Couple add rustic charm to their hotel portfolio
One of Bath’s leading entrepreneur couples has added another hotel to their growing portfolio. Ian and Christa Taylor of Bath’s Kaleidoscope Collection, currently made up of No.15 Great Pulteney and The County Hotel, have expanded the group with the acquisition of Homewood Park Hotel & Spa in Freshford. The picturesque 21-bedroom, wisteria-clad hotel on Abbey Lane has views out over the Limpley Stoke Valley, and offers the Taylors a country house to complement their city centre properties. Ian and Christa have grand plans to transform Homewood into a laidback country hideaway, offering guests a taste of rural life. The grounds will feature homegrown garden produce and shepherd’s huts in the woodlands, while onsite artisans will produce ceramics to homeware, which guests will be able to buy. The hotel aims to bring together the appeal of a private country home with the service, charm and individuality Kaleidoscope has become known for. Overseeing the kitchen team is executive chef Marc Hardiman, who took up the position in June. Joining the group from his role as executive chef at Great Fosters country house hotel, Egham, Marc led the team to win three AA rosettes and a Michelin star for its Tudor Room restaurant. After growing up in Bristol, and beginning his formal training at Bath College, the Taylors are delighted to bring Marc back to where his career began. The new restaurant concept will be focused on the best of local and home-grown produce. Afternoon tea will be inspired by nature and the hotel’s leafy surrounds, while Christmas will be a big family occasion centred on sharing feasts and spending time with loved ones. The bedrooms, public spaces, res- taurant and spa will be refreshed, while the next phase of the project will see collaborations with local businesses and creative talent to give Homewood a new identity. As with the other Kaleidoscope properties, statement pieces of art and one-of-a-kind touches will be at the heart of this transformation, which is expected to take two years to complete. The sale was completed on August 1, with the help of Barclays, local law firm Mogers Drewett and accountants Moore Stephens. Ian said: “We’re delighted that Homewood continues the next phase of growth for the Kaleidoscope Collection. “Adding a relaxed country house hotel to the group has been part of our long-term plan for some time now and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming the locals of Freshford and visitors alike in the early stages of this exciting new chapter.”