Eliot Seabourn-Wren

When Eliot and his partner Michael bought The Carlton Hotel in 2015, they had big plans to turn it into Ilfracombe’s first four-star hotel, something they knew the town so badly needed. Over the past 10 years, they have worked extremely hard to renovate the hotel and bring it up to their very exacting standards.

Pretty much everything has been overhauled and their hard work has paid off. “One of our proudest moments was being awarded the 2021 Travellers’ Choice Award for Hotels from TripAdvisor. This award meant that our hotel was named among the world’s top 10% of hotels. The fact that we received this award in 2021, after the very challenging period of global lockdowns that devastated the hospitality industry, really meant so much to Michael and I and the whole team.”

Eliot genuinely cares, not just about his hotel guests but also the local area. Eliot is an active member of the business community involved in the Ilfracombe & District Business & Tourism Association, working on behalf of local businesses to raise their profile and improve opportunities. He uses his local knowledge to ensure collaborations among local business work to everyone’s benefit. 

He also gets involved with local students at the academy, helping out with their cookery competition and he hosted the opening ceremony of the Ilfracombe Art’s Trail. 

Eliot’s greatest passion is, of course, food. “In North Devon, and especially Ilfracombe, we have direct access to what I call North Devon’s larder,” he enthuses. “From fresh fish landed in the nearby harbour, to high-quality meats and regional groceries, about 85% of our fresh produce spend comes from within a 30-mile radius of the hotel. My suppliers help me plan my menus and look after me, which in turn ensures I can cook with confidence. And my customers know this.”

Eliot is an advocate for reducing food waste at the hotel and in The Brasserie. He has partnered with Olio, a food sharing platform that allows The Carlton to donate their surplus food and have it redistributed in the community to families that need it. “It is always heart-breaking to see surplus food go to waste,” says Eliot, “especially when you know it is still edible. By partnering with Olio we not only prevent that food from going in the bin, we also do our part in the local community to help those less fortunate.”

The year of 2025 represents 10 years in business for Eliot and Michael and plenty has changed during this time. One thing that remains unchanged, however, is their unwavering commitment to customer service, supporting the local economy and community and serving fresh, seasonal local food. “We know what we’re good at,” says Eliot. “So as long as we continue to serve our customers to the best of our ability, we can look forward to the next 10 years in business.”