A gothic Victorian country mansion near Manchester has been restored and renovated as the second property for boutique hotel company Oddfellows.
Over an 18-month period, Tim Groom Architects and interior designers SpaceInvader transformed Buntwood Hall – previously used at different times as an equestrian stud farm, a town hall, an office for a film company and a fashion designer’s studio – into Oddfellows On The Park; a Victorian-style hotel with a contemporary twist.
As part of the £7m refurbishment, 22 individually designed bedrooms have been created, many of them in the original Victorian dimensions of the hall. These include a bridal suite set over three floors within the building’s original tower.
Each room has a panoramic view of the surrounding 100 acre Bruntwood Park – which is open to the public and hosts leisure pursuits such as BMX and archery.
There is also a bar and a restaurant, called The Galloping Major, located in what was once the ballroom, and a salon de beauté called Pigsty – the wing’s working name before its use was decided.
The latter is complete with mud room, where guests can slap detoxifying mud on each other, or enjoy a facial or massage.
Buntwood Hall was originally built in 1861 by an industrialist, who was inspired by a home in Scotland. In 1892 the original building was extended to add the ballroom. Many of the original design features have been retained.
“Our approach was to respect its character and beautiful features – to be inspired by them, enhance them and design a romantic scheme that celebrates the history of the building and its unique position,” said Katie Crossley, associate designer of SpaceInvader. “It’s a fantastic example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture and our treatment of the internal areas has been inspired by this – the colour palette which provides a commonality throughout the hotel includes dark greens and blacks which are lifted by luxurious gold and neutral tones.
“While many features in the hotel may seem odd at first glance, everything is odd for a reason and has a story behind it that relates back to the building, its varied occupants or uses over the years.”
