Building Community, Wellness and Talent at Foxhills with Tej Walia

In this candid leadership conversation, Foxhills Managing Director Tej Walia joins hosts Jade and Declan to unpack how a modern country club and resort can feel like a thriving village. From “accidental hotelier” to MD, Tej shares the mindset, investments and people-first practices behind Foxhills’ growth.With a major multi-million pound redevelopment completed and more on the way, this episode explores how to balance shiny new facilities with relentless attention to basics, and why culture, training and community are the true differentiators.Tej doesn’t sugarcoat it. He talks staff retention and promotion from within, the realities of post-pandemic hiring, and why AI should power the back office so teams can spend more time with guests. He also reframes wellness for today’s guest — from Pilates and paddle to a well-earned cocktail with friends.Key topics include: ✅ The “accidental hotelier” journey and Atithi Devo Bhava — guest as God ✅ What makes Foxhills feel like a village and how that shapes service ✅ Redefining wellness for business, members and families ✅ Investing in facilities while never dropping the basics ✅ Staff retention at scale, training, and promoting from within ✅ AI as a facilitator for better human service ✅ Mentoring, mental health, and making hospitality a chosen professionWhether you lead a hotel, club or resort, this episode offers practical lessons on culture, consistency and community that you can apply right away.🎧 Listen now to hear the full conversation with Foxhills MD Tej Walia.Read more episodes and hospitality insights at Hotel Magazine.Key Moments00:00 – Tej’s origin story and the principle of Atithi Devo Bhava 00:42 – Introduction and career highlights to date 01:41 – Three things people may not know about Tej 02:54 – What makes Foxhills a “village” for members and guests 04:01 – Inside the Pavilion family building and estate facilities 05:17 – Hospitality as a lifestyle, not just a job 07:35 – Balancing community feel with national events and tournaments 08:43 – A broader definition of wellness that meets guests where they are 10:33 – Lessons from major refurb and development projects 14:04 – Staff retention, perks and why familiarity matters to members 16:28 – Training that sticks and promoting supervisors from within 18:57 – Trends to watch and why “bleisure” fits Foxhills 19:56 – Where AI helps — and where only people will do 22:21 – Commuting, work rhythms, and family support 24:42 – Quick-fire: habits, myths, first impressions 25:39 – AI: threat or opportunity 27:27 – A favourite hotel and early career foundations 28:29 – Mentors then and now — and mentoring others 31:54 – Leading millennials and Gen Z with open feedback 33:02 – Learning to support mental health at work 34:37 – Nurturing talent with clear pathways and the “Passport” program 35:54 – Hotelier Hall of Fame pick — Tej’s mum 37:12 – What Tej is doing to better the industry 39:01 – The biggest frustration and the promise of hospitality as a profession 40:25 – Career highlights and hosting major events 42:25 – Tej’s definition of hospitality today📩 Like, comment, and subscribe to stay up to date on leadership, wellness and innovation in hospitality. 🔗 Learn more at Foxhills Club & Resort and Hotel Magazine.