Signet Collection to open second hotel

The Signet Collection, which opened the Mitre Hampton Court hotel last September, has announced plans to open a second hotel called the Retreat Elcot Park in West Berkshire next spring.

Housed in a Grade II-listed, 18th-century building that was once the childhood home of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, the Retreat will have 55 bedrooms.

There will be two restaurants: an all-day dining brasserie and a pan-Asian restaurant. It will also have a whisky tasting room and honesty pantries.

For private events there will be several meeting rooms and private dining spaces, while its 16 acre grounds will feature a walled garden, tennis courts, an outdoor infinity pool with cabanas and a Whispering Angel pool bar, croquet lawns and a children’s zone.

The hotel will also have a health club with hydrotherapy pools, treatment rooms, a steam room, sauna, gym, spin studio and wellness area. The Courtyard, meanwhile, will be a mixed-use retail space consisting of a bakery, coffee house, hair salon and a wine store.

OakNorth Bank provided a £9.4m loan for the group to acquire and refurbish the second hotel.

Hector Ross (pictured left), managing partner of the Signet Collection, said: “We are delighted to announce the second hotel from the Signet Collection coming next spring. As with the Mitre Hampton Court, we look forward to unveiling a property which will be enjoyed in the context of its historical significance, both preserving and restoring authenticity coupled with offering a vast array of activities on site to keep our guests entertained.

"With a focus on creating memorable experiences, informality of design, exquisite food and service, we believe the Retreat will be a much-loved addition to the area, involving both the local community and travellers from afar.”

The Signet Collection was founded by Ross, the former chief operating officer of Longshot, which owns Beaverbrook and the Bel & the Dragon Group, and chef Ronnie Kimbugwe (pictured right), who oversees the group’s culinary operations.