Homewood hotel receives green light for £3m expansion

The Homewood hotel in Bath has announced it has received approval for a £3m extension to take place later this year. The latest announcement is among a string of plans made by owners Ian and Christa Taylor to target longer stay leisure and multi-generational travellers by further enhancing its spa and leisure offering. The pair revealed the approval of the plans follows an “extensive” three-year long process working with local architect Kevin Murphy of Aaron Evans to develop a scheme. Improvements will be added to the north of the main hotel in the grounds of Homewood Lodge, refurbished in 2020 into 10 luxury bedrooms, now known as Mallingford Mews. The development provides six new luxury guest suites each with their own private terraces replete with hot tubs and views overlooking the Avon Valley and a small meeting and events space. In addition, extensions to the existing spa will create a new entrance foyer, additional double treatment room, fitness suite and post treatment relaxation space. As part of the masterplan new landscape planting, gardens and additional parking will be also provided. The proposals comprise the replacement of a number of existing buildings and the extension of others being retained. To secure consent, the design has been granted approval by Green Belt policies whilst overcoming significant ecology and visual impact constraints. The scheme enhances the estates ecology with the addition of hedging and trees. A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and Mr and Mrs Smith Collection, Homewood offers 31 rooms, a garden spa with outdoor pool and Olio Restaurant. Ian Taylor said: “Since we took ownership of Homewood in 2018, I have had ambitions to make the most of its heart-capturing location overlooking the beautiful Somerset countryside which sits in Green Belt and AONB. I have always seen great potential with the barn, outhouses, and spa; and it has been our vision to transform them into spaces for luxury experiences with a touch of playfulness. “It is a key objective of this project to focus on sustainability and achieve a design that is sympathetic to our neighbours in the local community, by taking into full consideration, ecology, and light spill, given our location on the top of the hill. I am delighted with the final result, which marks the last piece of the jigsaw in the Homewood rejuvenation project, quickly developing as a market-leading boutique hotel” Homewood is part of The Kaleidoscope Collection - an independent hotel group which includes The Bird, a boutique townhouse also found in Bath and Bishopsthrow Hotel & Spa in the Wiltshire countryside.