From Exeter to excellence

Built on discretion, precision and five-star service, Hilton Ames is fast becoming the UK’s most talked-about name in premium transport

Since launching just a few years ago, the Exeter-based firm has become one of the fastest-growing chauffeur operators in the UK – collecting national awards, building a roster of high-profile clients, and redefining what it means to deliver premium travel experiences from the South West.

 “We don’t just take people from A to B,” said Paul Newman, one of the firm's Directors.

“We offer a level of service that’s closer to concierge than transport. And we get every detail right — every time.”

The business began as a conversation between Paul and long-time friend Andy Hilton, who had previously run a successful taxi firm. When the pandemic disrupted the travel industry, the pair saw an opportunity to build something new, something that would focus exclusively on the upper end of the private hire market.

Paul explained: “Andy had always done a bit of chauffeuring on the side but we decided to go all-in – properly trained, fully certified, and genuinely high-end.”

Their commitment to quality shows in every part of the operation. Both Andy and Paul are certified chauffeurs through the Guild of Professional Chauffeurs, and although they no longer drive themselves, the standards they set at the start remain central to the brand.

“Neither of us are behind the wheel anymore but we’ve built a team of professionals who understand exactly what we expect and what our clients deserve,” Paul explained.

Today, the company employs 23 people, with offices across the South West and a headquarters  in Exeter.

Their work spans corporate contracts, airport and cruise transfers, private family travel, and, occasionally, the kind of high-security, celebrity or government transport that comes with NDAs and quiet nods

 “We can’t always say who we’ve worked with but trust me — you’d be impressed,” Paul smiled.

The business also boasts a number of industry accolades, including six QSi Awards (Quality, Service and Innovation) – the chauffeur industry’s most respected awards body. In just two years, Hilton Ames has joined the QSi all-time top ten. 

In early 2023, Hilton Ames was awarded Best Executive Chauffeur Service in the UK by SME Magazine, just six months after launching the brand. The same publication soon followed with a regional win: Best Chauffeur Service in Devon.

Later that year, at the QSi Awards in Brighton, the team took home three trophies from four shortlistings – including Marketing Excellence, Chauffeur Operator of the Year, and the standout Professional Driver of the Year award, presented to their own Eva Conibear. “To put it simply, Eva is the best chauffeur in the UK,” Paul said.

Rounding off a remarkable year, Hilton Ames received their most prestigious accolade to date in December: Global Chauffeur Operator of the Year 2023/24, awarded by Corporate LiveWire Magazine, an international publication.

* A fuller version of this story appears in The summer issue of Exeter Tomorrow business magazine, out w/c July 7.