Bailbrook House Hotel, the Grade II* listed hotel on the eastern outskirts of Bath, is undergoing a £10m restoration following its acquisition last year by Hand Picked Hotels.
The re-development will transform the hotel into a leading four-star destination, and includes a sympathetic restoration and refurbishment of the original Mansion House and a total refurbishment of Bailbrook Court.
The project will be completed in July although the hotel will re-open in phases from early spring. It will then become part of the Hand Picked Hotels collection in autumn, bringing the total number to 18 hotels across the UK.
The hotel, set in 20 acres of private grounds with glorious views over Bath, was built as a private residence in the early 1790s and has had a number of uses over the years.
The Mansion House is being remodelled to create 13 prestigious feature bedrooms, many with stunning original features and will also offer a new fine dining restaurant, three large lounges and a conservatory bar.
Bailbrook Court, next to the Mansion House, will offer 81 classic and executive bedrooms, all refurbished to a high standard with meeting and event facilities, including boardrooms, training suites and syndicate rooms. The Brunel Suite is the largest function room, with a capacity of 160.
The hotel has re-opened with 27 recently refurbished bedrooms including classics and executives, with the newly refurbished Lansdown Restaurant offering a brasserie-style menu. There are also two new training suites with syndicates available for use from 8 April.
Bailbrook House general manager Jonathan Squire said: “We are open for business while the major restoration takes place in the Mansion House and look forward to welcoming guests for leisure and business stays.
“We are attracting a lot of interest in our wedding offering. The hotel is in a stunning location overlooking Bath and also close to motorways and good transport links – so a great place to stay when visiting the city.”
Hand Picked Hotels chairman and chief executive Julia Hands, who created the business in 2001 from a collection of hotels bought with her husband, city financier Guy Hands, said: “Bath is a beautiful city and first-class location with stunning architecture and a fascinating history, attracting visitors from all over the world.
“Bailbrook House Hotel has enormous potential and we will be using our extensive experience of working with listed properties to deliver a sensitive refurbishment that will enhance its heritage. Once this has taken place, Bailbrook House Hotel will become part of the Hand Picked Hotels portfolio.”
