Cameron Pellow beside the hotel’s herb garden.
At first glance there might seem to be a world of difference between running Scotland’s prestigious Scone Palace and its iconic 8000ha estate and running the recently opened 29-bed Clements Hotel in the heart of Cambridge.
Either manager Cameron Kellow, left, or hotel owner Gerry Westenberg are happy to tell the story of these recovered front posts – lost and then returned by a local farmer. Photo: Viv Posselt
Yet there are also similarities, and it is those that attracted canny Scot Cameron Kellow to the role of Clements Hotel manager.
History is one of those, he said …“walls that have stories to tell”. Both venues seek to set an exceptionally high bar in terms of quality, and integrate naturally with the community they are part of.
“This is a real passion project for me. I absolutely loved what I did in Scone, but I’m delighted to have found something in New Zealand that has its own unique history. I hope to be able to achieve many of the same outputs here,” Kellow said.
Scotland’s stately Scone Palace and estate is where Cameron Kellow worked before coming to New Zealand and the Clements Hotel. Photo: Viv Posselt
Scone Palace (pronounced Scoon) is one of Scotland’s prized heritage destinations. For centuries it was where Scottish monarchs were crowned, seated upon the legendary Stone of Scone, aka the Stone of Destiny. The current palace, which rose from the ashes of a former abbey and was completed in 1807, is the ancestral seat of the Earls of Mansfield.
The Clements Hotel history is considerably shorter but also has fire in its story. The original Masonic hotel built by Archibald Clements (hence its name) in 1866 was the first commercial building in Cambridge. Fire destroyed it in 1911, paving the way for a new hotel, larger and grander, that opened a year later.
Masonic Hotel circa 1915-1925
Masonic Hotel February 2023
Clements Hotel 2025
So, while the scale may differ vastly, Kellow’s commitment and focus is similar. He was at Scone for just over a year, overseeing the delivery and growth of the palace and gardens, separate luxury and self-catering accommodation, events, a racecourse, lodge hotel and an approximately 8000ha estate which had him dealing with farming, forestry and renewable energy projects.
“The Clements has a smaller footprint but is equally special. It has its own rich history in this community… that is where the attraction lay for me.”
Once Kellow and his Kiwi wife decided to raise their young family in New Zealand, he joined Capstone Hotel Management and was approached to lead on the setup, launch and continued operational delivery of the Clements Hotel.
Cameron Pellow relaxing in the hotel’s outdoor area. Photo: Viv Posselt
Since coming on board, he has worked closely with Clements’ owners Gerry Westenberg and Jo Pannell. He shares their enthusiasm, loves the different spaces it offers, the mix of restored Edwardian and striking boutique luxury, and teased interest in the soon-to-be opened speakeasy, and the addition of three more suites in the transformed original horse stables.
He said the hotel had been busy since opening on August 1, hosting numerous private dinners, around seven conferences and some 15 meetings in its first eight weeks. The dining spaces and lawned outdoor area have been almost continuously packed, he said.
Manager Cameron Kellow and Clements Hotel owner Gerry Westenberg at the base of the grand wooden staircase retained as part of the hotel’s historical past. Photo: Viv Posselt
He has enjoyed sharing stories from its past… the retention of the old staircase and the tale of the old farmer who returned the missing posts out the front of the hotel.
Kellow was a kitchen hand during his teens before going to Glasgow Caledonian University where he got a BA (Hons) in entertainment and events management.
His work experience has included the planning and implementation of events across the United Kingdom. It was during a spell based in London that he met his wife; the pair moved back to Scotland in 2017 where Kellow contracted to the Cultural Trust in Perthshire before joining the Scone estate.
He says he is delighted to be part of the Clements – “the people here are wonderful”.
Cameron Pellow beside the hotel’s herb garden. Photo: Viv Posselt
