£12m hotel set to spearhead further investment at polo club

The opening of a £12m hotel later this year is likely to spearhead further investment in a Warwickshire tourist attraction, operators have said.

The boutique-style hotel is being developed as part of the £122m expansion of the Dallas Burston Polo Club in Southam.

The 130-bedroom facility, which is set to open in the summer, will feature 50 guest bedrooms, together with 80 self-catering bedrooms complete with kitchen facilities. There will also be a themed bar and reception area.

The hotel will be managed by IXL Events, which also manages the polo club itself.

The £122m investment is being overseen by former GP and pharmaceutical entrepreneur, Dr Dallas Burston. The money forms part of a 12-year plan to grow the 600-acre estate into a prime visitor attraction and one of the largest employers in the area.

The estate features six polo grounds, an events centre, all-weather arena and clubhouse.

Major Richard Carney, Director of Operations at the venue, said: “As well as our exclusive hotel, our plans also feature garden rooms which complement the existing facilities which include the 3,000 capacity IXL Events Centre, wedding venues, the 2.4-acre all-weather SuperArena® and the colonial clubhouse.

“Through our continued programme of investment, we aim to become a destination venue not just for the benefit of the local community but attracting visitors from across the UK as well as overseas.”

The first phase of the development was marked with the opening of The Millstone Hare – a £2.4m cellar-style pub which is characterised by a selection of French artwork and ten pews from the Church of St Andrew’s, which has enjoyed a long association with the family of Princess Diana.

“The Millstone Hare has been an amazing success,” added Major Carney. “We’re very proud to have opened our own pub in an area where many are closing.

“The launch of The Millstone Hare represented the end of the first phase of our development and its success shows just how vital it was to our plans.

“We have our IXL Events Centre, representing an additional investment of £5m, but we recognised the need for somewhere for our guests that provided good food, a selection of drinks and unbeatable views across the site.”

The site has played host to some major polo fixtures including the famous Victor Ludorum tournament – which returned for a second year last May.

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