Success With Tier-2 Sponsorship?

Hello all,
I'm in hotel sales in the states with a very large corporate hotel chain. I have been applying for positions in England through this company and was recently informed my company no longer allows transfer overseas and does not provide sponsorship.

So, I've been throwing out resumes to other hotels and restaurants with no luck. A few have told me they no won't provide sponsorship (even those listed on the government sponsor list). But I received an email from a recruiter today telling me that it would be "highly unlikely" I would get sponsorship and that trying to come over on a tier-2 work visa was "next to impossible" for someone in the hotel and hospitality industry.

A little bummed at hearing that, so I'm curious if any Americans have had success in getting work in the UK on a tier-2 visa. I would love to hear stories- what is your industry, how long did it take, what was the interview process, should I give up all hope now? (Kidding with that last one... kind of).