Master Innholders Community Spotlight – Caroline Gregory MI

We've recently been speaking with members of the Master Innholders community to find out more about their hospitality careers, what working in hospitality means to them, as well as what they are doing currently to give back to the industry as part of their work.

This week, we spoke to Caroline Gregory MI, Director at The Lovat. She shares her work inspiring the next generation with Hospitality Connect, the importance of sustainability and regenerative travel, as well as her advice to those just starting in their hospitality careers.

How did you get started in your hospitality career? 

Hospitality is genuinely in my blood. My mum was a trained chef and my dad a businessman, and between them they gave me the two things you need most in this industry, a love of food and an understanding of how to run a business. We've had hotels in the family for over 40 years, so I didn't so much choose hospitality as grow up inside it.

My earliest memory of 'working' is being three years old and carrying canapés.  I was probably more of a hindrance than a help, but I was absolutely convinced I was part of the team. Growing up around the kitchen, the front of house, the back office — you absorb so much without even realising it. By the time I was making conscious career choices, the industry already felt like home.

What made you want to apply to become a Master Innholder? 

I had wanted to apply for years, and last year just felt right to me both personally and professionally. It was a fellow Master Innholders who kept encouraging me to apply too. There was plenty that drew me in: the network, the recognition, the professional development, but perhaps most importantly, the chance to get out of my own Highland bubble.

When you're based in a beautiful but fairly remote part of Scotland, it's easy to become quite insular. The Master Innholders is a community of genuinely like-minded people who care deeply about this industry, and that kind of peer group is invaluable.

And of course there's the history. The organisation has such a rich heritage. Being part of something that honours that while pushing the industry forward felt like exactly where I wanted to be.

A big part of being a Master Innholder is giving back to the industry- what are some of the ways you are looking to give back this year? 

Giving back to the industry is something I feel genuinely passionate about, and it's one of the reasons becoming a Master Innholder felt so right. Being a Master Innholder comes with a real expectation to contribute, and I think that's exactly as it should be.

A lot of my focus is on the next generation. I helped found Hospitality Connect in the Highlands specifically to shine a light on careers in our industry, working with local schools to build those pathways early.  We're competing with all sorts of other sectors for young talent, and we have to make the case for hospitality as a brilliant, fulfilling career choice. That work continues to grow this year.

I'm also involved with Hospitality Apprenticeship Scotland. If we want the industry to look different in ten years, we have to start the conversation now.

Through my role on the Visit Inverness Loch Ness board, there's a broader piece around destination development and making the Highlands a place people want to work, not just visit.

And then there's the Master Innholders community itself, with its range of mentoring, events, and charity work that I'm really looking forward to being part of.

On a wider level, there’s also the work I’ve been doing as part of my role at The Lovat around sustainability and regenerative tourism. I think independent hotels have a real responsibility to lead on this, and I’ve been working to share these learnings to support other hoteliers in this area. 

How important is your involvement with Hospitality Connect?

Hospitality Connect in the Highlands came about because I saw what was happening in Edinburgh and I wanted to see that same change here in the Highlands.

The area has an incredible hospitality industry, but we weren't telling that story collectively. Everyone was doing their own thing, which is understandable, but a collective voice has so much more impact than lots of individual ones.

What I wanted was a proper structure, a clear message, and a real vision for how we collaborate with local schools - something with genuine momentum behind it.

Our recent launch exceeded every expectation, and now the goal is to continue to grow and involve even more schools in the scheme.

What is also rewarding about the work is that the whole team at The Lovat gets involved too. Inspiring young people shouldn't rest on one person's shoulders, and watching colleagues step up and become advocates for the industry themselves is genuinely invigorating. That ripple effect is what makes it feel worthwhile.

What's one piece of advice you would give to those just starting out in hospitality? 

I would say soak up every experience. This industry will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, learning and moments you'll never forget and that's exactly as it should be. Every day is a school day as they say, so embrace the journey!

You are currently the Director at The Lovat. How has sustainability shaped your journey? 

Sustainability hasn't just shaped my journey — it is the journey. At The Lovat, it was never a trend to adopt or a box to tick. We installed our wood chip boiler back in 2006, long before 'eco-hotel' was a selling point. It was simply the right thing to do, rooted in a deep respect for the landscape we sit within and a responsibility to protect it for the people who come after us.

That philosophy runs through everything. Our composting, our local supply chains, the way we forage and build menus around what the land and loch actually offer each season.

And then there's Coftie, our own Highland concept that sits at the very heart of what The Lovat is. Think of it as Scotland's answer to hygge — but wilder, more rooted, more intentional. It's the feeling of coming in from a cold loch swim to a fermented kombucha over breakfast or perhaps a warm dram by the fire. It's slower travel, deeper connection, the kind of stay that actually changes how you feel.

We're not perfect — no business is — but we are serious. I feel a deep responsibility to share what we've learned, to advocate for regenerative tourism more broadly, because independent hotels in places like this have both the freedom and the obligation to lead. Big brands follow trends. We get to set them.