Renaissance Pubs reveals plans for boutique hotel
The Tommyfield Hotel Rooms, due to open in the spring, will be spread over two floors above the group’s historical Kennington pub.
Renaissance Pubs owners Tom Peake, Mark Reynolds and Nick Fox hinted at plans to open further hotel rooms in the future, although they were unable to confirm any further details at present.
However, they did confirm plans for ‘substantial’ refurbishments to the gardens at The Stonehouse and The Avalon in Clapham.
Renaissance, which celebrated its 10th birthday last year and operates six pubs across the capital, has been selected as a finalist in the Best Food Category of this year’s Publican Awards, run by BigHospitality’s sister title The Morning Advertiser.
The group took over The Tommyfield, which was previously known as The White Hart, in 2005 and refurbished and renamed it 2010. The site at Kennington Cross has been home to a pub since 1746.
Boutique boom
Recent research from Bookings.com suggests that boutique hotels are rising in popularity amongst British holidaymakers.
A survey of more than 2,000 Brits revealed that three quarters (77 per cent) would prefer to stay somewhere unusual in the UK, with most (70 per cent) stating they would be most excited about staying in a castle or other historical building.
Around a quarter said they would look for something ‘quintessentially British’, while 13 per cent said they like to be able to live out a childhood fantasy when holidaying in the UK.
Jason Grist, spokesperson for Booking.com said that ‘one in ten Brits never like to take the same holiday twice’, suggesting that there is plenty of opportunity for ‘alternative and diverse’ properties in the UK.
The online travel agent shared a list of some of its most highly rated properties from across the country, which included the South-American style Llamas Pyjamas Bed & Breakfast, which offers llama trekking, the Old Railway Station hotel, which has rooms in a restored Edwardian Pullman railway carriage, and the Beatles-inspired Penny Lane Hotel in Liverpool.
