An Edwardian affair

01 January 2000
An Edwardian affair

Hotel signs at the side of the road vie to attract the bucket-and-spade brigade on which Bournemouth thrives. All, that is, except the Langtry Manor Hotel, which instead of targeting families aims for couples who have something to celebrate or who want to get away from it all.

"We advertise that we're tucked away from the main hotel area and that it is a country house atmosphere. An added benefit is that it is five minutes' walk from the beach," says hotel manager James Tonry.

What sets Langtry Manor apart from the crowd is that it's more than just a seaside resort hotel. King Edward VII built the house as a weekend retreat for his famous mistress, Lillie Langtry. And the marketing opportunity has not been missed by owner Pamela Hamilton-Howard, who has capitalised on the Lillie mystique by selling her guests an Edwardian experience.

The guests' first glimpse of a mob-capped waitress in Edwardian dress confirms what is already apparent as soon as they step through the door: this is a living museum to Lillie and Edward's affair. Portraits and photographs of each adorn the walls and memorabilia is displayed in alcoves or on landings.

Original furnishings blend with the rest of the Edwardian decor - the king's hunting chair, tiny Prince of Wales curtain tie-backs, the swan-design stained-glass windows and the huge Tudor tapestries chosen by Lillie.

Not content to surround guests with Lillie memorabilia, Hamilton-Howard attempts to take them back in time every Saturday night when she holds an Edwardian banquet in the 40-seat Dining Hall. Residents and dinner guests congregate at 7.30pm for 8pm, just as for a private dinner party, and like the staff they are encouraged to dress in Edwardian costume - which can be hired from an outfitters in town.

Seated at communal tables, diners are given an explanation of each course as it is brought in. The menu, at £23.75 for six courses and coffee, is intended to reflect the era and includes dishes such as quail or roast pork with crackling, fresh sage and onion stuffing and apple sauce.

Less frequently, the menu includes venison casserole served with heart-shaped croutons, pears and redcurrants, but this is rare as venison is seen as not to most guests' taste. For special occasions a swan-shaped dessert is served - Lillie's favourite bird. Made from meringue, cream, fresh fruit and a secret ingredient, it is taken to the table ablaze with sparklers.

The food is only part of Hamilton-Howard's game-plan. In the middle of the evening, a son et lumiäre is held to conjure up the atmosphere of Edward and Lillie's dinner parties. Surrounded by portraits of both, the idea is that guests are swept back to the days when Edward would use a peep-hole next to the minstrel's gallery to assess the company before dinner.

But it wasn't always like this. When Hamilton-Howard bought the property in 1977 it was being run as a guesthouse and the owners did not exploit the Langtry connection. Edward VII's bedroom, for example, had been divided into three rooms, obscuring the huge fireplace.

Hamilton-Howard, however, seized the initiative and put the manor through a substantial refurbishment. Her priority was to increase space at the expense of bed numbers, so the bedrooms were restored to their former sizes and all made en suite. There are currently 14 bedrooms in the manor and 11 in Langtry Lodge which was converted in 1982, situated a few yards from the manor. The lodge continues the romantic theme, as Lillie and Edward stayed there while the manor was being built. All guests use the manor's dining room.

Vital refurbishment

Langtry Manor is a privately owned hotel, and Hamilton-Howard says no funds were borrowed. Subsequently, the policy has been to plough profits back in. "Recession hit us badly, there were hardly any profits, but we still refurbished," she says.

It paid off. Profits have doubled each year for the past two years, turnover is in excess of £500,000 a year and building is under way to expand the lodge by three bedrooms.

It's very much a family-run hotel and those members that work there have a small shareholding. Hamilton-Howard's daughter, Tara Howard, has been involved with the hotel since she was 11 and is now company secretary. Tara's nephew and sister-in-law help out generally and her brother Miles is in charge of hosting and stocktaking.

They're all aware of the value of the Lillie connection and push it in brochures and hotel guides. Hamilton-Howard says they spend about £1,000-£2,000 a month on advertising and are featured in Fromers, Johansens, Best Loved Hotels and the Which? guide.

