The 50-bedroom hotel, which was granted permission for the work in August 2011, closed for refurbishment in October of the same year to allow Bristol-based construction group Galliford Try to start construction of the spa and restaurant.
Now, following months of construction work and refurbishment by interior design team DO Design, owner Harbour Hotels, which owns and operates five hotels in Dorset and Devon and is building a hotel at Southampton's Ocean Village, has earmarked August for the re-opening while also revealing details of its new restaurant, The Jetty.
Jason Parry, general manager of the Salcombe Harbour Hotel & Spa said: “The development is on-course to deliver one of the UK’s leading luxury coastal hotels, complete with an exquisite spa and restaurant – celebrating our spectacular location on the edge of Salcombe Estuary and further driving tourism for this beautiful holiday destination.”
Harbourside restaurant
The hotel's new restaurant will be overseen by Aitken, former chef-patron at Le Poussin in Brockenhurst, Hampshire and a founder of Limewood.
The chef, who currently runs the restaurants at Harbour Hotels' The Kings Arms in Christchurch and Christchurch Harbour Hotel, plans to develop a menu using seasonal ingredients and with a focus on fish to make the most of restaurant's waterside location.
He said: "This is the most amazing location. I cannot wait to start exploring the local produce available here on our doorstep in Devon; working with local suppliers to create inspiring restaurant menus. As Chef Patron for Harbour Hotels’ restaurant ‘The Jetty’ in Dorset - which was recently awarded ‘Best Restaurant in the South West’ - I have a very simple food philosophy, keep it fresh, seasonal and local.”
Tim Windibank of Salcombe's tourist information centre said the refurbished hotel and spa, that will include a pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and treatment rooms, would be a greater pull for visitors to the area.
"We are hugely excited about the re-opening and what it means for Salcombe and the surrounding areas. Not only will guests be treated to some of South Devon’s finest panoramic sea views, but the Harbour Hotel’s luxury offering will ensure Salcombe continues to attract visitors from across the globe eager to experience the town’s picturesque and unspoilt coastal setting,” he said.