Apex City of London Hotel

2024 Best Sustainable Business Springboard Award

The hotel group was up against stiff competition with The Hilton, Leonardo Hotels, Sodexo and Wilson Vale also on the short list. Apex Hotels demonstrated a long term, companywide commitment to sustainable practices and policies which shone above the rest.

The group has put in place a comprehensive Carbon Action Plan designed to propel the organisation to NetZero and has committed over £1 million to reducing carbon emissions. The initiative has already yielded some impressive results including recycling 60% of all waste with zero landfill, cutting over 600,000 plastic and glass bottles from waste through a new partnership with Belu Water and changing all room amenities to refillable Antipodes crafted from reused ocean-bound materials, which are fully recyclable.

The hotel group has also streamlined task and reduced waste by introducing a new Paperless Check-in and Invoicing system, as well as a new guest App to improve efficiency. A new Building Management System (BMS) has also yielded a 15% reduction in electricity consumption at Apex Waterloo Place in Edinburgh, with plans to roll out BMS across all its London properties.

Averil Wilson, Apex Hotels Managing Director said: “We are absolutely delighted to win the Sustainable Business accolade at the Springboard Awards last night. This is the culmination of a lot of hard work to embed sustainability at all levels of the organisation.

Carbon reduction is a major priority for the group going forward, and we know our guests’ buying choices are increasingly influenced by sustainable practices. It is important they feel reassured we are doing everything we can to create a cleaner more sustainable environment.”

Fast Growth Index Awards 2024 - Scotland's 50 Fastest-Growing Companies

Apex Hotels is thrilled to announce a prestigious award win, recognising its exceptional business growth and commitment to excellence. The company has been honoured to be named one of Scotland’s 50 fastest-growing companies at the Fast Growth Index 2024 Awards.

This accolade highlights the company’s remarkable expansion over recent months, cementing its position as a leader in the UK’s hospitality sector.

Being recognised in the Fast Growth Index 2024 Awards as one of Scotland’s 50 fastest-growing companies underscores the hotel group’s ability to drive sustained growth in a competitive market, while maintaining its reputation for outstanding guest experiences. To be defined as a ‘fast growth firm’, a company must demonstrate a 20% revenue growth between 2021 and 2023. Apex Hotels were delighted to be recognised in the consumer service category. The company are also proud to have reached the finals of The Herald Family Business Awards in the Fastest Growing Family Business category.

Angela Vickers, CEO for Apex Hotels, said:

“We are incredibly proud to receive this award, which reflects the hard work, innovation, and dedication of our entire team. This honour highlights the rapid growth we’ve achieved, while staying true to our commitment to exceptional service and quality. As a family-owned business, we are especially delighted to be recognised for our contribution to Scotland’s economy and hospitality sector.”

Apex Hotels have an ambitious acquisition strategy to buy new hotels and resorts across the UK, to diversify and expand the group’s portfolio and deliver more choice through a wider range of destinations for guests. This strategy has included the renovation of Apex Waterloo Place in Edinburgh and new destination restaurant and cocktail bar – Liberte and 1819. It also includes the acquisition of The Vineyard Hotel and Spa, a stunning five-star country house hotel and spa in the heart of Berkshire, just an hour from London, Pine Trees country house hotel in Pitlochry, acquired in July 2023, and Meldrum House Country Hotel & Golf Course in Aberdeenshire, which the group bought in April 2024. More recently, in November 2024, Apex also acquired the hotel trading as DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro, it is our first hotel operating as non-Apex hotel and demonstrates our strategy to diversify our portfolio.

As well as offering consistently high standards for business and leisure guests, Apex Hotels has a committed approach to environmental and sustainable tourism practices and is one of the few independent hotel groups to hold Silver Green Tourism Award’s in all city centre hotels. In 2024 the group also won a prestigious Gold Green Tourism Award for its Bath and Dundee properties.

HIT Awards 2024 – Angela Vickers CEO won the HIT Industry Award

Apex Hotels is proud to announce that its CEO, Angela Vickers, has been awarded the prestigious HIT Industry Award at the Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland’s annual industry dinner. This year’s event, which celebrated HIT Scotland’s 30th anniversary, brought together leading hospitality experts and influential figures to honour outstanding contributions to the industry.

The HIT Industry Award is a distinguished accolade that recognises individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the hospitality sector. Angela Vickers, with her extensive 28-year career, has been a driving force in the industry, demonstrating remarkable leadership, innovation, and dedication. Beginning with the likes of Stakis and Hilton Hotels, Vickers is a hospitality veteran. Holding a Masters degree in Hospitality Leadership, Angela has successfully overseen the revitalisation of the family-owned Apex Hotel group since joining in 2004.

Under Angela’s stewardship, Apex Hotels has flourished, expanding its footprint and enhancing its reputation for delivering exceptional guest experiences. Her commitment to excellence and her strategic vision have not only propelled the company to new heights but have also set benchmarks within the hospitality industry.

Angela Vickers expressed her gratitude upon receiving the award:

 “I am deeply honoured to receive the HIT Industry Award. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Apex Hotels team. It is a privilege to be part of an industry that is constantly evolving and to contribute to its growth and success. I am excited about the future and remain committed to driving excellence in all that we do.”

9 Green Tourism Gold Awards: Apex Hotels & Pine Trees Hotel Pitlochry

We’ve gone for Gold! In 2025!All our Apex Hotels were Gold Accreditation. 

Green Tourism run an awards certification programme that recognises the commitment of tourism businesses which are actively working to become more sustainable. Corporate social responsibility has always been high on the agenda at Apex Hotels and having demonstrated our ongoing commitment to adopting ethical, and eco-friendly ways of working, we’re thrilled that our efforts have been recognised and awarded by Green Tourism.

Though we’ve gone green in many of our practices, there's so much more to do and we have some exciting plans for the future.