Latest news with #ClubQuartersHotel
The Independent
07-05-2025
- The Independent
Hotel manager sacked for ‘having sex with colleague after loud partying' wins claim for unfair dismissal
A hotel manager who was fired for playing loud music and allegedly having sex with a colleague in one of the rooms has won an unfair dismissal claim. Sebastian Kedracki was sacked after drinking and partying with a colleague and then spending the night in a room at the Club Quarters Hotel in central London without permission. An employment tribunal heard that on 29 December 2022, a colleague caught Mr Kedracki and the female colleague 'dancing around' to music 'like a disco club with the volume on maximum' in one of the hotel's offices. The colleague claimed the doors to the office were 'double-locked', but he could see the pair dancing with the lights off with 'several bottles of alcohol around'. The pair later moved to one of the guest rooms. Around 3am, one guest staying at the hotel in Covent Garden complained that she could hear 'loud music' and her husband couldn't sleep, the tribunal heard. After the complaint, colleagues used a master key to enter the hotel room and saw Mr Kedracki and the female colleague having a shower together. In a statement to the tribunal, one of the colleagues said he saw the pair 'having sex'. Mr Kedracki did not challenge this claim when cross-examined during the tribunal. The senior employee was suspended for the incident and underwent a disciplinary process, which resulted in his dismissal. Mr Kedracki began working at the Club Quarters Hotel in 2013, according to the central London tribunal. The property is close to the British Museum and the Royal Opera House. The tribunal also heard evidence from the female colleague, who was identified only as 'AB'. She said she had seen Mr Kedracki in the office working late and tried to help him. She said there were difficulties with getting home because of issues with the train, and she was struggling to get a taxi. The pair then decided to have a drink together. She said she was 'embarrassed' to find herself in this situation and apologised for staying in the hotel without permission. Mr Kedracki claimed the dismissal was an 'outrageous witch hunt based on inadequate evidence' and took the company that owns the hotel, Kingsway LIF Holdings Ltd, to an employment tribunal. His claims of unfair dismissal were upheld by Employment Judge Adkin due to faults in the hotel's investigation. Mr Atkin said the hotel did not follow the correct disciplinary process guidance because they used the same employee as the investigator and disciplinary officer. The judge concluded: 'Based on the evidence we have considered his conduct on 29 and 30 December 2022 as a senior employee in that hotel did amount to an abuse and a breach of trust as regards his management responsibility and also using hotel facilities without getting permission, playing loud music and drunkenly partying with a junior employee. 'He inconvenienced other guests and put his colleagues working on the night shift in an embarrassing and awkward position. 'He was not contrite or genuinely apologetic as he should have been during the investigation.'
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Hotel manager who was sacked after using one of the rooms to play music until 3am and have sex with junior female colleague wins claim for unfair dismissal
A senior hotel manager who was sacked after he used one of the rooms to drunkenly play loud music at 3am and have sex with a junior female colleague has won his claim for unfair dismissal. Sebastian Kedracki was fired after he was 'caught red handed' partying with the woman at the end of a shift. It was heard that one colleague spotted them 'dancing' round the office surrounded by bottles before they went to a pub and returned to one of Club Quarters Hotel's luxurious rooms. The tribunal heard that at around 3am, one guest staying in the building, in Covent Garden, complained that she could hear 'loud music' and that her husband couldn't sleep. Colleagues used a master key to enter the room and found the couple in the shower together and then on the bed, the hearing was told. The senior employee was suspended over the matter and faced disciplinary proceedings which resulted in his sacking. He took the hotel to an employment tribunal, claiming there had been a 'witch hunt' against him, and his claims of unfair dismissal were upheld due to faults in the investigation. But, a judge ruled that Mr Kedracki should receive no compensation as his bosses were right to sack him. The tribunal, held in central London, was told