Spa Canada Magazine
Winning Lap of Hospitality
WINNING LAP OF HOSPITALITY, AWAITS YOU AT
BROOKLANDS HOTEL,
WEYBRIDGE, SURREY, ENGLAND
By James Knight
Visiting many hotels in Britain, I normally find they are converted old stately homes or castles, it is very unusual to find a purpose-built hotel. Brooklands Hotel, at Weybridge, in the county of Surrey, is just that a purpose-built property, with outstanding bedrooms, which are 20% bigger than the average British hotel room, plus suites with wonderful panoramic views over the Brooklands area. Even though it is a new property it has a history that most hotels cannot match.
The hotel has it's own unique design, it is designed in arc-shaped, you enter the curve, to the hotel reception, through black glass doors, it is the reception which draws you to it, is very friendly, with large areas of space, it is quite a entrance, with charm and eloquence.
Adaptable and modern are the words, with Art Deco feel of a palace of the thirties, grandeur it is bringing the style into the modern-day design of buildings. Best use of space is achieved through high ceilings, it is very chic to design a reception area with a reception desk that is opposite when you walk through the doors. In the reception area of the hotel hanging from the ceiling is a sculpture in the design of the Brooklands Racing track, right in the position where the original race track would have gone, which is now the reception area.
The centre piece of the wood sculpture in the hotel lobby has been heavily been influence by the motor-racing setting. Suspended above the atrium and further expressing the unique nature of the site, this Charlie Whinney bespoke sculpture of bent wood which sweeps overhead intimating the speeding cars around the uniquely banked racing track. Either side, two over-sized three tiered pendants based on a wheel construction deliver a practical lighting solution to the impressive height and reinforce the symmetry of the building. The visual impact of these pendants from the outside is appreciated form afar and showcases the unique bespoke sculpture hovering behind. Oak wood from a sustainable source has been selected for the artistic installation for it's contrasting color against the joinery surrounding it and for it's invisible grain, which suggests movement and speed. Lighter sections of naturally present sapwood indicated the lesser worn areas of the track whilst the whild grain and darker sections intimate the oil and wear all so visible and apparent on an actual track. Overall the installation is a testimony to the unique and historic importance of the site and solidifies the relevance and connection to the Solomon straight which lies below it, a well-known part of the track.
To use the words of Charlie Whinney himself "I wanted show the flowing lines and competition of motor racing in a new way this was done by depicting the route of the cars as several strands racing each other, twisting and flowing as they jostle for position on the track". It is quite remarkable, and in my opinion a eye-catching design of sculpture, which gives the hotel a very distinctive feel about it.
Another very unusual feature is the door handles to the rooms, shaped-like propellers of old turbo prop planes, there are four also in the bar area on a recess in silver at a more life-like size, yet again unique design in keeping with the whole concept. Laura there is a photo of this, if we could use it
Off one side of the reception area is where you can sit and relax and watch a DVD on the history of Brooklands. One the right-hand side is a bar with a very different color scheme of blacks, reds and greys, it could be classed as very cooperate?
LARGEST ROOMS IN THE LAND
There are a number of types of rooms and suites, the Panoramic Suites are 75 sq. metres, with stunning, sweeping balconies, these are bigger than I have found elsewhere, all with modern furniture and most certainly tastefully decorated, giving you plenty of room. There are eight suites in total that are 100 sq. metres, with one of two bedrooms, these suites have decked terraces, which in the summer you can enjoy sitting out watching the drivers on the Mercedes Skid Patch. The smallest room is 20% bigger than the average British hotel room with six ft. king-sized beds, which is most certinaly a selling point, this does not apply for a normal room in a hotel anywhere in Europe, I have found.
My suite was most certainly the largest I have found in Britain, this would only be possible to achieve when you are designing and building a property from the start, which gives Brooklands a great advantage.
My showround of the hotel was undertaken by the Duty Manager, it was refreshing to have a showround by somebody who actually knew about the hotel and was very helpful, being able to answer questions, not undertaken at speed with expert knowledge.
What is nice about the property it is not high-rise, only four storeys, in my view makes so eye-catching from the outside, it is very noticeable on the landscape when approaching the hotel.
The building would not have been possible to build about twenty-five years ago, the effects of glass in buildings is very evident, through modern production techniques glass gives the building great new creative images, enabling confined areas taking on a bigger dimensions, this clever use of glass has opened-up so many new advances in building design and architecture.
A TREATMENT OF DESIGN IN SO MANY WAYS ATTRACTS YOU TO THE SPA!
The reception area to the spa is not large and is very compact, yet comfortable, the space yet again appears to be larger than it actually is, with the decor in browns and chairs are upholstered in a light green cushions, which I have never seen before in spas. first impressions are so important when looking at hotels and spa's. The Brooklands Spa is located on the third floor, immediately you walk out of the elevator then the reception area is upon you. People staying on the third floor have to pass by the reception, through the spa reception bring located where it is. It is a great day of inviting clients into the spa, with it's location.
