Opening of Hampshire's Heckfield Place hotel delayed

The opening of Hampshire's Heckfield Place has been delayed following a decision to open the hotel at the same time as a planned spa, which is yet to break ground.

The 60-room hotel, set in an 18th-century manor on 400 acres of garden and countryside, was due to open this year.

Planning permission for the spa has been granted but the hotel is not releasing further details about its offer or opening date at this stage.

However, it has revealed private health and beauty treatments will be available in the property's former estate cottages.

Other facilities to be offered at the hotel include The Beckwith dining room, a 60-seat cinema and a library.

Gardens advisor to the Royal Palaces Todd Longstaffe-Gowan is working on the design of the property's garden.

Set on a working farm, Heckfield Place's menu will utilise estate-sourced ingredients, with Skye Gyngell acting as culinary director.

With the opening of the hotel now delayed, plans for Gyngell to launch a restaurant in London have now been brought forward with an opening scheduled for before the year's end.