Tuesday 27 November 2007

Royal Rooms


The Queens Hotel, positioned at the top end of the Promenade, is something of a local landmark. It is a hotel full of grandeur and opulence and its reception and lobby are quite impressive (by Cheltenham standards at least!). The hotel was built in 1837, at a cost of £47,000, and opened the following year. The hotel, to be originally named The Royal Victoria Hotel, sits on the site of the Imperial Spa. The spa was bought in 1830 by Robert and Charles Gearrad who designed and built the hotel. Over the years the hotel has played host to many famous visitors to Cheltenham including Edward VII, Margaret Thatcher and Bob Hope. During the Second World War the hotel was home to the American Services Club. More recently french chef Raymond Blanc has opened a brasserie in the hotel which I can recommended for an excellent meal.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Lovely. .... And some day I hope to be famous and visit there too! ;-)

TORUĊƒ DAILY PHOTO said...

Oh yes...the famous Queens Hotel of Cheltenham. Nice place...stayed there once...though its not what it used to be.

True about the famous guests though. In the mid 90's I happened to bump into the then Prime Minister John Major in the downstairs loos of the hotel!!! Raymond Blanc also came us to us once to see if we were enjoying the sandwich at his restaurant (Le Petit Blanc).

Thanks for sharing this great building with us!

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