Chatsworth Estate hotel unveils extensive refurb

The Cavendish Hotel at Baslow has undergone a significant refurbishment of all the hotel’s interiors led by renowned interior designer Nicola Harding.

With a “desire to reconnect the building with its history and to reignite a sense of place”, the design draws on elements from the surrounding Derbyshire countryside and Chatsworth.

The artwork has been sourced from the family’s private collection, and contains artists such as Elizabeth Frink, Phyllida Barlow, Lisa Brice, Elizabeth Peyton and Jeremy Deller. Watercolours of the house and grounds sit alongside more contemporary works, whilst black and white historic family photos adorn the bar.

The 28 bedrooms, including two suites, feature countryside views across the estate. While antique furniture, stone fireplaces and traditional elements remain throughout, punches of colour have been added to each room.

The property also features two restaurants and a lounge and bar. The food offering at The Cavendish has been curated by executive chef, Adam Harper and champions the best of local produce. Working closely with the gardeners and farmers at Chatsworth, as well as local artisan suppliers from the estate and surrounding areas- the majority of whom are based within a ten-mile radius of the hotel – Harper has developed menus that celebrate the Peak District’s best-known producers, including trout from Ladybower Fisheries, cold pressed rapeseed oil from Bakewell’s Brock and Moreton and pork from the family-run Moss Valley Farm.

Nicola Harding said: “The interiors grew out of the personal story of the Devonshire family and their connection to the Chatsworth Estate. The objectives and values of Chatsworth and the hotel chime so closely with our own, with a strong emphasis on partnership, sourcing locally, and providing employment and training in the local community.

“It felt such a privilege to bring these values to life through the interiors, sourcing incredible pieces in the same county from upholsterers, craftspeople and makers such as locally woven organic cotton and linen fabrics to glazed ceramic bedside lamps made by a member of the family household. Every detail has been developed in close conversation with Laura Burlington, even drawing on the art and family photos from their personal collection.”