Denbies Wine Estate to open UK's first vineyard hotel

A £4m project is under way at Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey to create the UK's first vineyard hotel.

The project at England's largest single-estate vineyard will see the current bed and breakfast transformed into a 17-bedroom hotel with bar and orangery restaurant, set to open in spring 2019.

During their stay, guests will be able to taste the complete range of Denbies' wines from Enomatic wine dispensing machines, linked to room key cards.

The orangery restaurant will have views across the vineyard, while landscaped gardens will include two cabana-style seating areas where guests can enjoy local cheeses and charcuterie.

Denbies chief operating officer, Jeannette Simpson, commented: "We have a wonderful site here at Denbies which attracts around 350,000 visitors each year. 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.

"The reputation of English wine continues to grow, and wine tourism is an integral part of communicating this message loud and clear. We look forward to offering a world-class vineyard and winery experience here in the heart of the Surrey hills."

A £1.7m funding package from HSBC is supporting the transformation, which will also see the modernisation and expansion of the winery.

Christopher White, Denbies CEO, explained: "In addition to introducing the UK's first vineyard hotel, we will be quadrupling our sparkling wine production capacity by the end of 2019.

"Moreover, our sustained programme of new plantings, as well as planned winery investments, will enable us to expand while continuing to drive the quality of our sparkling wines. We will also make sure that we support growing demand for our full range of still wines, from entry level up to the premium ranges."

Nick Hicks, area director for HSBC UK in Sussex and Surrey, added: "This is a hugely exciting investment that will see Denbies Wine Estate transform into a truly unique attraction and retreat that perfectly complements its beautiful surroundings. The funding package provided by HSBC is enabling Denbies to incorporate environmentally friendly solutions, ensuring the UK's first vineyard hotel will operate sustainably and ethically. With an ever-growing demand for quality English wines, this major investment couldn't be more timely and will underpin the company's ambitious growth plans over the coming years."

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