Herstory: Abigail Tan on Leading St Giles and Building Hotels with Heart

A hotelier who can talk scent strategy and social impact in the same breath, well, that is our jam at hertelier! Which is why it was a thrill to sit down with Abigail Tan, Chief Executive Officer at St Giles Hotel Group. She grew up in Penang, Malaysia, inhaling the magic of hotels long before she led one. Today she oversees St Giles Hotels across the UK, Europe, and North America, and she is the force behind Hotels with Heart, a program that does not just house people experiencing homelessness, it trains and hires them. We talked about culture you can feel, risk-taking pre- and post-motherhood, and why values, not revenue, should drive leadership.  Here’s herstory…

You grew up in Penang. When did hotels go from family business to personal calling?

My family was in the real estate business and owned a few hotels. We tended to do staycations when I was growing up. I remember being maybe six or seven, walking into the Shangri-La lobby, taking a deep breath, and thinking, this smell is amazing. I pestered the front desk staff to show me the back, the housekeeping trolleys, everything.

As a teenager I tagged along with my dad to construction sites because I loved seeing an empty plot turn into a hotel. When I moved to England to study at the University of Exeter, our COO, “Uncle Steve,” became my mentor. He drove me back and forth to London, talking me through the business. I sat in on board meetings during school. After my master’s, it finally clicked: I had always loved hotels. I joined St Giles in 2009 and never looked back.

How did your leadership style take shape once you joined the business?

At first it was about finding my footing. I was young, often the only woman and usually the youngest in the room, so I watched closely and learned. Over time I realized leadership for me is not about being the hero, it is about being the conductor. The team are the musicians—they know their parts. My job is to set the rhythm and the culture so they can play together beautifully.

Culture has become my obsession. When people visit our hotels, they say they can feel it. Many of our managers have been here for decades, some more than 40 years. That sense of family makes staff want to stay, and it makes guests feel cared for too.

Exterior of the St Giles Hotel in Bloomsbury

Hotels with Heart is such a powerful initiative. How did it begin?

It really began during COVID. Overnight our 720-room St Giles London property was empty, and I remember sitting there thinking, “We have staff who need work, and we have rooms sitting vacant. At the same time, there are people outside on the street with nowhere to go.” So I picked up the phone to Westminster and Camden councils and said: we have rooms, you have people, let’s work together. Within days, our hotel was housing rough sleepers. That experience was the spark for Hotels with Heart.

Since then it has grown into something much larger and much more structured. We still house between 50 and 100 people in the colder months, but the Academy has become the real centerpiece. In partnership with Saira Hospitality, we bring in people who have been homeless or come from very difficult backgrounds, and for four weeks we train them across every department in the hotel. They learn finance, engineering, HR, front desk, housekeeping—the whole spectrum of skills hospitality has to offer. At the end of the program, we line up interviews with other hotel operators, and we also hire directly where we can.

For me, the Academy is not just about giving people jobs, it is about giving them back their confidence and their sense of worth. The look on someone’s face when they realize, “I can do this, I belong here,” is something I will never forget.

Hotels with Heart Academy with Saira Hospitality

What has been the most meaningful outcome so far?

The relationships. With our charity partners, with the individuals in the program, and within our own team. At the last Academy graduation I had to hold back tears. Four weeks earlier, some participants could barely make eye contact or answer a question. They carried the weight of their past experiences, and you could feel how unsure they were about their place in the world.

By the end of the program, they were standing proudly in front of a room of hoteliers, speaking with confidence, interviewing for jobs, and talking about their goals for the future. To witness that kind of transformation in such a short time is extraordinary. It is not just about training people to work in hotels, it is about restoring dignity, self-belief, and giving someone the sense that they belong again. That, to me, is everything.

Looking back on the challenges of being young, female, and often the only Asian voice at the table, what guidance would you share with women who want to lead authentically?

Know your values and let them guide your decisions. A mentor gave me that advice years ago and I still use it today. Set boundaries, say yes and no with intention, and build a strong support system at work and at home.

I have had imposter syndrome many times. But support—both my team at work and my nanny at home—has allowed me to stand my ground. None of us can do this alone.

You have a love of adventure—flying helicopters, riding motorbikes, Tough Mudder. Has motherhood changed your approach to risk?

Yes, completely. Since becoming a single parent to my son, Lucas, my risks look different. I channel that energy into learning—about leadership, culture, and how people communicate. Motherhood has taught me patience and made me more attuned to how others express themselves. Lucas reminds me every day how quickly people grow when you guide them well.

What makes a hotel truly memorable for you when you are the guest?

It is always the people. If the answer is no, follow it with “but let me try.” That spirit is what makes a stay special. Two recent favorites are Rambagh Palace in Jaipur and La Mamounia in Marrakech. And yes, I still notice the scent the moment I walk in.

What is next for St Giles and for Hotels with Heart?

For Hotels with Heart, it is scaling the Academy into a year-long program, again in partnership with Saira Hospitality, to create a sustained pathway to employment. For St Giles, it is thoughtful growth in Asia that opens new career opportunities for our team. Success is the hotel, the people, and the community winning together.

Quickfire with Abigail

Morning routine? Lucas o’clock, then breakfast and cuddles. On good days yoga, PT, or Peloton.

Self-care go-to? Reliable childcare, movement, and permission to ask for help.

Hotel you love most (not St Giles)? Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, with La Mamounia close behind.

One thing people would be surprised to learn? I am a hidden introvert, maybe an ambivert. I can be “on,” but I need quiet to recharge.

Best advice? Know your values, set boundaries, and let them guide your decisions.

If not hospitality…Music. I am an electric guitarist and vocalist and even recorded a CD at 18.