Billesley Manor is a 4-star hotel that sits near Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire. We've been working with the hotel for more than six years, helping to shape its reputation and drive brand awareness to, ultimately, drive bookings. Throughout this time, we've consistently secured high-profile media coverage, strengthening its position in the hospitality sector and increasing web traffic year-on-year. Last year, this sustained effort led to the hotel’s most successful year to date.
Seeking to build on this momentum, Billesley Manor approached us with a specific request. While it was performing well as a destination, the hotel wanted to elevate its presence within the hospitality arena, moving beyond being a place to stay and positioning itself as a leading voice in accessible travel. The goal was not only to enhance awareness of its initiatives to support inclusivity but also to make a meaningful impact on how hospitality providers accommodate guests with additional needs – and ultimately make travel something that more people can do.
To achieve this, we developed a six-month campaign focused on making accessible travel a key pillar of Billesley Manor’s identity, that really served to drive change.
The campaign sought to engage prospective guests as well as the wider hospitality industry. On one side, it was designed to reach individuals requiring accessible travel options, including those living with dementia, visually impaired guests and those with specific health conditions. Importantly, it also needed to connect with family members and caregivers, who often make the booking decisions for accessible travel.
Beyond potential guests, Billesley Manor wanted to establish itself as a national leader in accessible hospitality, gaining recognition among hospitality professionals and travel journalists. A key part of the strategy was to ensure that the hotel became a reference point for other providers looking to improve accessibility.
The campaign was sparked by a real-life event. A guest living with dementia was found wandering the hotel at two in the morning. While the staff responded calmly and guided them safely back to their room, the incident highlighted a much larger issue. This moment led to a discussion around the challenges faced by guests with dementia in traditional hotel environments, and the need for greater awareness and training within the hospitality sector. Furthermore, an article in National Geographic highlighted the growing rise in dementia travel – something that underpinned the broader need for accessible options.
Recognising this, we suggested that Billesley Manor work with another client of ours, New Age Care, a specialist homecare provider, to create a dementia-friendly hotel initiative. This saw New Age Care deliver training to hotel staff, helping them understand best practice when supporting guests with dementia. A Dementia-Friendly Hotel Guide was then developed, offering practical advice for other hotels looking to implement similar initiatives, which we launched in World Alzheimer’s Month.
Alongside this, and as part of the wider accessibility remit, we worked with Billesley Manor to launch a Braille wedding guide, designed to support visually impaired guests in navigating the venue and planning their special day with confidence. This was the first step in a broader effort to expand accessibility provisions across menus and guest information packs.
The hotel’s commitment to inclusivity also extended to wellbeing and relaxation, with the spa team undertaking specialist cancer massage training in partnership with the Amethyst Trust. This allowed guests undergoing cancer treatment to access safe, adapted therapies without the need for GP referrals, ensuring that luxury and relaxation were truly accessible to all.
We took a story-driven PR approach, ensuring these initiatives gained widespread recognition. A major success came in December, when The Daily Telegraph agreed to a feature on the hotel’s commitment to accessible hospitality, sending a journalist to visit and interview the team. Published in early February 2025, this coverage played a key role in positioning Billesley Manor as a pioneer in the space, reinforcing its reputation as a hotel that genuinely cares.
The campaign also generated almost 50 pieces of additional coverage across its accessible initiatives, spanning hospitality, travel and care sector publications – opening the hotel up to new markets. Publications included the likes of Boutique Hotelier, Care Talk Business, Homecare Insight, Caterer, Licensee &Hotelier News, along with local consumer press such as Warwickshire World.
This widespread exposure sparked industry interest, with care providers and accessibility advocates seeking to collaborate with the hotel, extending its influence beyond its immediate guest base and tapping into new markets.
The campaign delivered both commercial success and industry impact.
Bookings and enquiries for Billesley Manor’s dementia-friendly offering soared, demonstrating clear demand for accessible hospitality. Midweek breaks reached an all-time high, with 42% of all bookings during the six-month period coming from the accessible break package.
Online engagement saw a dramatic increase, with a 176% rise in visitors to the homepage and a 436% spike in traffic to the packages page. The surge in web traffic reflected the effectiveness of the campaign in driving real customer interest.
Beyond immediate business growth, the campaign secured Billesley Manor’s position as a national leader in accessible travel. The hotel has begun receiving regular media requests for expert commentary, further reinforcing its authority in the field. Hospitality industry events also started inviting representatives from Billesley Manor to speak on accessibility and inclusivity, cementing its role as a thought leader in the sector.
Perhaps the most significant outcome was the wider ripple effect across the hospitality industry, with other hotels and care providers approaching Billesley Manor to explore similar initiatives, recognising it as a blueprint for accessible hospitality done well.
The campaign also won a special recognition award at the 30th annual Hotel Marketing Awards, with the Hotel Marketing Association creating a new award specifically for the campaign. Called the "Making a Difference" award, it recognised its impact on accessibility in the wider hospitality sector.
Commenting on the night, renowned hotelier, Peter Hancock, former Chief Executive of Pride of Britain Hotels and Master of Ceremonies for the evening, said; "We have here an entry that transcends all the previous categories that we've celebrated and has played an important part in affecting change in the hotel industry."
This was echoed by Pamela Carvell, Life President of the HMA, who said: "What you have done is so inspirational. You have changed the industry for good."
Find out more about our hospitality services here.
🍪 We use cookies
No spam, we promise! By completing this form you agree to our Privacy Policy.