Images: A CGI of a refurbished bedchamber at Thornbury Castle and a bedroom at Artist Residence / © Paul Massey
Hoteliers in Bristol are gearing up for 2021 with new accommodations and renovations opening in the city including new glamping safari tents at The Wave inland surfing lake, a refurbishment of King Henry VIII’s Tudor Thornbury Castle and the grand opening of bohemian Artist Residence hotel.
Hotels
Artist Residence (Feb-March 2021)
Housed in a former boot factory, adjoined to a Grade I listed townhouse in Portland Square (between St Pauls and Cabot Circus shopping centre in the heart of the city), the new hotel is a continuum of the bohemian Artist Residence style – an eclectic fusion of art and vintage chic. When founders Charlie and Justin Sainsbury acquired the Georgian building in 2015 it was on the ‘At Risk’ register making it their largest and most challenging project yet. Bristol’s Artist Residence will join four sister hotels in Brighton, Pimlico, Penzance and Oxfordshire when it opens with 23 gorgeous bedrooms (choose from Shoe Box, Boot Room, Factory Loft or a vast Merchant’s Suite), a neighbourhood hangout with café and bar, and a garden and events space. Rates starts from £120 per night (room only).
For more information, please visit the website.
Thornbury Castle renovations unveiled (Feb-March 2021)
Once owned by King Henry VIII and Queen Mary I, Thornbury Castle is a South Gloucestershire treasure and has been closed for a full refurbishment, due to be unveiled in phases in between February and March 2021. The South Wing redevelopment opens in mid-February with the lounge, library, restaurants, eight bedchambers, reception and events areas. The North Wing which houses the Tudor Hall and remaining bedchambers is due to re-open in March with some bedchambers being renamed to recognise the key historical figures from the castle’s Tudor history, including Henry VIII Suite (where the king himself and Anne Boleyn stayed in 1535), Jane Seymour Suite and Catherine of Aragon Tower Suite.
For more information, please visit the website.
Moxy (2021)
Part of the Marriott group, Moxy Hotel is currently under construction in Bristol and set to open in 2021 (date to be confirmed). Located at the end of the M32 in St Pauls, the 160-room boutique, affordable hotel will be in a convenient location for visitors looking to stay close to the city centre and Bristol Shopping Quarter with accessible travel routes nearby and the vibrant area of St Pauls to explore on its doorstep.
Leonardo (March 2021)
Leonardo Hotels is set to open its 13th hotel in the UK in March 2021. With 197 bedrooms and a meeting room, the Leonardo aims to be a low energy/green hotel situated near Temple Meads train station, convenient for visitors travelling from London (the journey now takes just 1 hour 17 minutes from London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads, thanks to the new faster train route from GWR).
Mollie’s Motel and Diner (Spring 2021)
As part of the renowned Soho House & Co group, Mollie’s Motel and Diner is on track to open in north Bristol/South Gloucestershire in Spring 2021. With 123 rooms, an American-style diner and Drive-Thru, Mollie’s Motel and Diner promises to be an affordable, stylish place to stay and conveniently located for other attractions in north Bristol including The Wave, Wild Place Project, Aerospace Bristol and the hotly anticipated YTL Arena (due to open 2023). This will be the second Mollie’s Motel and Diner, the first in Oxfordshire having already featured in The Times’ Best Places to Stay.
Art Noveau beauty becomes Clayton hotel (2022)
The former Edward Everard printworks in Broad Street, an impressive example of Art Nouveau architecture and one of Bristol’s most distinctive buildings, is to become a four-star Clayton Hotel courtesy of the Dalata group. Built around 1900, the printworks closed in 1967, and later became part of a complex of offices built by Natwest bank – only the original façade remains. It is said that William Morris had some of his wallpapers and textiles printed here, including his familiar Strawberry Thief design. The new hotel will provide 255 rooms and a restaurant as part of a mixed-use development in the heart of the city. The building’s exuberant, Doulton-tiled exterior – Grade II* listed – will form the entrance to the hotel which is expected to open in 2022.
For more information, please visit the website.
Glamping
The Wave: glamping for inland surfers (Postponed)
The Wave, the 180-metre inland surf lake, which opened in Bristol in November 2019, is to add glamping accommodation in safari tents in 2021. Creating a tropical paradise vibe, the safari tents will sleep groups of up to 8 people with comfortable beds, a kitchenette, toilet and private balcony area. The Wave’s 40-acre site in Almondsbury, north of Bristol include a sensory wave garden with inland ‘cove’, activity areas, peaceful hideaways and wildflower meadows, as well as a café, street food stalls, changing facilities, accommodation and retail experience. Using latest wave-making technology, up to 1000 waves are generated per hour, with heights starting at 50cm and peaking at almost 2m, providing an accessible surfing adventure for everyone including young beginners, surfers with disabilities and professional surfers. Lead in price for a safari tent will be £125 per night and will vary by season.
Apartments
Your Apartment – Clifton Village (December 2020)
Your Apartment – Clifton Village is a brand new tech-driven aparthotel with 34 home-from-home studio apartments aimed at professional guests needing a cosy and relaxing self-catering option, opening December 2020. The aparthotel boasts convenient parking and bike store, as well as a 24/7 vibrant co-working space with free high speed WiFi. The apartments (including accessible apartments) offer contactless check-in and have their own kitchenettes, lounge areas, king size beds and en-suite bathrooms and are perfectly located for people wanting to explore this historic part of Bristol with its Georgian architecture, independent eateries and boutiques as well as Brunel’s iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge.
For more information, please visit the website.
