Hotel du Vin opens in Brighton

Hotel du Vin officially opened its fifth hotel in Brighton last week, representing an investment of around £6m.

The 37-bedroom hotel is described by the company as a "quirky, even eccentric, collection of part-Gothic-styled buildings" complete with original features and gargoyles. An inn has existed on the site since 1693.

In keeping with the du Vin theme, each of the bedrooms has been sponsored by a wine house and the walls hung with prints, lithographs and other wine-related memorabilia.

Robin Hutson, chairman and managing director, said he expected the latest hotel in the group to attract business from the area's "trendy, media and arts crowd".

"It's early days but we are doing well. We were fully booked for our first weekend," Hutson said. He added that the group's most recent financial year was its most successful since the company started eight years ago. Turnover for the year ended September 2002 was £13m, while the company made a net profit of £1.3m.

Hotel du Vin has earmarked a further £6m for another hotel in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Work will begin in January and the 47-bedroom hotel is expected to open next July.

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 7-13 November 2002