The co-founder of one of the UK’s most talked-about new hotels opens up
Montana Brown does not fit neatly into any one box, and she will be the first to tell you that getting out of the reality TV box is harder than it looks. Since her Love Island debut in 2017, she has quietly and deliberately built something that most people in her position never manage: a career with actual substance behind it. Red-carpet hosting, candid motherhood advocacy, and now Saltmoore, a luxury wellness hotel on the North Yorkshire coast that has already earned Two MICHELIN Keys and been named Best Beach Hotel in the UK by The Times and The Sunday Times. She co-founded it with her fiancé Mark O’Connor, designed the interiors, shaped the wellness programming, and is raising two children while doing all of it. We sat down with Montana to talk about bold decisions, the realities of motherhood nobody warns you about, and what a 14-step nighttime routine actually looks like.
From Love Island contestant to red-carpet host, wellness advocate, mother of two, and
now co-owner of one of the UK’s most talked-about luxury hotels, you have built a career
that has consistently defied easy categorisation. Looking at where you are now, how
much of this did you see coming, and how much of it surprised you?
I’d say all of it surprised me. It’s quite hard to get out of the reality box, and I think to stand out in a quite saturated market, you have to be authentic and true to yourself. Being bold and different is not always celebrated but one thing that hasn’t surprised me is that I still feel really passionately about being authentic, raw and unfiltered. I’m really lucky to have an audience that encourages that and embraces me, especially through the messiness of motherhood. I can’t say I saw a hotel on the horizon, but I have always had so much respect for people in the hospitality industry.
You have been hands-on across everything from interior design to wellness
programming. What was the most challenging part of that process, and where did you
find yourself most in your element?
I think what was difficult was trying to agree on concepts. My partner is all about the numbers and if things make financial sense. Let’s just say I’m more about the vision and overall guest experience. I think my element was curating the wellness side of things; we’re both into fitness and knew what we wanted to achieve with the spa and wellness offering.
The North Yorkshire coast is not the most obvious choice for a luxury wellness
destination. What drew you to that location specifically, and how has the landscape
shaped the identity of Saltmoore?
My partner visited Whitby, got some fish and chips down in Sandsend, and then was sold. The landscape is so unique, you’re right on the beach, but also in a valley. We really wanted to incorporate as much of the local nature as possible into the interiors. We purposefully chose a smaller boutique interior designer called Sapin Studios. She was amazing at making all of the rooms feel like a home away from home. We have a lot of yellows and purples in the rooms, so it feels really different and yet so elevated.
Saltmoore has already earned two MICHELIN Keys and been named Best Beach Hotel
in the UK by The Times. When you and Mark first started developing the vision for the
property, did you ever imagine it would be received at this level so quickly?
I don’t think anyone was expecting us to reach these incredible accolades so quickly. I’d say our executive chef was the best move we could’ve made, as Adam Maddock completely raised the bar for F&B, which just brought everything to a new standard. The hotel doesn’t run without the incredibly hard-working people, special mention of our management. They are the epitome of Yorkshire charm and you can’t beat it.
Wellness is a word that gets used very loosely in hospitality right now. What does it
Actually, what does Saltmoore mean, and how does that translate into the guest experience day to day?
To us, wellness means grounding and connecting with others and nature. The signal is terrible, so it’s a really lovely time to digitally switch off, walk around the grounds, and go to the beach and switch off. We really want a connection when people visit us and to come away feeling recharged.
You have been open about postpartum life and body image in a way that a lot of women
in the public eye are not. Why has that honesty felt important to you?
I remember seeing other mums online sharing quite a polished version of motherhood, so when it was my turn. I was truly shocked by how humbling and hard it was. I realised it was all a lie. Motherhood is the hardest thing, and without exposing the realities, you can help nobody to properly prepare for it. It also drives me crazy when people don’t admit to having support/help but make it seem like they’re doing it all, which is just physically impossible!
You are a co-owner of a luxury wellness property while also raising two children. What
does your own wellness routine actually look like, practically speaking, day to day?
Every day is different as I don’t have a rigid routine with two young children. However, I would say I’m quite sacred over my nighttime routine due to suffering from bad insomnia for a period of time. My wind down is a non-negotiable, and I have a 14-step ritual including magnesium balms, ashwaganda, frequencies and many more. People think it’s ridiculous, but sleep is very important to me, especially as I like to workout everyday – I need the recovery.
You have a wedding to plan, a hotel to grow, two children to raise, and no obvious signs
of slowing down. What is next for Montana Brown, and is there a project, a goal, or a
version of your life that you are still working towards?
I have a lot of dreams. I would love to become a doula one day and help more women on their birth journey. I have been getting into acting this year, which I’m really enjoying. I don’t like slowing down very often, as I like to remind myself that life is short but trying to make more of an effort with my female friendships as that truly feeds my soul! I love how raw, open and non-performative female friendships are, just girls showing up for each other with wine and good food!
Photo credits:
Photographer: Pip Bourdillon
Hair: Andrew Dylan
Makeup: Valeria Ferreira
Styling: Julia Sokele
