Premier Hospitality

Hook The Fish Hotel

Hook
Written by Roma Publications

Hook – The Fish Hotel

A country hotel with a twist, The Fish Hotel is a collection of hotel houses, huts and treehouses. Located on the 400-acre Farncombe Estate in the Cotswolds, the hotel has proved to be a popular destination since opening in the summer of 2015.

Operating along the estate’s two other boutique hotels – Dormy House Hotel & Spa and Foxhill Manor – The Fish Hotel recently underwent a multi-million pound redevelopment and refurbishment programme. At the heart of the work was the introduction of a new flagship restaurant, Hook.

The vision of Farncombe Estate culinary director Martin Burge, Hook is a laid-back but luxurious celebration of seafood. The restaurant boasts a cosy and comfortable interior design that has been created by Hannah Lohan Interiors. Surrounded by an abundance trees and greenery, the whole ethos of the design was to bring the outside in. To find out more, Premier Hospitality spoke to Hannah Lohan who explained the influence of Scandinavia on the design and importance of collaboration:

“I originally worked on The Fish Hotel redesign about three years ago now. Since then it’s become really successful and they’ve decided to close again and redesign the whole space. Netta, the owner, who I work very closely with, has a very strong design style and she’s actually done most of The Fish refurbishment apart from Hook. We worked very closely with her to create Hook.

“It’s a wonderful project and I really love working with Netta. It’s so nice to have a client who’s so involved, pays attention to detail and is also open to ideas. I think we make a good team and she often comes to see us in the studio. It’s very much been a collaborative project which is lovely. She has a great style and an eye for design from her Scandinavian roots. She is very much into the same kind of look that I am in terms of giving guests a real experience. In Scandinavia it’s popular to have fireplaces and fires with candlelight. It’s important to welcome your guests and that’s something we have hopefully achieved.

“In the bar originally I was able to put in one big piece, which was this beautiful 360 degree panoramic fire. We’ve installed another one now and that’s a focal point of the refurbishment. We’ve actually transformed the shape of the space so it hasn’t just been cosmetic; it’s been a total reconfiguration with structural changes. There’s a part of it that’s known as the terrace and we’ve bashed up into the ceilings and really added height. The steel beams have been exposed which gives an agricultural and industrial edge that I really like.”

With the opening of Hook, the Fish is at last able to live up to its name. The menu is a selection of the finest, freshest, responsibly sourced fish alongside some classic land based dishes. Dishes include griddled octopus, chorizo and white bean; poached salmon, spring vegetables, fennel and chervil hollandaise; and whole lemon sole, shrimp, caper and lemon meuniere. High quality yet affordably priced, Hook is an authentic and original restaurant that oozes excellence.

Reflecting on the Hook project, Hannah added:

“It’s been great. They have a really good in-house team and a really good estate manager who has project managed it brilliantly. It’s been a lot easier this time round and no expense has been spared to really elevate the space. I’m really excited to see it all finished.”

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The Fish Hotel

Since opening in 2015, The Fish Hotel has become a popular, affordable retreat that takes guests back to nature. Alongside the addition of high quality dining, The Fish boasts 63 bedrooms and suites located in different buildings in the grounds as well as 5 ‘Hilly Huts’. This accommodation is soon to be supplemented by 3 ‘Treehouses’ in May 2018 and 5 ‘Hideaway Huts’ in July 2018.

Hilly Huts are luxurious Shepherds Huts that have been stylishly converted into rustic and romantic retreats nestled into the hillside. The huts come complete with under floor heating, en suite bathrooms with a shower, a lounge area with a sofa, a wood burner, TV and DVD player and a private hot tub.

Offering brief respite from adult life, the Treehouses currently nearing completion will blend grown-up perks with the childhood joys of a treehouse. Sleeping up to 4 guests, each of the 3 Treehouses will include a large open living area, an en suite bathroom with a shower and bath and a decking area wrapped around a large oak tree with outdoor seating.

Ready in time for the summer, Hideaway Huts will provide ultimate countryside living with two individual huts combining to create a cosy suite. Set in a private woodland location, each of the 5 huts will be individually designed and kitted out with the best mod cons and facilities.

Alongside its varied yet high-class accommodation, the Fish also has 3 meeting and function rooms, a lodge complete with bar and lounge, a small screening room and facilities for a range of country activities.

The 400-acre Farncombe estate is a blend of forest and field home to a range of rambling trails and cycle routes. From a quick stroll to an all-day trek, The Fish Hotel is perfect base to explore one of the UK’s most picturesque spots.

To find out more about Hook or the wider offering at The Fish Hotel, please visit thefishhotel.co.uk.

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Holdsworth Windows

Holdsworth Windows specialise in the manufacture and installation of steel windows, doors and screens for the construction industry. The company has the capabilities to provide traditional glazing, with the manufacture and refurbishment of leaded and stained glass windows, as well as modern double glazing where required.

This year marks Holdsworth Window’s 50th year in operation. Over the past five decades, the company has worked on listed buildings, scheduled monuments, high profile buildings and new developments and has carried out work for the likes of Artesian, Byron Burgers, Soho Farmhouse, Chelsea Barracks and various businesses and private residences.

Most recently, Holdsworth Windows has been involved with Hook – The Fish Hotel. Working on this project, Holdsworth Windows supplied and fitted internal steel screens and doors between the conservatory and function room.

Lee Grant, Holdsworth Windows, said:

“We value our involvement in this project, as we do all the other projects we’re involved with, as it gives us the perfect opportunity to demonstrate what Holdsworth Windows is capable of. We enjoy all elements of our work from the initial design stages to the manufacture in our purpose-built factory based in Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, but nothing beats seeing the finished product fitted and in-situ looking its best!”

Lee added:

“At Holdsworth Windows, we pride ourselves on our ability to design products to meet customer requirements; we pride ourselves on our service and our product knowledge; and we pride ourselves on our ability to supply fix and glaze quality steel windows, doors and screens.”

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Roma Publications