Hotelier invests £1.25m to create luxurious guest suite and dining room concept

Hoteliers and restaurateurs Jamie and Jenna Shail have created a new dining room concept and luxury guest suite at their luxurious Lake District bolt hole, Rothay Manor, Ambleside, as part of a £1.25m investment.hospitali

The couple, working with renowned interior designer Matt Hulme, director of Dynargh Design, a Cornish-based practice which specialises in the hospitality sector, have recently realised their vision for Rothay Manor’s restaurant and luxury Fairfield suite.

They wanted to transform the hotel’s restaurant space and create a more intimate and relaxed dining experience for their guests, a scheme in keeping with the original design of the property but with clever modern twists, an underlying theme the couple have used across other areas of the hotel in the past 18 months, as they have gradually refurbished and brought this iconic Grade II-listed property back to life.

The restaurant space consists of three rooms and each has been given its own distinct identity but with a grounded aesthetic running through all three.

While the scheme imagined by Matt offers a nod to the house’s past as a county pile, there are also gentle references to the intimacy of a private members club, but leaving aside the stuffiness and overbearing formality.

The scheme is designed to unite each space through the clever use of paint colours, wall coverings, panelling, signature lighting pieces, pattern, and texture.

Matt, working alongside Jenna and Jamie, worked his magic in the new Fairfield Suite as well, further complementing the hotel’s other guest rooms, which were refurbished in 2019.

The underlying theme for Fairfield is one of privacy and exclusivity.

Matt Hulme said: “It has been a real pleasure working alongside Jamie and Jenna on realising their vision for Rothay Manor.

Fairfield Suite

“My favourite projects are always when working in a space that has history and character, and it has been exciting to help bring the beautiful original features of the hotel to the forefront of the new designs, whilst pairing this with slight contemporary touches.”

Jamie Shail said: “We have worked with Matt over the last 18 months to realise our vision for the property.

“Whilst we wanted to respect its past, we wanted to bring it firmly into the 21st century.

“To achieve this we have invested in the region of £1.25m and a considerable amount of time to be able to create a luxurious, yet contemporary design scheme, utilising high-quality wallcoverings, soft furnishings and fabrics, furniture, and statement lighting throughout.

“It’s taken a great deal of hard work to draw everything together, but it is more than worth it, and we are sure that our guests will genuinely appreciate what we have achieved.”