Birch Selsdon sets opening date

Birch has confirmed that it will be opening its second hotel, Birch Selsdon, this spring at the De Vere Selsdon Estate in Croydon.

It comes after the group first announced the launch of its sister hotel, a joint venture between real estate investment company Aprirose and Birch Hospitality, last August.

The 19th century mansion, which holds 181 bedrooms, two restaurants, three bars, a lido, a wellness space, co-working hubs and creative studios, has been renovated by interior studios A-nrd and Sella Concept.

There will be five types of rooms, ranging from small to multi-room suites.

Like Birch Cheshunt in Hertfordshire, which opened in 2020, Birch Selsdon will offer a range of activities for guests, including a pottery studio, a screen-printing workshop, an interactive kitchen, a screening room and an arcade. Membership offers for Birch's co-working or wellness programmes will also be available.

The 200-acre sister site, which was once home to a golf course, has undergone a rewilding project headed by designer and environmentalist Sebastian Cox. Long-horned cattle and Exmoor ponies will roam free on the site as part of the initiative.

Ayo Akinsete, managing director of Birch, said: “In our post-pandemic world where boundaries have become even more blurred and it’s harder than ever to switch off, we need a reminder of the best things in life. Birch (Selsdon) is a place to pause, to try new things, to reconnect with yourself and others, and to have fun.”

The Birch lifestyle hotel brand was created by former managing director of the Ace Hotel London Chriss Penn and entrepreneur Chris King and opened its doors to its Hertfordshire site in 2020.

The Caterer understands that Penn is no longer involved with the business.

Image Credit: Inna Kostukovsky