The UK’s hottest new hotels that opened last month
All the chicest stays that launched in September, as chosen by hotel expert Ianthe Butt
From a dreamy converted Italianate villa which will have wine lovers flocking to the Isle of Wight, to an adaptive reuse warehouse turned boutique hotel in west Wales and a revamp of a landmark seaside property in Margate, hotel expert Ianthe Butt shares six of the UK’s hottest new check ins.
Fort Road Hotel, Margate
This historic seaside guesthouse – said to have been visited by Turner in its heyday, and left abandoned since the 1970s – has a sharp new look courtesy of Frieze Fair co-founder Matthew Slotover, residential developer Gabriel Chipperfield and artist Tom Gidley. Love – and investment – have been poured into the derelict building, and the result is all carefully crafted elegance. Behind a whitewashed facade, terracotta-coloured corridors decorated with exposed lightbulbs and vintage Margate postcards lead to 14 bedrooms with comfy natural-fibre beds, natty wooden shelving and glossy bathrooms stocked with Haeckels toiletries and clad in glossy teal or tangerine Mexican tiles.
As well as having a killer location for exploring – sitting opposite the Turner Contemporary, close to the beach and Dreamland’s appealing kitsch – there’s plenty to entice guests to linger. Make for the residents-only rooftop to admire Margate’s dappled skies with a sbagliato at sundown, and the hip basement bar – where lovers canoodle in an industrial-feel vaulted tunnel under the glow of a Tracy Emin neon – for nightcaps.
Head Chef Daisy Cecil’s accomplished cooking – think pouffed to perfection Ashmore cheddar souffles, mustard buttered samphire and cherry cobnut tart – is already proving a serious draw at the art-filled ground floor restaurant.
Doubles from £145, room only; fortroadhotel.com
The Terrace Rooms & Wine Café, Isle of Wight
Another landmark property with a contemporary new look is Ventnor’s St Augustine Villa on the Isle of Wight. The Italianate villa has been transformed from much-loved but tired seaside guest house into a boutique property with six bedrooms by couple Ashley and Tom Fahey. While this is their debut hotel, the pair are no strangers to hospitality – she’s a professional chef who honed her craft aboard superyachts, and he’s a seasoned restaurant inspector with 15 years’ experience under his belt, and together they run popular IOW restaurant The Terrace.
The hotel’s setting is spectacular; sat under a glass pergola on the suntrap terrace with panoramas of Ventnor Bay’s sparkling waters, it could be the Amalfi Coast. A 300-strong wine room, vintages displayed like artwork, is a testament to the couple’s passion for wine. Fun, informal tastings take place each evening, and the overall vibe here will suit those searching for down-to-earth luxury.
Predominantly geared towards adults (only the annexe is family-friendly), bedrooms are delightfully restful, with fern and forest colour palettes with shell-pink accents. Biscuit-coloured hammam towels are provided for the beach, and tropical botanical paintings by local artist Lynn Young add colourful energy. Each room has its charm, be it a freestanding tub, scallop-edged sink or rugged view of the cliffs.
As for dining, excellent multi-course breakfasts – think soda bread with cherry jam, poached eggs with delicate mushroom or truffle sauce – will see you sated ’til mid-afternoon, with a light snacking menu available. From November to April, Tom plans to whip up tasting menus rich in Isle of Wight produce with paired wines, making it an even more appealing prospect.
Doubles from £220, BBW (bed, breakfast and wine tasting); theterraceiow.co.uk/roomsventnor
The Albion, Aberteifi, Wales
With the arrival of The Oyster House, Parador 44 and Y Seler, it’s been a strong year for Welsh hotel openings. Joining the ranks is The Albion, a newbie boutique hotel on the banks of Cardigan’s River Teifi, masterminded by James Lynch and Sian Tucker, the husband-and-wife team behind soulful glampsite (and west Wales favourite) Fforest farm.