But, according to Tonry, a lot of business comes through word of mouth and repeat bookings. "About 30% of business is repeat," he says, "only 10% is overseas business."

It seems a small percentage considering the hotel offers the sort of experience American visitors love. But Tonry points out that it is difficult to market abroad as so few people from countries such as the USA come to Bournemouth, favouring instead London and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Joining a consortium is not the answer. Hamilton-Howard tried it once with Consort but pulled out as she felt the hotel was being sold at the lower end of the market. "It wasn't what we wanted," she says.

But the hotel has reached a wider audience simply by trading on its famous first owner. The 1978 television series Lillie starring Francesca Annis is being rerun on Sky TV and there have been enquiries on the back of it. The original screening couldn't have come at a better time, as the hotel had just opened.

The exterior of the house was used in the series and the interior was used as the basis for a film set, so the family nurtured business by giving the public guided tours.

Although the hotel attracts a cross-section of guests, most are couples escaping the ties of children. The hotel doesn't turn the latter away, but the decor and the Langtry connection lends itself to selling the hotel as a love-nest.

To build on the romance theme, the bedrooms all have names and several are designated for honeymooners - the Jersey Lily room has a Jacuzzi and the Lily Langtry has a four-poster bed and heart-shaped bath. As no two rooms are the same, there is the added benefit that guests return to try a different one. One couple, according to Tonry, has tried every room.

He adds that when guests stay in the Edward VII suite, the staff hardly see them. Furnished with a four-poster bed, sofas and with the huge restored inglenook-style fireplace, guests often opt for a fireside dinner in the room. Butler service is also offered and Tonry dresses for the part if necessary.

The policy is to give added value rather than discounts, although tariffs are negotiated on last-minute bookings. Weekend break rates start at £99.50 depending on the suite. The King Edward VII suite is the most expensive, priced at £179.50. The price includes two nights bed and breakfast, with complimentary tea, coffee or sherry on arrival, followed by a complimentary glass of Champagne and candlelit dinner on the Friday night, and the Edwardian banquet on the Saturday night.

Although business revolves mainly around weekend breaks, there are special offers midweek whereby guests staying three nights get the third night free, paying £99.50. Those guests staying a whole week get two nights free, for £279.

The hotel is staffed by 12 full-timers and eight part-timers, with additional staff brought in as needed. For instance, weddings boost business between April and September, with room occupancy hitting 70% from June. September is the busiest month when people come for a break once children have returned to school.

The hotel's theme is particularly well-suited to the wedding market. Last year, 73 weddings took place but Tonry is aiming for more than 100 this year. Although most parties average at about 60 guests, the hotel is licensed for up to 100. The Dining Hall seats 40 as standard, but can easily take more. It tends to be first choice for the ceremony as it not only has the heavier romantic connections but also the advantage of being able to house a string quartet in the minstrels' gallery. However, the Royal Suite in the lodge provides an alternative venue with a dance floor.

There isn't a set wedding package. Tonry prides himself on being flexible so long as the chef can cope; the idea being to provide an individual touch. Usually, Tonry chats to the customer and comes up with ballpark figures, which he follows up with a written quote - the usual price being £24-£27 a head.

Although romance sells the hotel, a small slice of the market - nearly 10% - is corporate. Depending on what a company wants, the hotel can accommodate up to 100 delegates for a theatre-style presentation or, at present, 25 for a residential conference. Rates vary, but Hamilton-Howard charges about £89 a head for a 24-hour conference, including bedroom and meals, and £29.95 for the day including dinner.

Staff are regarded by Tonry as vital to the hotel's success. "We take people on more for personality than for qualifications - although they count," he says. Waitresses are always in Edwardian dress at exhibitions. They recently took a stand at the wedding exhibition at Bournemouth International Centre and costumed staff helped generate interest.

"I wander into companies and say hello, which is more personal than sending a leaflet," says Tonry. "Lots of places do Christmas parties so we try to do something a bit different. The Lillie thing has mystery," he adds.

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