When it comes to staycations, you can never have too many options. Luckily, there’s loads of great options when it comes to destination hotels, including one Welsh resort that looked like it was lost forever.
Housed inside of a stunning 1920s mansion, Holm House was a successful luxury hotel from 2004 until last year, when it closed its doors for the final time. Or at least that’s how it seemed – until two local entrepreneurs stepped in to save the day.
Kashif Ahmed and Rushna Ghaznavi, two accountants who run an accounting firm near the Vale of Glamorgan, have secured a £1.8 million investment to bring the property back to life. The money is coming from Allica bank, who said that the pair’s ‘passion and vision for the property were infectious’.
Ahmed and Ghaznavi have decided to do things ‘very differently to before’ to make sure that this time it stays open for good. The plan is to separate out the individual offerings in order to maximise the number of customers that Holm House can accommodate. ‘Instead of operating as a standalone hotel, we are bringing together a collective of best-in-class operators to manage the rooms, the restaurant and the spa individually,’ Ahmed explained.
The Penarth hotel is in a premium location, overlooking the Bristol Channel at the top of the street colloquially known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’ because of the gorgeous homes that line it. When it reopens, each element will reflect that high-end feel that will begin with customers driving along the road.
Ahmed also noted that the century-old property is ‘deeply rooted in Penarth’s rich history’, and that he and Ghaznavi ‘have ambitious plans to further develop [it] as a luxury destination perfectly positioned between nature and culture’.
The restaurant will be managed by Silures, a Cardiff restaurant that is so popular it was reportedly the most booked restaurant in the city last year. This will be the company’s second venue. Nothing has been announced yet for the spa and wellness centre, but Ahmed and Ghaznavi say that they are ‘already actively exploring potential partners’.
You can book a stay, or a meal at Silures, on Holm House’s website or Booking.com here.
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