Chiswick's 'Mr & Mrs Smith' To Receive MBEs
Local boutique hotel specialists in New Year's Honours List
An idea for a business conjured up during a wet weekend in the Lake District will see its reward at Buckingham Palace when co-founders of the boutique hotel guide Mr & Mrs Smith receive MBEs.
Chiswick-based husband-and-wife co-founders James Lohan and Tamara Heber-Percy (on right) have each been awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list for services to the travel industry.
The couple, who live in Chiswick with their two children, Tom (6) and Alexandra (4) set up the company ten years ago. Mr & Mrs Smith is an award-winning hotel website, booking service and free-to-join travel club, specialising in finding the world’s most inspiring boutique hotels.
An MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) is awarded for a significant achievement or outstanding service to the community.
The guide has lots of exotic getaway locations for couples
James commented: " It's incredible! we are very honoured to have even been nominated, let alone included in the honours list. It's a real privilege and a testament not only to the hard work we've put in to build Mr & Mrs Smith into the brand and travel club it is today, but also a credit to the whole team who have worked exceptionally hard alongside us – this simply wouldn't have happened without them.’"
Tamara said that when they started work on their first guidebook ten years ago, she never dreamed that they would one day receive this kind of national recognition. She also thanked the team in the business.
Other leaders in the travel industry recognised in the Honour's List included Emirates Airline president Timothy Charles Clark (KBE for services to British prosperity and to the Aviation industry) and Titanic Belfast chief executive Timothy Edward Husbands (MBE for services to Economic Development and Tourism in Northern Ireland). In total, 1,195 people received an award, with 468 made MBEs.
The Mr. & Mrs. Smith company began as a self-published hotel guidebook in 2003 and became a bestseller, moving online in 2005. James oversees the brand and creative side and Tamara heads up website development.
January 9, 2014