Laura Ashley opens luxury boutique hotel
The opening today of Laura Ashley The Manor hotel in Elstree, Hertfordshire, will provide a showcase for the furnishings and furniture of the high-street store.
Formerly known as the Edgwarebury, the 49-bedroom property - purchased by Laura Ashley last year for £5.8m from Corus Hotels - is expected to become the first in a collection of hotels for the company.
The mock-Tudor property, which stands within 10 acres of landscaped gardens and woodland, has been refurbished to create a luxury boutique hotel using the brand's paint, fabrics, and home accessories.
With Laura Ashley catalogues available in every bedroom, the hotel will is set to become a major commercial opportunity for the retail side of the business, which will help to sell the company's products as well as its interior design service.
A spokesperson for Laura Ashley, which is currently celebrating 60 years in business, said: "The Manor is a brand new initiative for Laura Ashley, so our focus at the moment is to get the Laura Ashley hotel brand right and concentrate on its success before deciding to have further hotels.
"We will however be on the lookout for international licensing opportunities for the brand as we believe in the strength of our product and lifestyle offering."
General manager of the hotel is James Mahaffey and the head chef is Gary Nock.