Dormy House Hotel has stood deep in the heart of the Cotswolds countryside since the early 17th century – starting its life as a family home, before being converted to a family-owned hotel 36 years ago. The old farmhouse is now entering a new chapter thanks to a refurbishment courtesy of London-based interior design firm, Todhunter Earle, and Chelsea RHS Gold-winning garden designer, Chris Beardshaw.
The transformation of Dormy House Hotel is apparent as soon as guests turn into the freshly-landscaped drive. A dramatic redesign has opened up the heart of the hotel, starting from the entrance and stylish new reception area. The interior of the property embodies the essence of the Cotswolds, with oak-panelled beams, flagstone flooring, Cotswold stone and roaring fires featured throughout.
The natural hub of the hotel comes in the form of The Potting Shed, a destination restaurant with a large, rustic oak bar – providing a relaxed meeting place by day and a refined dining space by night. The new Garden Room restaurant, on the other hand, features large windows to bring the outside in, resulting in a elegant yet comfortable dining experience.
With the hotel’s countryside location and heritage in mind, each of the 40 guest rooms has been individually styled with a farmhouse aesthetic, resulting in a welcoming and intimate atmosphere with a hint of glamour and opulence.
Emily Todhunter from Todhunter Earle headed up the refurbishment. She says: “I fell in love with Dormy House Hotel the first time I went there. I don’t know if it was the way it is nestled into the hill overseeing that extraordinary landscape or because the staff and family were so friendly – perhaps it was the building itself, its warm Cotswold stone and roaring fires. It is a good solid English farmhouse with no airs and pretensions to being anything else.
“If the building were a person, it would be a wonderful smiling farmer with stories to tell of bygone days – but young at heart. It is that young at heart that we were asked to bring out in its reincarnation whilst respecting its charm and history.
“The process has been a happy collaboration between all who recognise the potential of this wonderful place and feel a responsibility to bring it into the next chapter of its life, preserving its history but with a new lightness, to give it a new lease of life. Personally, I can’t wait to stay there!”
