Accommodation update - September 2020

Autumn 2020 will see elegance, luxury and rustic charm reignite Britain’s hospitality sector, with numerous exciting hotel openings and announcements. Holiday-starved guests can plan to dine out in some of the country’s stylish new accommodation, including ‘the world’s first super boutique hotel’, stunning refurbishments full of 1930s grandeur, and decadent breaks in one of Britain’s most famous spa towns, for a fresh British getaway in autumn 2020 or beyond.

Newly opened

The George Hotel, Cheltenham

Opened: 4 July 2020

Mixing Regency grandeur with sleek touches, The George Hotel in Cheltenham has reopened its doors. Debuting 46 tastefully designed bedrooms across five Grade-II listed townhouses, guests can expect romantic panelling and dream-worthy beds mixed with eye-catching modern design. The brain child of Julian Dunkerton, co-founder of The Lucky Onion, The George Hotel is the flagship property for the new design-led Cult Hotels collection.

Bike & Boot, Scarborough

Opened: 20 July 2020

Those wanting to explore the charms of the Yorkshire coast and countryside by day, and rest up in style by night, can enjoy the new 65-room boutique hotel, Bike & Boot. With the charms of the vast coastline and North York Moors National Park nearby, it’s ideally placed for adventure-loving walkers, surfers, dog-owners and bikers.

THE PIG at Harlyn Bay, Cornwall

Opened: 31 July 2020

The Grade II-listed Harlyn House has opened its doors as THE PIG at Harlyn Bay. Just a couple of miles from Padstow, it promises to be another gem along this foodie-famed part of Cornwall. As with the other PIGS, the kitchen garden and restaurant are at its heart, and anything that can’t be home-grown will be sourced from the best producers within a 25-mile (40-km) radius. The coastal views promise to be delectable too. Fans of their rustic style can look forward to the PIG in the South Downs opening its doors in summer 2021, too.

Hotel Indigo Bath

Opened: 10 September 2020

Set in a honey-coloured Georgian building on Bath’s elegant South Parade, Hotel Indigo Bath mixes luxury with sumptuous, traditional stylings. Sitting in the heart of the city, a stone’s throw from Bath’s many sights, both the décor and location are sure to impress. Having opened on 10 September 2020, the charming space boasts 166 stylish bedrooms, including 12 unique and luxurious underground vaulted boudoirs.

Coming soon

The Libertines’ Albion Rooms guest house and restaurant, Kent

Opening: 25 September 2020

Owned and developed by rock band The Libertines, The Albion Rooms is set in a five-storey Victorian building overlooking Margate’s bandstand and the sea. Its new design accentuates Margate’s strong artistic heritage – and future. The development is opening in phases: a recording studio, for use by the band and other artists, is already open, as is The Waste Land bar, named as a reference to the TS Eliot poem, which has Margate connections. The Waste Land will host poetry and live music performances, as well as art exhibitions in future. Seven individually decorated guest bedrooms, including rooms themed for each member of The Libertines, will welcome guests from 25 September.

Buxton Crescent hotel, Derbyshire

Opening: 1 October 2020

The Crescent, a Grade I-listed architectural masterpiece in Buxton, in the heart of the Peak District, will re-open as the luxury five-star Buxton Crescent Health Spa Hotel on 1 October. A multi-million-pound regeneration project has seen the original building transformed into an 80-bedroom hotel, featuring magnificent assembly rooms and elegant wall tiles dating from the pool’s refurbishment in 1924. The Crescent, designed by John Carr of York and opened in 1789, was once the centrepiece of the 5th Duke of Devonshire’s plans to establish a fashionable Georgian spa town in Buxton. Packed with chandeliers and exquisitely painted columns, the 18th-century building carries great architectural significance, while the spa town can trace its roots back to Roman times.

The Guardsman, London

Opening: 1 November 2020

Those wanting to reside close to one of the capital’s most iconic royal landmarks can plan a stay at new luxury boutique hotel, The Guardsman, just a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace. Styled to have a ‘members-club feel’, the hotel will have 53 luxurious bedrooms, plus six exclusive residences for longer-term stays – visitors looking to book 21 or 14 days in advance can enjoy an online discount.

The NoMad Hotel, London

Opening: 1 December 2020

US brand NoMad’s first venture outside of the USA will be housed in a historic, Grade II-listed building in the heart of Covent Garden. Many of the original 19th-century architectural features of the former Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station will be woven into the new 91-bedroom hotel. The Magistrates’ Courtroom will become a venue for private events and gatherings, while a museum with rotating exhibitions will honour the history of the Metropolitan Police.

Nobu Hotel London Portman Square, London

Opening: Winter 2020

The new Nobu Hotel London Portman Square – one of several new establishments from the ultra-stylish brand – will open in the heart of Marylebone this winter. It will have 249 guest rooms and suites, together with a Nobu restaurant, ballroom and meeting spaces, all in the brand’s signature minimal style. From palatial suites to cosy modern rooms, each bedroom is inspired by the elegant English garden within Portman Square and features an abundance of natural materials.