Mr Kedracki started working at the Club Quarters Hotel in Covent Garden in 2013. The building overlooks Lincoln Inn Fields and is located near Royal Opera House and the British Museum. It costs between £200 and £300 per person to stay overnight. During the Covid pandemic, he stayed in the hotel frequently, including a period of 18 months when he had no other accommodation. But, this stopped in September 2021, as guests staying in the hotel were picking up again following a lull due to the pandemic. In May 2021, he was promoted to Senior Guest Experience Manager. The panel heard that there were issues between Mr Kedracki and one of his managers as he refused to wear the suit jacket which is part of his uniform. It was heard Mr Kedracki found it 'too hot' to wear the item of clothing. He was handed a formal warning for the 'continuous breaking of hotel policy', and for 'poor team leadership', relating to his failure to challenging colleagues not wearing a mask. The panel heard that Mr Kedracki faced further disciplinary action in relation to an incident which took place on December 29, 2022. It was heard that Mr Kedracki had been 'drinking and intoxicated' with a junior female colleague in his office. It was heard they later stayed overnight in room 115 without permission and was playing very loud music which disturbed a guest between 3am and 4am in the morning. Mr Kedracki was suspended on January 17, 2023 over the incident and an investigation was held. A witness to the incident said that he overheard music playing from the back office at 11:30pm on the evening, commenting that it sounded 'like a disco club with the volume on maximum'. He said he went to speak to Mr Kedracki and the woman to tell them the music was 'too loud' but the doors were locked. It was heard the woman could be seen dancing, the lights were switched off, and there were several bottles of alcohol around. He said that at around 3:40am, a guest from another room complained and said she could hear 'very loud music' which meant 'my husband cannot sleep'. Another colleague was sent to 'investigate' and said that when he went into the room, he said he could hear 'very noisy music like a discotheque' and opened the door to find Mr Kedracki and the woman together in the shower. The employee sent him there was 'shocked' as he thought they had both gone home. Another staff member went into the room to speak with them and said that when he entered the room, they were 'having sex'. It was heard that prior to opening the door, he banged on it 'with energy', but they did not hear. The female colleague who spent the night with Mr Kedracki was also interviewed. She said she had seen Mr Kedracki in the office working late and tried to 'help him'. The woman said he pulled a 'bottle of something' out of his bag as he was supposed to be going to a friends afterwards. She described there being 'difficulties' with the rail service and said she was 'struggling to get a taxi' so they went for a drink at a local pub. The woman said she asked if she could stay in the hotel and that she was 'embarrassed to find herself in this situation'. Mr Kedracki accused his bosses of proceeding with an 'outrageous witch hunt based on inadequate evidence'. Recalling the events, he said he 'did not remember' what had happened but just recalled 'waking up in his underwear'. On February 9 2023, he was dismissed. He appealed the decision, claiming there was 'no credible evidence 'of him having a party and drinking'. But, this was dismissed. Employment Judge Timothy Adkin upheld Mr Kedracki's claims of unfair dismissal for procedural reasons. This was after he heard that they did not follow guidance and used the same employee as the investigator and disciplinary officer. He also said the appeal was seen by someone who had previously been involved with the matter, therefore didn't have a 'fresh independent pair of eyes' nor an 'open mind' But, EJ Adkin ruled that the hotel worker's compensation should be reduced by 100 per cent. The judge said at the time of the incident, Mr Kedracki had already had a previous warning and so ought to have been 'especially careful to stay out of trouble'. EJ Adkin said: 'Based on the evidence we have considered his conduct on 29 and 30 December 2022 as a senior employee in that hotel did amount to an abuse and a breach of trust as regards his management responsibility and also using hotel facilities without getting permission, playing loud music and drunkenly partying with a junior employee. 'He inconvenienced other guests and put his colleagues working on the night shift in an embarrassing and awkward position.
