Cedar Manor Hotel - Awarded 'Best Hotel Interior' in the world at the International Hotel Awards
Cedar Manor Hotel throws down the gauntlet to create the most luxurious hotel suite in the Lake District The Cedar Manor Hotel is an impressive Victorian Gothic style stone building that was built in 1854 as a residential country house. Now a comfortable and stylish hotel, it is set in mature walled gardens dominated by the ancient cedar tree. While the hotel feels peaceful and secluded, it is just a short stroll away from the shores of Lake Windermere and the centre of Windermere village in the English Lake District. A structured refurbishment programme to create a luxurious location with 'wow' factor Hoteliers Caroline and Jonathan Kaye took over The Cedar Manor just a few years ago. Their vision was to create a haven of relaxation and tranquillity for their guests without having to compromise on urban comfort. Cedar Manor provides a fine balance of chic contemporary design with an informal atmosphere and a sense of calm. With the help of Alison Tordoff of Fidget Design, they have carefully and gradually updated the original building of Cedar Manor to blend its original period charm with modern luxuries using furnishings, materials and skilled craftspeople from the local area. Alison Tordoff explains; "Caroline and Jonathan wanted to refurbish the Cedar Manor and turn it into a sophisticated, tranquil and luxurious Lake District retreat. They have very exacting standards and felt that in order to do the job to the highest possible standard; the budget could only focus on one room or hotel area at a time. We embarked on a structured refurbishment programme starting with a couple of bedrooms, then moved onto the bar and lounge area. The client was keen to retain some of the original charm of the Victorian Gothic period and so we set about searching for block print wallpapers and stylised floral prints with a surprising modern twist." The goal was to create the most luxurious suite in the Lake District In 2010, it became time to consider the upgrade of an annexe building of the hotel that was historically a coach house to the side of the house. The obvious option would have been to simply refurbish the existing small rooms by upgrading the furnishings, fittings and decoration. However, Caroline and Jonathan were keen to find a way of providing something new and exciting for their guests and decided to take a radical step of turning the old coach house rooms into one enormous duplex luxury suite. The goal was to create the most luxurious suite in the Lake District. Fidget design was commissioned to create an interior space that would incorporate much of the Victorian charm of the original building in a sumptuous setting that included all the latest technology and comfort features guests might only find in top end, city-based boutique hotels.. The interior also had to reflect the local environment, and use local artisan trades people, materials and products where possible. The initial meetings and consultation process began in July 2010 and the project was completed, ready to receive its first guests by August 2011. A celebration of the Lake District Environment The interior design theme of The Coach House Suite is a celebration of the local environment. Alison and her team have created a spectacular contemporary look and feel while taking great care to embrace the colours and textures that epitomise the best of the Cumbrian landscape and natural materials. The carpeting is made by local specialists Wools of Cumbria Carpets, and all the oak furniture was handmade by Lakeland Fells, a specialist joinery and furniture firm. Where possible the project used locally sourced products, services and expertise. Guests staying at the new Coach House Suite are blown away by the sheer size of the accommodation. The interior has a large and spacious bedroom on the ground floor including a 6ft wide king sized bed and a massive ensuite bathroom with two washbasins, a stand-alone air bath and walk-in wet room shower. Upstairs guests will find a large open plan living and dining room with a small kitchenette. Both floors boast large flat screen televisions, iPod docking stations, and Wi-Fi. The suite also has the flexibility to turn the top floor into a board room facility for companies looking for a special place to hold business meetings, lunches or dinners. There is a separate entrance, a fully equipped kitchenette and the dining area has the technology for presentation projection, Wi-Fi and iPod docking. Soundproofed to provide a totally silent and tranquil experience One of the key challenges Alison and her team had to consider was that of noise reduction. While the Cedar Manor Hotel is in a very pretty and secluded setting protected by a walled garden, the Coach House was not as well insulated as the main hotel building. This meant that guests could hear some traffic noise from the Ambleside Road. Explains Alison: "Jonathan and Caroline were keen that the Coach House Suite