£4m investment for UK's first ever vineyard hotel

13-Nov-2018 - Last updated on 16-Nov-2018 at 10:00 GMT

Ripe and ready: an impression of what The Vineyard Hotel will look like when it opens to the public next year

Rumour on the grapevine has it that the UK’s first vineyard hotel will be ripe and ready next spring.

The £4m investment at Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking, Surrey, will see the creation of The Vineyard Hotel, which is said to be the first of its kind in Britain.

With the English wine market expanding and the industry’s wines receiving well-deserved praise, wine tourism is almost certain to expand explains Denbies chief operating officer Jeanette Simpson.

B&B transformation

The development, being constructed at the largest single estate vineyard in England, will see the transformation of its bed and breakfast into the proposed vineyard hotel.

Guests will have to opportunity to taste the complete range of Denbies wines from an Enomatic wine dispensing machine, which can be used via a pre-charged room key card.

The hotel will also have subtle references to its location, based in the heart of the Surrey Hills wine country.

Natural bark walls will line the reception entrance, opening into the wrought iron vine gates leading through into the orangery with views overlooking the garden and 265 acres of sweeping vines.

Anticipation

Ahead of the proposed unveiling next spring, Simpson spoke of her excitement for the project.

“We have a wonderful site here at Denbies, which attracts around 350,000 visitors each year,” she said.

“We have been at the forefront of wine tourism in England since the estate opened and our new hotel, due to open in spring 2019, will be a great addition to our existing hospitality offering.”

Easy decision

HSBC UK has provided a funding package totalling £1m, which includes finance for the 17-bedroom hotel build.

Nick Hicks, area director for HSBC UK in Sussex and Surrey said the investment was a no-brainer.

He explained: “With an ever-growing demand for quality English wines, the major investment couldn’t be timelier and will underpin the company’s ambitious growth plans over the coming years.”