YOUTH, the Manchester based design studio led by Liam McGroarty and Oliver Collinge has unveilled the interiors for the new Hyll hotel opening in early summer 2025. Located in the North Cotswolds, the hotel has an ethos centred around comfort, escape and nourishment making room for guests to slow down, switch off and rest on their own terms.
Having previously collaborated with the team behind Hyll on a series of historic mill buildings in Manchester, YOUTH were appointed to design the interiors of the 18 guestrooms, public spaces, restaurant, bar and lounges within the hotel. YOUTH’s experience in creating a design narrative that was deeply rooted in place felt like a logical synergy for the studio to lead on the design and interiors for the 16th century manor house and former private residence.
Oliver Collinge, Co-Founder of YOUTH said, “A shared understanding of materiality, atmosphere, and the power of spatial storytelling naturally led to Hyll. We wanted to create a space that strips away the noise of the modern world, favouring a raw, sensory-driven approach. That alignment in philosophy made the collaboration feel inevitable.”
YOUTH’s design approach focussed on subtraction, rather than addition. The studio looked to create a retreat that was born from its landscape which encourages guests to disconnect, slow down, and embrace stillness. The landscape and materiality of the Cotswolds region was the primary design inspiration for Hyll, taking apart the stereotypical ‘picture postcard’ countryside retreat and looking at the raw, weathered landscape that has been shaped by time.
Every element of Hyll is designed to create a seamless flow between the internal and the natural surroundings, making the experience feel intimate, slow, and intentional. This called for a design ethos that was refined yet not overworked, luxurious yet never excessive. Every material choice, finish, and form aimed to promote presence – whether through raw stone’s tactility, hand-finished timber’s warmth, or the way natural light flows through each space.
YOUTH chose a material palette that was deeply connected to place. Locally sourced timber bedside tables, hand-textured plaster, and aged metals create a sense of permanence. Materials have been selected on how they age and patina resulting in finishes that are ever evolving.
Each of the 18 guest bedrooms are deliberately uncluttered, with furniture positioned to frame views rather than demand attention and public spaces are defined by soft transitions, with quiet corners and seating arrangements encouraging slow conversation or solo reflection. Throughout the property there is an intentional absence of distraction including no overstimulating patterns or unnecessary ornamentation.
Lighting has been used as an extension of the architecture rather than a separate layer. In the bedrooms, lighting is low-lit and designed to mimic candlelight creating a warm, cocooning effect. In public spaces, YOUTH has steered the lighting design to sculpt the volume of the room, with pools of illumination guiding guests rather than flooding the space. Custom light fixtures, precise in their position, are fabricated in aged metal and add to the sense of organic refinement.
In the guest bedrooms, wardrobes are crafted from stained oak and lined with soft linen that is gently illuminated from within, transforming a functional element into a moment of quiet luxury. Each bedside table is individually charred, celebrating the transformation of timber and creating a unique, textural contrast that reinforces the hotel’s raw materiality.
Bathroom entrances are framed with sculptural stone surrounds, marking a deliberate transition into a more immersive, grounding space. This threshold ensures that the bathroom is not just a separate functional area but an integral part of the guest’s experience, reinforcing a sense of flow and spatial harmony.
Beyond the private spaces, custom stone plinths, monolithic fireplaces, and hand textured plaster walls define the public areas, creating a refined yet elemental atmosphere. Each bespoke item has been designed to feel like it was already in situ and sculpted from the same philosophy of restraint, presence, and material honesty.
The colour palette draws inspiration from the natural landscape, featuring muted limestone, soft earth tones, deep charcoals, and weathered timber. In the bedrooms, the tones are warm and grounding, aimed to soothe rather than evoke stimulation. Public spaces present a slightly richer contrast with deeper, more textural tones, adding depth and allowing for shadow play throughout the day. This results in effortless cohesion, making the palette intuitive instead of strictly defined.
Liam McGroarty, Co-Founder of YOUTH said: “Our design for Hyll celebrates the rugged, natural landscape of the Cotswolds and has a raw simplicity that embodies our ideologies as a design studio. We wanted the interiors to create a tangible shift in pace for hotel guests and believe that we have created a unique offering that goes against the grain of a typical country house hotel. Restraint, presence and material honesty were the defining principles of our design process throughout the project and this is evident as soon as you enter the property.”
Oliver Collinge, Co-Founder of YOUTH added, “Hyll is not about escapism – it’s about reconnection. The design isn’t just visually calming; it’s experientially grounding, encouraging guests to engage with their surroundings in a natural and unforced way. Every detail was designed to encourage a sense of stillness, guiding rather than demanding. The architecture frames space for reflection, and the interiors gently lead you through an experience that feels grounded and purposeful. In a world of overstimulation, this hotel invites you to exhale.”
