Four-star Stone Manor Hotel has been acquired by Helena and Andy Hogarth, who own Hogarths Hotel & Restaurant in Four Ashes Road, Dorridge.
All 120 members of staff at the 1920s Tudor-style property will retain their jobs at the hotel in Stone, near Kidderminster, which will be re-named the Hogarths Stone Manor, and work will start on some improvements in some of the 56 bedrooms, public areas, conference suites and the Fields Restaurant which has an AA Rosette.
Charles Wilfred Dunn, the owner of Stone Manor Hotel, felt at the age of 86 now was the time to enjoy his retirement. Charles said: “Ibought the hotel from Franco D’anielo in 1984 and since then we have developed and extended the country house hotel into the beautiful and imposing property it is today.
“Stone Manor Hotel has always been part of the local area and it is also known by many people far and wide who have visited over the years.
“I feel the time has now come to take a well-deserved retirement and with the rest of my family, I wish Helena and Andy Hogarth and their team much success and happiness at this wonderful hotel.”
Helena Hogarth, who used to visit the Stone Manor Hotel as a child, said she was looking forward to developing the hotel over the next few years. “I remember my grandfather bringing me to the Stone Manor Hotel for tea when I was younger with my family and when we discovered it was for sale, we thought it was ideal as a second hotel,” she said.
“At Hogarths Hotel & Restaurant we have become renowned for providing high levels of service in high quality settings.
“We fully understand the traditions of the Stone Manor Hotel which we will be continuing and there is so much scope to further develop the bedrooms, conference and function suites and 25 acres of landscaped gardens.
“The hotel has always attracted a mix of leisure and business guests and we will be concentrating on encouraging more weddings, conferences and restaurant bookings and creating memories for the next generation of visitors.”
Helena and Andy Hogarth have transformed the property in Solihull into a thriving hotel, earning four AA stars, its first AA rosette and the Hotel Restaurant of the Year prize in the Midlands category at the 2014 Food Awards England and Wales.
