11th September 2008
North East Contact Magazine September 2008
Rockliffe Hall leaves no stone unturned in pursuit of perfection
A revolution in five-star international resorts has been quietly taking shape in a sleepy part of the North Yorkshire / South Durham borders.
Now developers of the newest and most intriguing luxury hotel, golf and spa development in the region are going public with their plans for Rockliffe Hall – a simply stunning new project.
Based on the banks of the River Tees and nestling on the edge of the picturesque village of Hurworth on the North Yorkshire borders, Rockliffe Hall Hotel, golf and spa resort has been many years in the planning, but is now less than 12 months from opening its doors to the public and is bound to stir interest not just in the North East but throughout the UK and beyond.
Director of Rockliffe Hall Limited, Warwick Brindle has revealed what his aims are for the 370-acre site, in the centre of which sits the original 18th Century stately home around which the entire resort is based.
Warwick explained: “Guest experience is driving everything we are doing here. We realised that, whilst there were certain structural and operational elements in building a five star development, creating exceptional memories for everyone who comes to Rockliffe Hall is what matters. It goes way beyond designs on paper or a computer screen.
“To that extent, we’ve left no stone unturned to make sure anyone who will represent Rockliffe Hall in the future understands our philosophy 100 per cent. Going that extra mile may seem so obvious, but so few do it.
“When someone arrives at a five star hotel or resort, expectation is immediately high. Simply meeting expectations isn’t enough. It’s a bold statement but we must consistently exceed expectation for anyone who arrives at Rockliffe Hall. Whether that’s to play golf, have a meal, stay for the weekend or enjoy a spa treatment, there is no excuse for allowing any guest to walk away thinking we didn’t do everything to make sure they had an incredible experience and the very best quality service.â€
And it’s more than just talk. Rockliffe Hall, which will consist of a 62-bedroom luxury hotel, top class spa and 18-hole course, has gone to incredible lengths to ensure the experience is unforgettable. Take the golf course for instance. At 7,800 yards, it will be one of Europe’s longest off the back tees.
But flexibility of design ensures that the course can be enjoyed by everyone, whilst the use of ‘creeping bent grass’ – seen on the very best courses in the US and Southern Europe – will ensure fast and true putting surfaces all year. Add in service levels more in keeping with the best American courses and those lucky enough to play at Rockliffe will be recounting their day over many drinks, in many clubhouses, over many years.
Still on the course, more than 25,000 trees are being painstakingly installed on the course to ensure it’s a challenge from the very first time someone strikes a ball off the first tee in early summer next year. An island green on the man-made lake – more than a mile and a half in circumference alone – offers golfing purists a signature hole which doffs its silken cap to the 17th at Sawgrass.
Warwick Brindle added: “It would have made much more sense to have planted new trees and allowed them to grow over the years, or do without the lake and instead rely on the River Tees which borders the course. But that’s what most new courses do and the golfers’ experience is one that they are playing a course which hasn’t quite reached its full potential. Who wants to play a course that isn’t quite ready?â€
The same rules apply in the hotel, which is due to take its first guests in the early autumn of 2009. In addition to the sumptuous five star touches like Villeroy & Boch bathroom furniture and integrated Bose sound systems Rockliffe Hall has painstakingly restored a number of the original features of the old hall, including a vast stained glass window which greets guests as they sweep up the grand stairs to the executive suites.
Beyond construction, the five-star treatment continues and this is exemplified with the redevelopment of the original wine cellars where experienced sommeliers will invite select diners downstairs to try some of the rarest and finest wines to accompany their meal.
Personal butlers to cater for your every whim during a stay, personal drivers to collect and drop off guests at rail stations and airports and personal clubhouse assistants to help keep your golf shoes clean and your clubs safe are examples of the minutiae detail that Rockliffe Hall is prepared to go to, ensuring nobody has the excuse to think they were anywhere other than a truly world class development.
Media information: Christian or Antonia at Quay2 Media on 0191 296 6800
30th July 2008
Rockliffe Hall employs ‘best in the business’ to lead five star development
Rockliffe Hall Hotel, golf and spa resort has appointed one of the UK hotel and leisure industry’s most sought-after figures as its managing director.
Nick Holmes, who is a multi-award winning operator in golf, hotel and leisure sectors, is taking up the post at the luxury five-star resort being developed in Hurworth, near Darlington in County Durham.
Holmes, who has been in charge of some of the most prestigious venues in the UK, will officially take his place in the hot seat later this year once he has relocated to the North East. The 51 year old, who is originally from the Wirral, said: “Rockliffe Hall has been the talk-about new destination in the UK leisure industry over recent months. To be considered for this post is an honour for me. This is going to become the new standard-bearer for quality resort experience in the north of England, whether that is for golf, events, bedrooms or the stunning new spa being created.
“All the hard work which has gone into getting Rockliffe Hall to this stage makes my new role an immediate joy as so much has been put in place already. The next 12 months until we open will be crucial in ensuring all the planning and development is translated into the very finest quality across golf, hospitality and leisure.
“I am particularly looking forward to assembling a top class team to help make that happen. I truly believe that here in the North East, we can create one of the premier resort destinations in the UK.”
Holmes was most recently was managing director for Branston Golf and Country Club in the Midlands, a luxurious location which saw Nick and his team scoop a number of industry awards, including the prestigious FLAME fitness award for UK Club of the Year on two separate occasions
Before that, he also opened The Bristol Golf Club, A 250-acre upmarket golf facility in South Gloucestershire, and was also instrumental in the opening and development of five-star Cameron House on Loch Lomond in the early 90s. More recently he has been acting as an industry consultant for the likes of Studley Wood Golf Club in Oxford and Silvermere in Surrey.
Holmes, who is married to Liz, a successful Fitness Professional in her own right, and has a daughter, started life in the hotel industry in the 80s when he worked at the world famous Gleneagles in Scotland as Country Club Manager. He took his first general management position in 1987, at the four-star deluxe resort of Craigendarroch Hotel and Country Club in Royal Deeside, popular with members of the Royal family during their summer stays at Balmoral, before becoming the group’s operations director.
Warwick Brindle, director of developers Rockliffe Hall Ltd says the appointment of Nick is a major coup. “Nick is a man in demand in this industry. Quite simply, he’s the best in the business, so I think we’re as thrilled as he is to have him here at Rockliffe Hall.
“Importantly for us, he has a wonderful understanding of the experiences visitors must enjoy when they visit a five star destination. Expectation is high and, with Nick’s attention to detail, I know he will not leave anybody in any doubt that Rockliffe Hall is a venue of the very highest order.”
Rockliffe Hall Golf is due to open in June 2009, with the opening of the five star standard hotel and luxury spa due to open later on in the year. The exclusive resort is being constructed with the existing 18th Century country house at its core, with sympathetic restoration and extension of the hall to create a 63-bedroom hotel and luxury adjoining spa.
The 7,800 yard 18-hole course will make it one of the longest in Europe. And the accompanying amenities will make it one of the best golf facilities in the UK, with top class practice facilities and a stunning new 18,000 sq ft clubhouse, which will include personal attendants and added members’ benefits.
Ends
Media information: Christian at Quay2 Media on 0191 296 6800