We took a sneak peek inside historic hotel and restaurant set to reopen after major refurb
It is a Grade II listed building which is indelibly linked to the Himley estate - but as these exclusive pictures show, Himley House is ready to face the future.
The hotel and restaurant will officially open again to the public under the Chef and Brewer brand tomorrow with owners Greene King having given it a seven-figure makeover in the first few months of the year.
A complete renovation has been carried out throughout the premises including the dining room, function room, and extensive gardens.
Work on rooms at the site, which stands in the shadow of Himley Hall on the busy Wolverhampton Road, began in November, with 21 now available for guests.
New manager Andrew Colley, who has worked for Greene King for a number of years including in venues in Penn and Wombourne, said he is excited to get started and welcome guests to the new venue.
He said: "This place has a lot of history, there are reportedly underground tunnels linking it to Himley Hall which itself dates back to the 17th century so it is an interesting beautiful building and one we hope people will very much enjoy visiting.
"The company has spent a lot of time and money on it and really transformed it into a multifaceted venue with 21 luxury venues, a spacious function and meeting room and covered patio which is heated and allows people to spend time in the beautiful gardens where 200 people can be accommodated.
"Inside we have a completely new menu and have expanded to 120 covers – high ceilings and a tasteful refurbishment give it a real feel of luxury which we are sure will be appreciated by the guests.
The project has created over 30 jobs for new staff but one who is a veteran is hotel team leader Kara Hegarty who came in as a housekeeper and has been with Himley House for 12 years.
She said: "I love working here and have been able to progress from starting off servicing rooms to getting involved in all aspects of the hotel and greeting guests and working in the hospitality area.
"It's been a long while to wait to come back to work but the results are stunning, from the refurbished hotel rooms, to the meeting and function suite and of course the gardens which are beautiful and will allow guests to enjoy their food and drinks outside."
Andrew added: "I am so excited to manager a project and venue of this size and magnitude – the whole area from the rooms to the outside is stunning. We have a great team who can't wait to get started greeting customers old and new."
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