There are seven treatment rooms and one double room, I like beautiful decor of the rooms, with shading of brown which is matched by the brown shades in the tiling of the floors. The general color scheme is very original, with charcoal, ebony and taupe with top tones of eau de nil, tomato red, aubergine and copper create the color palette for the entire project. The narrow use of color delivers a co-ordinated schematic feel throughout the building yet the percent use of any one color subtle defines a differentiates each space.
The Spa as a strong facade constructed in fumed oak and tinted glass, there is great use of natural stone, dark timber and soft muted to give a feeling of Wellbeing.
There is also a steam room, wet and dry treatment rooms, saunas, chill out room with water beds where you can relax before facing the outside world again.
An Italian feel about the spa. . .
The spa has gone for different brands, which is very refreshing. One of the brands is Lubatti of Italy, Madame Lubatti developed the brand by hand mixing face creams for her exclusive clients, including British royalty and the jet set of the day in the twenties in London. The brand has developed through Eileen Malone today who had passed down from her mother the secret recipes, which have made the brand so different. Tracey Malone today is the person behind the renaissance of the brand, you may well know the name of Malone through her sister who is the famous Jo Malone, Jo Malone which now owned by Estee Lauder.
There is a wide range of facials on the treatment menu, there are also body treatments and massages and these products are created by Jane Scrivner a contemporary treatment therapist with many years of experience and the originator of hot and cold stones massages in England. Manicure and pedicures are provided y Butter London - the new face of the nail industry.
I had a massage to make me drift away on a cold May day in Surrey and make me feel relaxed and revitalised.
The spa menu is comprehensive with a number of spa breaks, from a One Night Spa Break, Two Night Spa Break, His and Hers Package, which includes dinner, bed and breakfast, 30 minute Mercedes Benz Driving Experience for one person and a Fully Body Massage for the other. One Night Exclusive Pamper Package, which does sound very inviting.
A HISTORIC TRIP AROUND BROOKLANDS
Whether you are Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button or Michael Schumacher, they all owe a great deal to Brooklands, it is where Formula One started and progressed to what we know today.
BROOKLANDS HAS THE RIGHT FORMULA
Mention the world of Brooklands to any motor racing enthusiasts and they will straight way talk about how it shaped the history of Formula One racing. The track was opened in 1907, was the world's first purpose-built motor sport venue. The circuit was in operation right-up until the Second World War. After the Second World War, British Aerospace was based there, carrying on the long tradition of aviation. Today, it is the home of the Brooklands Museum, a major aviation and motoring museum, also the home to many vintage cars and events, surrounding the aviation and automobile industry.l The track was the first purpose-built banked motor racing circuit in the world, was the brainchild of one of the days great entrepreneurs, Hugh Locke-King. In it's heyday, people would come from all over to see the racing, it could hold up to 287,000 spectators, making it one of Southern England's highly attended tourist attractions of the day, with the largest attendance of any outside event.
Brooklands most certainly shaped the racing around the world, the Indianapolis Speedway was built soon afterwards and it's inaugural race was held in August 1909, along with other tracks around the world. Along the centre of the track ran a dotted black line, known as the Fifty Foot Line, by driving over the new line, a driver could theoretically take the banked corners without having to use the steering wheel, most certainly sounds frightening and dangerous.
Twenty-four racing events were staged, with over 300 red railway lamps were used to light the track during the night. Records were soon recorded at the track, the first person to cover 100 miles, 160 km in one hour was set by Percy E. Lambert at Brooklands on February 15th 1913, driving his 4.5 liter side valve Talbot. After the First World War, Grand Prix was held there and was a forerunner to Brands Hatch and Silverstone, where the British Grand Prix is held today. When World War II broke out in 1939 motor racing ceased and the site was turned into a war-time production of military aircraft and testing new aircraft for the Royal Air Force.
Today, the site is the home of the Brooklands Hotel and Mercedes World, where on display in their futuristic showrooms is old and new Mercedes, you can also learn how to drive on the skid patch, if you really want adventure go off road racing. At the museum there are many planes form the past including one of Britain's great inventions the British Airways Concorde, a fitting place for one of Britain's great achievements. I might add it does not fly today, you can look round it, but mind your head it is very small inside. Also held at the development are open-air concerts and Elton John and Leonard Cohen have both appeared in front of the wonderful backdrop, plus many other events.
It is a real family place to visit, with it's own history to tell!
So motorheads there is so much on offer for your stay at Brooklands Hotel, it is right out of the Jeremy Clarksons "Top Gear" programme, which is shown in Canada and USA.
Brooklands Hotel, Weybridge Surrey, is about one hour from Central London, and easy to get to, either by South west Trains from Waterloo, with Weybridge Station nearby, or there is plenty of car parking space. It is most certainly a must for motor racing enthusiasts while visiting Britain.