Forbes
17-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
This Under The Radar Hotel Brand May Be New York's Best Kept Secret
The view from our 19th floor room at Club Quarters Hotel, World Trade Center. Lois Alter Mark Trying to find a nice, affordable hotel in New York can feel impossible, especially downtown, where the two-year-old love of my life lives. So, when our son's in-laws told us about Club Quarters, my husband and I Googled the brand and immediately booked a surprisingly well-priced room at Club Quarters Hotel, World Trade Center. How had we not known about this brand before??! Here's what we discovered: Club Quarters hotels are located in some of the biggest cities in the US and the UK, making them a great option, whether you're traveling for business or pleasure. They have a distinct European flair and we saw many international flight crews as well as a group of men in kilts coming out of the elevator during our stay. As part of a major rebranding effort, Club Quarters has started renovating all of their hotels' guest rooms and public spaces, adding new, modern touches and upgraded amenities. The transformation started in London, where they revamped two keystone properties, St. Paul's and London City, updating 468 guest rooms and adding a new Club Lounge as well as introducing The Counter, a unique coffee and cocktail concept serving specialty coffees, artisanal pastries and thoughtfully crafted cocktails throughout the day. They also launched Keyless Room Entry, enabling guests to use Apple Wallet or Google Wallet for a smooth, secure check-in process, reducing the need for physical keys and enhancing both convenience and safety. Club Quarters US hotels are next up, with Boston currently in the pipeline for a makeover. Club Quarters hotels feature a water station on every floor. Lois Alter Mark All Club Quarters hotels offer a wealth of amenities including CO Bigelow toiletries and a Guest Request Closet, stocked with every travel necessity you may have forgotten. The fact that there's no charge for anything makes this exclusive service even better. One of my favorite things about Club Quarters, though, is the water station on every floor that provides chilled purified water as well as complimentary refillable bottles. As someone who likes to stay hydrated while traveling, I appreciated being able to fill a few bottles to keep in our room and take a couple with us for the day without having to constantly pay for overpriced water in a local deli. I also appreciate the sustainability benefits of recycling these bottles. My daughter-in-law's parents' favorite thing about Club Quarters, on the other hand, is the complimentary coffee in the Club Living Room on the first floor, which they swear is the best. We're not coffee drinkers so I'll have to take their word for it but I can tell you there were always happy guests at the machine, filling and refilling their cups. The Club Living Room itself is a great, out of the way place to sit and relax, do work or meet a friend. The living area of our room at Club Quarters Hotel, World Trade Center. Lois Alter Mark Our room at Club Quarters Hotel, World Trade Center was comfortable and spacious, featuring a separate living room area with magnificent views of the memorial and the skyline. My favorite features included the fact that we each had our own closet — kind of a miracle in a New York hotel — and that we were able to mirror our screens on the TV to watch our own shows and movies. I don't know why every hotel doesn't offer this service. I also loved the 'munchie trays' of well-curated snacks on our desk as well as the portable, reusable coffee cups. My salad at One40 was bursting with flavor. Lois Alter Mark One40, the new rooftop restaurant at Club Quarters Hotel, World Trade Center, is poised to become the place to eat in this busy area. The space itself is stunning, filled with greenery and surrounded by floor to ceiling skyline views. Whether you sit on the patio or indoors, you'll feel the energy of the city as you indulge in simple classics elevated by the freshest, most flavorful ingredients. We went there for lunch and, between the four of us, got to taste much of the well-curated menu. My husband loved his burger with truffle and parmesan fries, our millennials raved about the creamy tomato soup, roasted heirloom carrots and Bucantini al Pomodoro with tofu 'meatballs,' and I would eat healthier if I could replicate the delicious salad featuring baby arugula, endive and radicchio, almonds, cotton candy grapes, Chianti vinaigrette and grilled shrimp. Burger and truffle and parmesan fries at One40. Lois Alter Mark For dessert, we decided to be 'good' and share. We ordered a heavenly creme brulee and a citrus panna cotta that was so good, it probably meant that we weren't. Next time we're in New York, we definitely want to come back for both dinner and breakfast. Those vanilla bean and mascarpone pancakes are calling my name. Although I'm very interested in trying some of the other Club Quarters hotel locations, as well, I'm betting that now that we've discovered this one, we will soon become regulars.
