£600k revamp completed at historic County Durham hotel

A historic hotel in the heart of County Durham has undergone a £600k transformation ahead of its reopening.

The Manor House Hotel in West Auckland has completed a refurbishment programme which has seen the creation of improved spa facilities, including a heated indoor pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and new beauty therapy facilities.

Reputed to have been Henry VIII’s hunting lodge and home to the Eden family, the Grade I listed Manor House, sometimes also referred to as Auckland Old Hall or West Auckland Hall, continued as a family home until 1914 when local vicar Rev Lomax turned the property into an orphanage before it was refurbished into a hotel.

The site was also home to the West Auckland Brewery from 1840 to 1877 when it was taken over by the Cameron Brewery of West Hartlepool and finally ceased brewing in 1962.

The hotel was purchased by STR Enterprises in 1997. STR Enterprises managing director Chris Sanderson commented: “As a hospitality company, we’re interested in unique buildings whose potential hasn’t been realised for one reason or another but can be achieved with investment and great service.

“The Manor House had it all in abundance – an incredible building in a great location but a little run-down so it fitted all our criteria.

“We’ve been constantly upgrading and improving the building since we purchased it but decided to use the break in business that the pandemic forced upon us to bring forward our investment programme to refurbish the 30 bedrooms, install a new plant room and completely upgrade the spa to create an even better offer for our customers.”

Angela Thomas, group operations manager, continued, “We have some of the country’s finest food producers right on our doorstep and try to use local and seasonal food wherever we can so that we can become almost a shop front for the local economy and plan to hold food fairs once we can get over the current restrictions later this year.

“Probably our main market is the wedding sector and we see the enhanced spa as a great attraction for guests to enjoy our facilities before and after the actual ceremony in our historic King’s Hall – as part of this we’ve also redesigned the bridal suite to link via a private dining area to two other bedrooms where parents and in-laws can stay as another unique offering.

“What’s also very exciting is the possibility of restarting brewing on site. We’ve had the original West Auckland Brewery well tested for quality and volume and are looking to begin discussions with brewers who are interested in reviving the famous brand.”

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