City centre hotel celebrates third birthday

As Coventry’s Telegraph Hotel approaches its third birthday in May, its team is celebrating an incredible success story.

The four-star boutique hotel in the city centre has sold more than 82,000 room nights and the hotel regularly has a waiting list for rooms, such is its popularity.

The hotel is themed around the MidCentury design of the former Telegraph offices, which were completed in 1959 as part of Coventry’s post-war reconstruction. The hotel has retained the building’s many features and added original 1950s furniture and new artwork that celebrates the period when Coventry led the world in urban design.

General Manager Amy Windsor said that the attention given to the detail of the design is a huge part of the success story.

She said: “Feedback from guests is that they really love the design of the building, and it keeps them coming back.

“To younger people, Mid-Century design is now uber-cool, and to the older ones, I expect it reminds them of the houses they grew up in.

“People certainly feel very much at home here. Whilst most new hotels are all the same, with a few bolt-on local ‘artefacts’, The Telegraph is already a classic. Staying here is seen as something special.”

The hotel which now employs up to 80 staff, has been host to 20 weddings so far, as well as many business conferences. The glass roofed restaurant provides a mix of fine dining and home-cooked favourites with over 5,000 fish & chip dinners served. Meanwhile in the bar the Lady Godiva and Covmopolitan cocktails are the most popular.

Amy added: “People come from all over the world, and they also come from just down the road. You could walk into the restaurant on any day of the week, and you could meet somebody from the Far East, France or Foleshill.

“We have a wonderful team who put the customer first every step of the way and, it wouldn’t be the hospitality industry, if we did not have to accommodate some unusual requests. I have been asked if we can ensure we provide someone with a room without the colour yellow anywhere in it right through to a diner who wanted to face north when sitting in the restaurant!

“The team works so hard to make sure each guest feels special – whether they are just popping in for a coffee or if they are holding their wedding with us. We faced so many challenges when we opened during covid, but the team have given their all to make our first three years such a success.”

There were cheers all round as a Kenilworth gin distillery was declared New Business of the Year.

East Chase Distillers was honoured with the title at the Midlands Service Excellence Awards, to the delight of business owners Luke Weetman and Richie Bartle.

The two friends, who had been at Kenilworth school together, decided over a few drinks in their local pub that a gin distillery was something they wanted to achieve together. Seven years later, following meticulous planning and research and after overcoming challenges along the way including building their own premises and COVID difficulties, Luke and Richie began trading successfully in November 2022, launching alongside Luke’s family Christmas tree sales operation. It was an opportunity for Luke (sixth generation) to further diversify on his family farm, alongside one of his best friends who had had firstly been in the Royal Marines, followed by 10 years in UK Special Forces, and was looking for a new career.

East Chase Distillers (ECD) produces Heritage Gin using a blend of botanicals sourced both locally and further afield, including juniper berries, coriander, citrus peel, and rhubarb from their farm garden in Kenilworth. The distillery, which uses traditional distilling techniques, offers a range of gin products, including its flagship product, a London Dry Gin, and flavoured seasonal gins including Citrus Orange, Rhubarb and Apple, and Summer Berries. Due to be launched in next few weeks are three vodkas.

Among the judges’ comments were: “ECD offer a well-thought-out and researched proposition with a strong emphasis on sustainability – an example of this is the underfloor heating that can be heated from their still. Great Ideas including ‘Gin,Tonic and Tales’ evenings, with one of the founders telling his back story from being in the Special Boat Service and Marines. The company uses UK-manufactured glass to reduce their carbon footprint.”

The distillery is open every Friday night from 4pm until late and hosts a variety of events as well as being available for corporate events, weddings and other engagements.

For more information, visit the website at www.eastchasedistillers.com