A Lake District hotel with breathtaking views over Windermere has opened for the first time to customers.
The Ro hotel in Windermere, formerly the Hydro Hotel, has seen an £8m revamp turn the crumbling building into something very different.
From a bun moss wall to a front desk decorated in Herdwick wool, the hotel hopes to offer a something unique for locals and visitors alike.
The 87-bedroom hotel boasts a 76 seated all-day dining space called Lacu, the Ro cocktail bar, as well as numerous function rooms for weddings and events.
The Sun Lounge also offers visitors the chance to enjoy afternoon tea while overlooking lake Windermere.
Work on a terrace seating area – which will act as an extension to the hotel bar – is set to start in the next few weeks.
An onsite gym will also be added in the coming months.
Phase two of the renovations at the site will see an adjacent building transformed into a thermal spa with additional bedrooms.
Two years in the making
“The project has been nearly two years in the making,” said Craig Ripley, operations manager at the hotel.
“I’ve only been here for a short time but our job has centred around recruiting colleagues and dealing with the challenges that come with a build caused by Brexit and COVID.
“It has been difficult. Recruitment has been a challenge but we are quite lucky that we are a new opening and shiny new so people are drawn towards us (because of that).
“We’ve also brought people we have worked with before and people who have worked in hotels following a similar style.”
The recruitment challenge is being felt right across the Lake District, with Craig pointing to 68 vacant chef positions in Windermere alone.
He said the combination of Brexit, coronavirus and a lack of affordable housing have all mixed together to make the perfect cocktail of recruitment challenges.
Despite the challenges posed, the hotel has managed to recruit Marc Sanders as head chef, previously of Low Wood Bay.
The hotel still has between 10 and 12 open positions that it is still looking to fill.
‘Excellent service’
“It is the excellent service we are delivering to clients and a great product behind us,” said Craig, outlining the two things which he says are the hotel’s biggest strength.
Craig says he and his team hope to combine Lake District hospitality with a modern, city feel.
He has previously been manager at hotels such as the King Street Hotel in Manchester, which was ranked in the top 100 hotels in the world last year, and The Swan, which has previously been ranked in the top 10 hotels in the UK.
Craig hopes to replicate that success at The Ro.
“I think we can take this hotel to that kind of level. The vision for this property is that we can achieve that kind of status by offeirng great service, a great product and great hospitality,” he said.
The hotel – which is being bankrolled by a Thai investment fund – is already operating at occupancy of between 75 and 80 per cent.
As well as offering a picturesque location for visitors, the hotel also hopes to be well used by the local community.
“A big part of what we are trying to do at the hotel is that we want to be a community hub for all to use,” said Craig.
“A hotel for the people and for the tourists.”
Using local suppliers
The Ro also hopes to use local suppliers as often as possible.
A ‘staycation’ boom is something Craig is experiencing first hand.
“Bookings are the best I’ve ever seen. Occupancies are the highest I have ever seen in the Lake District,” he added.
