 He was knighted in 1938 for service to the hotel industry, and was honoured by France ("Légion d'honneur", 1938) and Italy (Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown of Italy, 1939).In 1938 Reeves-Smith engaged as his assistant Hugh Wontner, who took over when Reeves-Smith died.In 1888 Reeves-Smith married Maud Hindle, daughter of a Brighton hotelier.