Principal Hayley Group unveils first phase of £6m Wotton House renovation
The first phase of a £6m refurbishment of Principal Hayley Group's Wotton House near Dorking, Surrey, has confirmed the property's transformation from a conference venue to a country house hotel.
The 112-bedroom hotel was part of the 23-strong Principal Hayley portfolio, which was acquired by Starwood Capital in 2013 for an undisclosed sum.
Together with the acquisition of a number of other hotel groups, Principal Hayley today numbers 48 hotels, of which around 10 will become part of a new brand of yet-to-be-launched "iconic, urban lifestyle" city hotels, currently operating under the title of Project 1898. Many of the other country house hotels within Principal Hayley, including Wotton House, are currently undergoing repositioning and renovation.
Located within 13 acres of gardens, which carry a Grade II listing from Historic England, the renovation has partially focused on the outdoor space with sculptures from Surrey artist Emma Stothard. The work by Stothard is the first in a series of artistic installations to be commissioned from local artists by Principal Hayley across its country house hotel portfolio.
Other improvements at the 17th century Wotton House include the launch of the first of what will be 16 new suites as well as the renovation of half of the bedrooms. The bedroom count will increase to 127 by the time all the renovations are completed. Meanwhile, the refurbishment of the public areas, including the Old Library which is popular for weddings and private dining, is ongoing.
The hotel also offers a gym, indoor pool, sauna, steam room and tennis courts.
Caroline Morrone, general manager of Wotton House, said: "As a popular venue for the conference, business, leisure and wedding sectors, the project has been planned and designed to appeal to all our customers and provide an attractive, contemporary venue in stunning surroundings, which pays homage to its history.
"We are delighted with the results so far and are already receiving fantastic feedback from our guests."
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