The Londoner, London

Opening: Late 2020

Edwardian Hotels London is getting set to open its first purpose-built hotel, The Londoner, billed as the world’s first ‘super boutique hotel’. The landmark development near Leicester Square embraces the heritage of its West End setting, offering five-star luxury facilities spread over 16 storeys. With 350 guest rooms, including 35 suites and a tower penthouse, and a subterranean gym and spa, the hotel also features two private screening rooms, six restaurants and a state-of-the-art ballroom, and has been developed with sustainability in mind. Indeed, it will be one of the greenest hotels in the world when it opens its doors in late 2020.

The Grand Hotel, Birmingham

Opening: Late 2020

The Grand Hotel, originally opened in 1879, is a Grade II-listed building in a prominent position on Birmingham’s prestigious Colmore Row, with views over St Philip’s Cathedral. The eagerly-awaited reopening of the hotel is expected in late 2020 following a multi-million-pound redesign which combines elegant Art Deco style with rich, modern furnishings. As well as 185 bedrooms, the venue will include a destination restaurant and bars, gym facilities and an external terrace.

100 Princes Street, Edinburgh, Scotland

Opening: Late 2020

Red Carnation will open their 19th luxury property in Edinburgh in 2020 – 100 Princes Street. Located on the city’s most famous street, it will see a considerate yet opulent refurbishment of the historic building to mirror the five-star luxury found at its sister property, Hotel 41 in London. With 30 bedrooms and an executive lounge, the hotel will also feature views of Edinburgh Castle, as well as some of the city’s other sights.

Bodmin Jail to become a hotel, Cornwall

Opening: February 2021

Bodmin Jail is undergoing a £40m redevelopment and preservation project to become a brand new immersive visitor attraction (opening 1 October 2020) alongside a four-star boutique hotel and restaurant, Bodmin Jail Hotel, which is scheduled to open in February 2021. The project will retain and enhance the unique atmosphere and sense of history that exists in the jail ruins. Expect to see bars on the windows, stone walls and the original guard tower. Holdings that date back to the 18th century are being used to create 70 spacious bedrooms with three cells to a room in the original civil, naval and women’s wings. An exciting new restaurant concept is also due to open within the hotel, giving guests the chance to indulge in a traditional afternoon tea or sample some hearty British classics.

Pan Pacific, London

Opening: 2021

The first foray into Europe by Pan Pacific Hotels Group will be in the new landmark tower at One Bishopsgate Plaza, just across from Liverpool Street train station. The new Pan Pacific London hotel will have 237 guestrooms and suites designed by Yabu Pushelberg. It will also feature the Square Mile’s largest hotel ballroom, an 18-metre infinity pool with cityscape views, and an abundance of landscaped outdoor space. Spectacular views of The Gherkin from The Signature Suite on the hotel’s 18th floor will be worth writing home about too.

Hilton Woking, Surrey

Opening: Early 2021

Hilton is to open a new high-rise hotel in Woking as part of a £540m regeneration of the town centre. The four-star, 170-bedroom property will feature in the upcoming Victoria Square retail and residential development. Boasting a Sky Bar on the 22nd floor, an all-day restaurant, an on-site coffee shop and plenty of meeting space, the hotel will also house a ballroom for up to 500 guests.

The Harper, North Norfolk

Opening: 5 March 2021

The development of the former Langham Glass site brings a luxurious boutique hotel to North Norfolk. The Harper North Norfolk, owned by The Bijou Collection, promises to be a contemporary, laid back country escape. This historic brick-and-stone building will have 32 high-tech bedrooms with modern four-poster beds and lavish bathrooms, as well as two restaurants, a bar, a lounge and a luxury spa complete with a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and treatment rooms.

THE PIG in the South Downs, West Sussex

Opening: Summer 2021

One of two new PIGs being added to Home Grown Hotels’ recent litter, the South Downs PIG will open in the Grade II-listed Madehurst Lodge, near Arundel. As with the other PIGs, the kitchen garden and restaurant will be at its heart, and anything that can’t be supplied by the gardens will be sourced from the best producers within a 25-mile (40-km) radius.

Clayton Hotel, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester

Opening: 2022

The Natwest Court office building on Broad Street, a stone’s throw from Bristol’s shopping epicentre, is set to be transformed into a stylish four-star Clayton Hotel by spring 2022. The new hotel will have 255 bedrooms, a bar, a restaurant, a gym and conference facilities. The hotel group are also planning a four-star riverside hotel opening in the centre of Glasgow, set to open in 2022. Home to 300 rooms, a bar and a restaurant, the hotel will be located close to Glasgow Central Station, making it an ideal hub for shoppers and city-loving explorers. With 330 bedrooms, the Clayton Hotel Manchester is also due to open in 2022. Located in another key central spot, the hotel on Portland Street will be just minutes away from Piccadilly Gardens in the city centre.