Coastal redevelopment creating contemporary holiday accommodation
Occupying a prominent location in the coastal town of Woolacombe, our involvement in the proposals for the future direction of the Narracott Hotel in Devon stemmed from an urgent need to reverse its decline and re-establish it as a commercially successful part of the local community. Key to this goal was supporting jobs and offering a range of facilities to suit the demands of the modern market while maximising the length of the visitor season for the area.
Plans for the hotel’s revitalisation began with the demolition of the existing staff accommodation and the erection of self-catered holiday apartments laid out over two storeys. A significant part of shaping the proposals was introducing a rebranding exercise in the early stages. This helped give the hotel’s owners confidence that their investment was being developed in a way that really reflected both their vision and what the local community wanted. The plans also included an enhancement to complement the natural beauty of the coastal location.
The main phase of work reduced the existing 78 bedrooms in the main hotel to 39 spacious bedrooms, all with balconies and a sea view – making the most of the site’s key feature. Guests are served by a new complex of facilities designed to provide an upgrade across the services provided. This includes new reception and front of house areas, providing restaurant and coffee facilities for both residents and daily trade. In addition, careful attention was paid to the smaller but important details which enhance the guest experience such as the provision of surfboard and wetsuit storage and drying facilities away from the guest rooms, reinforcing the hotel’s credentials in the growing local watersports market.
The scheme offered a significant improvement to the townscape, with the design quality of the refurbished building being far higher than that of the existing building. The refurbishment also delivered significant sustainability and energy efficient benefits through levels of insulation and solar shading, adding to its modern credentials.