Design inspiration comes from the 1819 voyage of the Albion, a ship which left Cardigan carrying Welsh families to settle in Canada, and subtly informs decor in a pair of Grade II listed warehouses. Open first is the Bridge warehouse, with 12 adults-only bedrooms with a cosseting cabin feel, thanks to walls clad in reclaimed timber, mermaid coat hooks, locally-woven blankets, Aesop toiletries and snuggly Devon Duvets. All bedrooms have river views, but those on the top floor, with eyeline views across the water, are particularly lovely to relax in after days spent exploring the nearby Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve, boating along the Teifi with Dai Crabs, spotting kingfishers as you go.
Elsewhere in the property, maritime nods continue with carriage lamps, jewel-coloured vintage bottles, and original 19th-century graffiti of boats on the walls. It’s an upcycling masterclass too; 150-year-old beams have become smart flooring, and the seating in the Galley bar – where punchy honey bramble cocktails are served – is fashioned from chapel pews. For now, breakfasts are a simple but tasty Smorgasbord affair. A restaurant proper, Yr Odyn, focusing on fire-cooked fare, is set to open soon in the Granary warehouse next door, followed by 11 further rooms, with family suites next year.
Doubles from £165, B&B; albionaberteifi.co.uk
Runa Farm, County Durham
Bringing a touch of the Balearics to the rolling North Yorkshire countryside just outside Barnard Castle is Runa Farm, a 30-bedroom hotel and wedding venue which has its own country pub, as well as cute sheep, pigs and Shetland ponies who roam the farm’s green fields.
Slumber inside the original six-room farmhouse – which can be taken over in its entirety by groups – or a clutch of courtyard rooms, where reclaimed timber flooring, woven details and vintage Ibizan furniture put together by local designer Amanda Storey create a pleasingly bohemian atmosphere. Some bedrooms have deep in-room bathtubs, while others have hot tubs.
On-site pub The Smithy does plates of field-to-fork grub – think Yorkshire asparagus with crispy hen’s egg, steak frites, vegan ‘fish’ and chips and buttermilk chicken open sandwiches. Cocktails are clever too; don’t miss the Runa Cherry Drop, a riot of amaretto, melon and cranberry, or for those on the mocktails, the mango collins is a strong choice. Relaxing retreats are set to arrive in 2023.
Doubles from £175, B&B; runa-farm.com
Dao by Dorsett West London
The trend towards aparthotel living shows no sign of slowing, and the latest property pitched at long-stay guests in the capital is Dao by Dorsett, a collection of 70 four, one- and two-bed serviced apartments in Shepherd’s Bush, five minutes from Westfield. Designed with function in mind, each open plan space is kitted out with kitchenettes and a living area, given a lift by cobalt blue cushions and sofas, potted plants and abstract artwork. Toiletries by Greener Lifestyle plus dressing gowns up the cosy factor.
A series of Dao Journeys, zoning in on the likes of fitness and self-care, will launch in the next few months, which, for an extra fee, will allow guests to have fitness equipment, weights and yoga mats delivered to apartments ahead of arrival, as well as pre-booked Peloton Bikes. For added convenience, there’s a funky neon-artwork adorned laundry room with self-service washer-dryers, and Dao is pet-friendly, so four-legged pals are welcome.
While there aren’t any dedicated restaurants on site, sister property Dorsett Shepherd’s Bush (inside the same building) includes gilded and green lobby bar Jin, and Chinese restaurant Shikumen, a fine spot to indulge dim sum cravings.
Doubles from £200, B&B; daobydorsett.com
The 55 by Le Mirage
Also joining the aparthotel crowd is a new arrival in Bayswater, the latest opening from Cyas Hospitality, The 55 by Le Mirage. It sits inside a glorious white stucco-fronted Georgian-style building with striking chequerboard steps close to Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and a short walk from Portobello Market.
A fuss-free choice for business travellers looking for a home away from home, its 55 comfortable rooms – including accessible options – are kitted out with blackout curtains to help ensure a good night’s sleep, well-lit desk areas for laptop tapping, unfussy open closet hanging storage, and have small bathrooms with rainforest showers. A backdrop of navy and slate grey tones are pepped up with sleek tangerine or lime-coloured armchairs and Nespresso machines in larger suites.
From November, breakfasts will be served in the ground floor dining area or can be enjoyed on an al-fresco garden terrace, and a bar serving freshly squeezed juices will open in 2023.
Doubles from £185, room only; the55lemirage.com
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