One of York’s best-known historic hotels is to undergo its biggest ever revamp.
Work at Middletons Hotel on Cromwell Road, will start in the new year. Altogether £1 million is to be spent on phase one of the transformation, which will see the old Alms Cottages and Cromwell House bedrooms given a new look.
The hotel will be playing homage to its historic roots and heritage through the design, with elements of surprise planted in the detail.
Among the highlights, the new look Joseph Terry Cottages will each sleep up to six people, to appeal to larger families or small groups.
They will feature a cosy lounge area and outside each cottage will be a traditional English garden with picket fence.
Hidden Terry’s
The 19th Century Cromwell House was originally a sawmill complex. Bedrooms here will take inspiration from the history of timber trading, making use of reclaimed timbers and handcrafted furniture.
The Grade II Listed almshouses, funded by public subscription in memory of Sir Joseph Terry that will incorporate a secret space for a Terry’s Chocolate Orange to be found by guests.
General manager Adam Wardale said:
-
Middletons Hotel has bags of personality and our in-house design team have gone to great lengths to explore the history of each building within the hotel and come up with a design concept which tells the story while added that element of modern guest experience that people expect from a city centre hotel.
We are all looking forward to seeing the results of the refurbishment, as it is going to breathe new life into our hotel and give it some exciting new additions that I’m sure our guests will welcome.
Work starts this week, with phase one taking 12 weeks to complete. The business will continue to open as normal during this time.
Middletons Hotel was bought by the House of Daniel Thwaites collective in 2017.
Also part of the group is Judge’s Lodging, which was transformed by the company in 2014.
History of Middletons
The oldest buildings date back to the 18th Century when Skeldergate’s dockside area was used for importation of goods which in turn attracted the related industries and merchants houses.
The site also has historic value for York arising from its extraordinary associations with the past mayors and sheriffs of the city.
The Sir Joseph Terry Cottages were built in 1899 as a pair of almshouses, in memory of Sir Joseph Terry of Terry’s chocolate company which was a major employer in York from 1767. It now features two suites as part of Middletons Hotel.
Cromwell House was built in the late 19th Century and was formerly part of a sawmill complex and now contains 18 bedrooms, along with the hotel reception, lounger, restaurant and bar.