Burgh Island hotel launches ‘first major renovation' since 1934

Burgh Island hotel in Devon has announced a multi-million-pound development that will see the addition of 12 guest rooms and an extension to its bar and restaurant.

It is the first major renovation of the property since 1934 and comes after a £2.5m project to transform a local care home into staff accommodation was announced last month.

The care home development was launched in respose to a shortage of housing in the south-west of England, which also led the hotel to purchase a cottage in Bigbury-on-Sea to provide extra staff accommodation in 2018.

South Hams District Council’s development management committee has approved the latest round of plans, including a West Wing extension for 12 new en-suite bedrooms with sea views and glass balconies; the creation of a new bar and spa; renovation of the Chirgwin staff rooms to ensure parity with guest rooms; and the addition of a ‘cream tea hut’ that will also be open to the public.

Burgh Island hotel, which was built in 1929, said the changes would be made with sustainability in mind. New staff accommodation will be built on the existing tennis court space and feature solar water heating and ground source heating, as well as heat pumps and heat recovery ventilation.

Giles Fuchs, owner of Burgh Island hotel, said: “I am so excited to announce this 10-year development project to ensure that Burgh Island hotel’s reputation as one of the most glamorous and luxurious in the world is maintained and that its unique heritage and architecture is protected.

"Most importantly, this major development places our amazing and valued staff at the heart of our business by providing them with high-quality accommodation and the potential of a life-long career at Burgh.”

District councillor Bernard Taylor said: “I would like to congratulate the officers who dealt with this application. It is sympathetic development that fits not just to the hotel but also the island. It is an iconic building and we need to keep it running.”

The hotel is located on a private island off the coast of Bigbury-on-Sea and can only be accessed by sea tractor at high tide.