Where are we taking you?

Essence
We provide active, sociable, trusted outdoor holidays that delight all our customers.

Vision
We are a company that is on the move. We keep a step ahead and continue to surprise and strengthen our relationships with both existing and new customers.

Offer
With our long and distinguished heritage, we alone can provide genuine inspiring experiences based on our unique outdoor holiday knowledge.

A journey begins with a single step
HF Holidays has a long history. It’s a history to be proud of. It’s a history that has shaped the way we are. It’s a history that challenged convention. It’s a history that should not be shrouded in mystery but a history that should be openly celebrated.

In 1891 TA Leonard, a Minister in Colne Lancashire, formed a rambling club as an antidote to the ‘busy and thoughtless holidays of the time.’ According to the good Minister, ‘a holiday just needed to have primitive arrangements, the joy of the open fells, and good fellowship.’

In 1897 the rambling club became the Co-operative Holiday Association – CHA. A non-profit making organisation that would care for the individual and the environment.

And by 1913, the modern organisation we know today came into being with the metamorphosis of the CHA into an Industrial & Friendly Society. A society set up and run by its members, for its members to enjoy the simple delights of the countryside.

Today, the HF Holidays’ philosophy is more relevant than ever. In a world of 24/7, where people work to live, not live to work. HF Holidays provides an escape, where people can rediscover the simple joys of the open air and just good friends, as TA Leonard once envisaged over 90 years ago.

Your step by step guide to a better holiday altogether starts here

Our guests have the final say

	over 99% say they enjoyed their holiday.
	at least 80% of our customers come back again the next year.
	many guests take 2 or 3 holidays a year.

Peninsula ‘Employer of Excellence’ Accreditation

We have been awarded a prestigious ‘Employer of Excellence’ Accreditation by Peninsula Business Services.

By working with Peninsula, one of Europe’s leading personnel and employment law firm, HF Holidays has the framework in place for ensuring that excellence and ‘best practice’ are achieved throughout the human resource management process.

Accreditation provides a highly visible sign of the standards of excellence that the company has achieved and is maintaining, including high staff morale and positive company culture, and increased effectiveness in recruitment and staff retention.

HF Holidays were presented with a National Training Award, Highly Commended by Roger Black at Liverpool in October 2004.

National Training Awards are the UK's number one accolade for businesses, organisations and individuals who have achieved lasting excellence and success through training and learning. Their aim is to recognise and celebrate the people and the organisations who create success through training and personal development.

HF Holidays run their own Signpost training programme, developing an in-house training programme that results in multi-skilled and customer-orientated staff, increasing job satisfaction and evidence of achievements in the form of certificates. An operational manual, Signpost - Footpath to Success, has been created and introduced to all our Country House accommodation. Each hotel manager completes a three-day trainer course to ensure that the same level of training is delivered in each establishment.

Since the introduction of Signpost, over 1,000 certificates have been awarded, and it has been used by some staff as evidence towards NVQs in hospitality and other employment. The guest satisfaction rate has also increased to 99.8% and our annual turnover has more than doubled.

The Welcome to Excellence series of training programmes, offered through the Regional Tourism Organisations, is the most successful customer service training initiative in the UK with over 240,000 people participating since the first course was introduced in 1993.

At HF Holidays we have a trainer registered with the Cumbria Tourist Board and deliver the training to all of our staff. We offer two levels of the course - Welcome Host and Welcome Host plus. The full day course that requires additonal coursework, covers:

• Welcoming guests
• Tourism, leisure and hospitality in the UK
• Understanding the guests
• Delivering service excellence
• Communicating successfully
• Providing information and advice
• Meeting specific needs
• Dealing with difficult situations
• Boosting business

This course is fast becoming the accepted qualification for customer care in the hospitality industry with a nationally recognised certificate issued by the Tourist Board to successful delegates.

The Story of HF Holidays

In February 2007 the complete story of HF Holidays, from its beginnings in 1913 to the 21st century, was published. Compiled by our heritage co-ordinator, Harry Wroe, and with over 200 pictures, maps and illustrations, it’s a great read. Here's your chance to order your advance copy and be one of the first to own it.

Just complete the attached order form and return it to Book Order Department, HF Holidays Ltd, Catalyst House, 720 Centennial Court, Centennial Park, Elstree, Hertfordshire, WD6 3SY with a cheque for £5.95 (£5 + 95p post and packing) payable to HF Holidays Ltd.

*Please note this form is in PDF format and you will require Adobe Acrobat to read the file, click here to download this.