Explore Wiltshire
Your Itinerary Planner
Welcome to the Itinerary Planner. Use this tool to build your own journey or choose from an exciting range of specially selected tours.
Bowood Hotel
Wiltshire's Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort takes shape in Capability Brown parkland
28 October 2008
Set to open its brand new, purpose built 43-bedroom hotel and spa in May 2009, the 2,000 acre Bowood estate (between Calne and Chippenham) will harness its breathtaking landscape and wide open spaces to present a unique destination resort within rolling Wiltshire countryside. A corner of Capability Brown's Grade I listed parkland at Bowood - home to the Lansdowne family since 1754 - will provide the backdrop to the Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort.
Linking up with the existing Bowood Golf & Country Club and set back from the 18-hole championship golf course here, the Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort will offer six luxury suites among its bedroom inventory, an 82 seat restaurant, a bar and two lounges. Each of the two lounges will have wood burning fires, with The Morning Room just set back from the hotel entrance and The Library leading into the Shelburne Bar and Restaurant. With an open, theatre kitchen serving Modern British food, the Shelburne Bar and Restaurant will curve round to join the hotel with the existing golf clubhouse. On the other flank of the hotel, near to the golf course's driving range and with its own dedicated entrance, will be the Spa, featuring a 15x6 metre swimming pool; gym; rock sauna; crystal steam room and aromatherapy showers. A range of beauty and health treatments will also be available to hotel suite guests in their own rooms.
Having already placed her stylish stamp on the interiors of Bowood Golf & Country Club and the four bedroom Queenwood Lodge (set back from the 16th and 17th fairways), Lady Lansdowne is now putting the finishing touches to the interior design scheme that will run throughout the hotel and spa, as well as refurbishing specific areas of the clubhouse to ensure a seamless look across the whole property. "The new three-storey hotel will feature an English country house flavour, drawing upon Bowood's impressive heritage and reflecting themes to be found within Bowood House and across the estate. Traditional elements will, however, be translated in a contemporary manner with modern details, touches and flair. While sympathetic to its environment and the integrity of Bowood, the style of the new hotel will nonetheless make its mark upon the discerning guest of today who appreciates a forward looking approach," comments Lady Lansdowne who established her own business, Fiona Shelburne Interiors, after 15 years with Colefax and Fowler.
"Whether being enjoyed in the bedrooms or from the restaurant, the gym or the swimming pool, the unhindered views from the hotel are being drawn into the design scheme to conjure up a fantastic sense of escape," adds Lady Lansdowne.
Four different luxury room types will be featured - a Double Room, Balcony Room, Suite or Four Poster Suite - and all guests will be entitled to use of spa facilities during their stay. The hotel will be a popular choice for weddings and available for exclusive hire.
Bed and breakfast rates (available from Sunday-Thursday) will range from £150 per night (for single occupancy of a standard double bedroom) while dinner, bed and breakfast rates (throughout the week and weekends) will reach up to £390 for a Four Poster Suite (to include dinner, breakfast, a round of golf, fishing rights and entry to Bowood House & Gardens (from early April to end October) and the Rhododendron Walks (from late April - early June). Additionally, 24 Hour Meeting/Conference Delegate Rates will range from £190-£390 per room per night to include lunch, room hire, two tea & coffee breaks and dinner. All room rates include VAT and online reservations are already being taken via the Bowood website www.bowood.org.
Integrating well with the hotel operation, the luxurious Georgian manor house, Queenwood Lodge, will continue to provide an outstanding location for groups up to eight guests seeking exclusive, private rental.
The development of the Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort will add considerably to Bowood's appeal for golfers, wedding parties, private social events, conference and incentive breaks, corporate entertaining, business meetings and weekend retreats.
"Bowood's history has been one of continual evolution. In particular, over the last 33 years we have actively pursued ways to make our many unique attractions more accessible to visitors," comments Lord Lansdowne. "We opened Bowood House & Gardens to the public in 1975, a year later developing the Adventure Playground which is now reckoned to be one of the best in the country. A couple of years afterwards, we converted the derelict stables and grooms' quarters into exhibition rooms. In the late 80s we withdrew from all our farming operations which led onto the development and opening of our championship golf course in 1992. More recently Capability Brown's stunning parkland has been hosting film shoots, open-air concerts, country fairs and family fun days.
"The one piece of the jigsaw puzzle missing has been the lack of accommodation. However, next May when we open the new Bowood hotel this will be resolved, providing opportunities to stay overnight within this remarkable oasis. The complete Bowood experience will include activities such as fishing, archery, garden tours, walking and biking as well as golf. Then, there will be even more reason to select 'Beautiful Bowood' as the perfect choice in the south-west."
Just eight miles from the M4 and with good rail links into Chippenham, Bowood is equally well-positioned for visitors coming from London, the south-west and the south-east, Wales and the Midlands. For fuller background and to make an online reservation log onto www.bowood.org
- ends -
Issued by Bowood
For further press information, please contact:
Charlotte Doherty Tel: 0207 736 6639
Charlotte Doherty PR charlotte.doherty@virgin.net
Note for Editors
The descendants of the lst Earl of Shelburne and the 1st Marquess of Lansdowne have lived at Bowood since 1754. The present Marquis of Lansdowne opened Bowood House & Gardens to the public in 1975 and since some four million people have visited. Over half the house is open to the public (with the family living in the remainder) as well as over 100 acres of gardens and grounds.
With attractions that include an Adventure Playground, a woodland garden of rhododendrons covering 60 acres, an Arboretum, a Robert Adam Orangery, the priceless Bowood Collection and the laboratory where Dr. Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen gas among the many reasons to visit Bowood, there are attractions here for all age groups.
