Summer Lodge's Gardens