This paper reports the results of an exploratory survey into the nature, and relative priority, of Critical Success Factors (CSFs) in UK Hotels. This study is unique, both in terms of the investigation of the CSF concept/approach in UK hotels and the disaggregated application of this approach to individual departmental/functional aspects of hotel operations. This identification of CSFs, and associated Critical Performance Indicators (CPIs), by practising managers constitutes an interesting, contemporary, and informative picture of the key factors, and their relative priorities, facing academic researchers and unit level managers in the UK hotel industry. Finally, the paper concludes by presenting a 3 dimensional model which embraces the dimensions of Objectives, CSFs and CPIs and correlates these with a number of typological categories.