Stone Manor hotel in Kidderminster sold

The four AA-star Stone Manor hotel near Kidderminster has been sold to Solihull hoteliers Helena and Andy Hogarth.

The couple, who currently own the luxury Hogarths hotel & restaurant in Dorridge, bought the 56-bedroom 1920s Tudor-style property for an undisclosed sum after the current owner decided to retire, aged 84.

Charles Wilfred Dunn, who bought the hotel from Franco D'anielo in 1984, said: "Since then we have developed and extended the country house hotel into the beautiful and imposing property it is today.

"I feel the time has now come to take a well-deserved retirement and with the rest of my family, I wish Helena and Andy Hogarth and their team much success and happiness at this wonderful hotel. I am pleased the hotel is remaining in the care of a family who will continue the traditions we have set over the past 30 years, while making improvements."

Helena Hogarth said she was looking forward to developing the hotel over the next few years.

"I remember my grandfather bringing me to the Stone Manor Hotel for tea when I was younger with my family and when we discovered it was for sale, we thought it was ideal as a second hotel," she said.

"At Hogarths Hotel & Restaurant we have become renowned for providing high levels of service in high quality settings. We fully understand the traditions of the Stone Manor hotel, which we will be continuing and there is so much scope to further develop the bedrooms, conference and function suites and 25 acres of landscaped gardens."

The hotel currently attracts a mix of leisure and business guests and the Hogarths aim to encourage more weddings, conferences and restaurant bookings.