#225 - Hospitality Meets Abigail Tan - Kindness, Chaos & a Lot of Toilet Paper

Episode Summary:

In this heartwarming and hilariously honest episode of Hospitality Meets, I sit down with the brilliant Abigail Tan, CEO of St Giles Hotels — a woman who’s equal parts rock star, rebel, and real-deal leader.

From dreams of fronting a band to running an international hotel group, Abigail’s journey is a masterclass in following your heart (and occasionally your vacuum cleaner).

Expect laughter, leadership lessons, and the occasional toilet paper obsession as Abigail opens up about imposter syndrome, resilience, kindness, and turning hospitality into a true force for good.

We cover:

• Why failed rock careers make great hoteliers
• The Great Toilet Paper Stockpile of Penang
• Surviving New York’s wild hotel scene (and a run-in with angry union reps)
• Why happiness is the ultimate business metric
• How she turned lockdown hotels into safe havens for the homeless

It’s equal parts inspiring and ridiculous, the kind of episode that’ll make you laugh, think, and possibly re-evaluate your own toilet paper supply.

Key Takeaways

• Hospitality Is Performance: Every front desk shift is a show but one built on warmth, not fakery.
• Happiness Is a Strategy: Abigail leads with joy, proving business success can be measured in smiles.
• Fail Forward: Imposter syndrome never fully goes away but learning (and laughing) through it is key.
• Hotels Can Heal: Through her charity Hotels of Heart, Abigail’s using hospitality to change lives.
• Leadership with Soul: Real leadership isn’t about hierarchy — it’s about humanity, humility, and humour.

Memorable Quotes:

“What’s life without elegance, playfulness and quirkiness? It’s too short”

“You can have all the money in the world and still be lonely, happiness is the real success”

“Bullies have always irked me. If they say yes or no, I say give me a legal reason”

“Every hotel shift is a little performance, you’re there to make people feel something”

“We had to keep our staff employed and our rooms empty, so we filled them with purpose”

Final Thoughts

Abigail isn’t just running hotels, she’s redefining what hospitality means.

Her story is equal parts humility and hilarity, proving that success built with heart beats status built on ego any day.

If you want to be inspired, laugh, and believe in the good side of business again, this one’s a must listen.

The Guest

Abigail Tan is the CEO of St Giles Hotels, overseeing properties in London, Heathrow, Malaysia, and the Philippines. She’s the founder of Hotels of Heart, a charitable initiative connecting hospitality with social purpose. From housing the homeless to training young people for brighter futures.

Show Partners

A big shout out to Today’s show partner, RotaCloud, the people management platform for shift-based teams.

RotaCloud lets managers create and share rotas, record attendance, and manage annual leave in minutes — all from a single, web-based app.

It makes work simple for your team, too, allowing them to check their rotas, request holiday, and even pick up extra shifts straight from their phones.

Try RotaCloud’s time-saving tools today by heading to https://rotacloud.com/phil

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