The budget hotel chain picked up the special category award for People at the Smarta 100 awards on Wednesday evening.
The awards are run annually to honour Britain’s brightest small businesses. Steve Lowy, founder of Umi Hotels, said: “Being listed in the Smarta 100 was an honour for us, but winning the People category has made me so proud!”
Umi Hotels works with many academic institutions both in the UK and abroad to help train hospitality students. Ranging from one-week GCSE work experience to six-month language and hospitality placements, over 100 students have worked at Umi Hotels so far, covering more than 15 different nationalities.
“My staff always make our interns feel a valued part of the team as most of them remember starting their own careers,” added Lowy. “Both the students and our permanent team members bring new ideas to the table which helps us remain innovative.”
