The former registry office and social club was converted into a 46-bedroom boutique hotel with a multi-million investment by Frasers Hospitality, owners of Hotel du Vin and its sister brand, Malmaison. Employing over fifty members of staff, Hotel du Vin Stratford-upon-Avon opened in March last year and has already become a local success story. Voted as one of the top ten hotels in the area on TripAdvisor and featured in The Sunday Times’ 100 top British hotels, the hotel has also received the AA four-star accreditation.

Nicolas Jefford, who was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, is general manager of the hotel and puts this initial success down to his 53-strong team. What’s more, the nine months since opening have seen several of the original recruits climb the ranks, with the internal promotions of five employees to senior roles.

He commented: “For us, the staff are the secret to the success we’ve had; the hard-work began long before doors opened, with us striving to find the perfect people to represent the Hotel du Vin brand in Stratford-upon-Avon. Our intensive training programme for our staff and the recruitment of the likes of Arvind Bhardwaj and Laura Ginty, with over 30 years’ experience in the industry, means that we’re confident our team can deliver the highest hospitality standards.”

Hotel du Vin Stratford-upon-Avon’s 46 stunning bedrooms and suites are all based on a contemporary development of the traditional Hotel du Vin style. Guests familiar with the brand will be pleased to know that luxurious roll top baths and large comfy beds still come as standard, and that the Bistro at the hotel retains its focus on home-style French cooking, featuring robust earthy dishes on its menu.

However, this Hotel du Vin is distinctly Stratford-focused, with the attention to detail paid in renovating the 3,557 square metre listed building has also been a huge factor in getting people to check in. Such is the focus on quality, the hotel was even presented with the Hotel of the Year accolade in the group-wide award ceremony last weekend. With the original site being built in 1798, the team was determined to retain as much character and charm as possible in the transformation.

Having been a doctor’s surgery during and after World War Two, through to a social club, and most recently the town registry office, Hotel du Vin wanted to ensure the site’s cultural significance was preserved for the local people. This can be seen throughout the local references and nods to the area’s heritage throughout the hotel.

With a relaxed bar, al fresco dining and drinking courtesy of the landscaped suntrap of a courtyard, and three versatile event spaces with a capacity of up to 70 people, Hotel du Vin Stratford-upon-Avon is suitable for everything from intimate private dining, through to corporate meeting, training and entertaining.

“Our focus on preserving the character of the site was integral to the building process; I was born and raised in Stratford, so having the chance to bring this beautiful hotel to life in my hometown was a huge honour for me. I hope both locals and visitors to the town alike enjoy experiencing it as much as I do, and I look forward to welcoming them soon,” Nicolas concludes.

Leading up to the anniversary, the hotel hopes to continue this initial success celebrating its ‘Hospitality Business’ and ‘Team of the Year’ nomination at the Pride of Stratford Awards, as well as plans to recruit more team members and launch an extensive events calendar.