From Refurbishment to Return: Scot Turner Takes the Stage at Independent Hotel Show 2026

1 September 2026

We're heading back to the Independent Hotel Show London this October, with Auden Hospitality Founder Scot Turner returning for his third appearance at the show.

This year, Scot will host From Refurbishment to Return: Designing for Long-Term Value, bringing together hotel operators, designers and industry leaders to explore how refurbishment projects can deliver more than a beautiful new space.

Taking place on 6 October at Olympia London, the panel will challenge hoteliers to think differently about investment, guest experience and the decisions that create lasting commercial value.

We've all seen beautiful hotel refurbishments. But how many genuinely change the way a hotel performs?

A successful refurbishment needs to do more than look the part. It needs to create new reasons for guests to visit, make life easier for the people running the operation and deliver a return on the investment.

And that means bringing different perspectives together from the very beginning.

As Scot explains in the Independent Hotel Show's recent feature:

What makes this year's conversation particularly special is that several of the people joining Scot on stage are also people we've had the pleasure of working alongside.

Jan Janecek, Director at Office for Contemporary Design, is currently working with us on The Athenaeum Hotel project, where design and F&B strategy are coming together to shape the hotel's future.

Miroslava McDermott, Director of Brand & Marketing at Foxhills Club & Resort, joins us following our work together on the Manor House refurbishment and the launch of Lomri, the resort's Indian restaurant.

And Shaun Bowles from Sutton Hotel Collection brings an operator's perspective, having worked with Auden on Castle Hotel Windsor and the development of Penningtons.

Completing the panel is Lesley Annison, Development Project Director at RBH Hospitality, bringing experience from hotel refurbishment and capital investment projects across the group's portfolio.

It's a brilliant opportunity to bring together different perspectives, share experiences from real projects and explore what makes an investment work for guests, teams and owners alike.

In the show's recent feature on designing for long-term value, Jan makes an important point about investing intelligently rather than simply spending more.

"It's something we see regularly in our own work."

The biggest opportunities aren't always found in the largest refurbishments. Sometimes it's about rethinking how a space works, understanding what guests actually want or identifying where investment will make the greatest commercial difference.

The challenge is knowing where to focus, and making sure the decisions made today still make sense tomorrow.

This marks Scot's third invitation to take part in the Independent Hotel Show, continuing our involvement in conversations about the future of independent hospitality.

From hotel food and beverage strategy to guest experience and commercial performance, our message remains the same.

Challenge the conventional. Ask better questions. And make sure the decisions you make today work for the business tomorrow.

We're looking forward to being back at Olympia, catching up with familiar faces and sharing the stage with some of the people we've enjoyed working alongside.

If you're attending, come and say hello.