Hotel Concept of the Month – Oxwich Bay Hotel

In January 2017, The Oxwich Bay Hotel in Swansea brought its room count up to 42, with the addition of six new pods and the opening of a Secret Garden. Having conceived the idea some 20 years ago, owner Ian Williams was limited by the fact that what he was envisioning had not yet been created. The space that the pods take up was previously accommodated by six caravan coaches and Williams explained that with the new room types, he wanted “something that would remain on the same footprint” as them. The 4.5 by 3 sqm pods, which were designed by a company called Swift, come in a mixture of luxury and standard rooms and are situated about 50 metres away from the main hotel. The concept of the Secret Garden was then built upon as the “rather bland” appearance of the pods was not immediately inviting. Williams says, “There was nothing about them that I thought was attractive when you looked in. So, I came out with the concept of the Secret Garden, and immediately [that] makes people think, ‘Ooh, that sounds nice.’” Williams then altered the pods to take out the kitchenettes and replace them with seating areas, as he wanted to give those staying in the rooms the same service as other guests. The pods are also connected to the hotel’s central heating and water system, meaning guests are not reliant on traditional means which can be confusing for new users. The rooms come with literal ‘turn down’ services as each pod has a wall which can be turned down by housekeeping staff to reveal the bedroom or turned back up for the seating area, dependent on the mood of the guest. The double ensuite pods are bordered by 15 ft fir tree hedges and the centrepiece of the garden is a granite stone from the hotel’s grounds, which was drilled to become a bespoke fountain. To add to the seclusion and privacy of the Secret Garden, none of the pods face into each other and they each have private patios so guests have “somewhere to sit and relax”. Its remoteness from the main hotel is not only felt in the hedge perimeter or the 50 metre separation; the Secret Garden is also much quieter than the rest of the property. General manager Lindsay Glover explains, “I was there working the other day, it's amazing... it's really quiet, you can even hear the birds.” The nature surrounding the hotel is not in short supply as it is just 10 metres away from the Gower Peninsula beach and a woodland which guests use for walking. The Oxwich Bay Hotel is surrounded by no roads except a short lane which leads to the church of St. Illtyd. In its first year, the Secret Garden has had an occupancy of 70% which Williams says “shows in essence that this is another experience” which the Oxwich Bay Hotel’s guests have warmly welcomed.