When is a hotel not a hotel?

King Size Beds

New Hotel at Braunton near to Saunton Sands Golf club.  In between Saunton sands and Braunton set in 7 acres of grounds are some new garden luxury garden suites in the ground of Pete Caswell’s art studio.

The Gallery Lodges
The Gallery Lodges

Its not exactly a hotel, but that is where the original concept came from. We selected the best ideas from travel accommodation  around the globe and designed these lodges to fit out dreams of a perfect stay.

Flower Meadows in the Spring and summer
Your hotel suite is in a Flower Meadows in the Spring and summer

The plan for the buildings was based on a hotel room, but not any room, a suite, not any suite, a garden suite in the grounds of a hotel. I love staying in hotel rooms they have a great atmosphere (in the right hotel) and they are kind of sexy for that weekend get away break.

King Size Bed
King Size Bed and views to the meadows.

Unlike a holiday house they don’t remind you of home so you can shut off much more easily, relax and get into the holiday mood.

Look at all that space and light outside your hotel room
Look at all that space and light outside your hotel room

Just like a luxury hotel room we fitted them out beautifully with marble bathrooms and high class fittings. A big King Size bed (Super King size in suite 2) to spread out on comfortable new mattresses.

King Size Beds
King Size Beds

Then there is the downside to a hotel room, the noise, the corridors, the room service interruptions in the morning, the lack of fresh air, the views of the car park,  getting up for breakfast, miniature rooms, and no where to make a quick snack, too cold, too hot, grumpy staff lack of parking…..Okay the list goes on and not all hotels have these downsides but we’ve all been there and been disappointed.

The lounge area with colourful paintings
The lounge area with colourful paintings

So when I designed these room, I made the bedroom so you could get to the bed from both sides, I put two windows in with great views to two sides and a nice high ceiling.  Usb ports for the phone and a nice big wardrobe. Then just like a hotel room suite I put in a colourful comfortable sofa for two, looking straight out through floor to ceiling French door over the meadows outside. With a hardwood deck outside you can stroll out without even putting your slippers on. Why bother with slippers, just heat the  floor, so we put in underfloor heating throughout and super insulated them so even in inter you will be nice and snug. Walnut floors and kitchen with oak doors and stainless fittings add a quality feel.

New Bathroom, walk in shower, marble tiles and oak floor underfloor heating
New Bathroom, walk in shower, marble tiles and oak floor underfloor heating

Over head we have a yacht sail to shade the deck should the sun get too intense, and by using hardwood and stainless yacht fittings you might get an inkling your on a boat, but without all that wobbling about (unless you’ve been on the booze again)

Hardwood Decking Area Outside
Hardwood Decking Area Outside

In the lounge area we fitted a nice little snack and drinks area for no charge, walnut cupboards and marble top with a little hob, toaster, kettle and full size fridge just in case you get hungry. In the corner is a small dining area and 32″ TV. Wi-Fi as well for free.

Kitchen area for snacks and small meals
Kitchen area for snacks and small meals

Well to get rid of the grumpy staff we omitted the reception area, just call in at the Art Studio for the key. And to stop you getting too drunk we removed the bar. To stop you getting to fat we took out the restaurant. Instead of a gym we gave you bit of exersize, a walk about 20 mins into Braunton to a large range of fun cafes, pubs and restaurants. This not only keeps you fit but walks off all that alcohol on the way back home to stop you getting a headache in the morning.

Parking outside the art gallery in spring with the Japanese Cherry blossom
Parking outside the art gallery in spring with the Japanese Cherry blossom

Room service went out the window so you can stay in bed all day without the cleaner joining you(however we do offer an optional bed change during your stay( for a small fee).

Children are banned so you won’t get squawking kids during the school holidays. 7 acres in all, fenced in securely with electric fences to keep the crowds away during the peak periods (its for the horses we have, but it does the trick at keeping the children and crowds out too)

Horses in some of the fields surrounding you hotel room
Horses in some of the fields surrounding you hotel room

Then I nearly forgot, the whole reason we built the lodges was somewhere to put my art collection in such lovely buildings. Just like a high class 5 start hotel with its little boutique art galleries and art projects, visiting artists etc, we did this backwards and the art gallery built the suites to house some of the best art work from the studio.

So if you have a little too much time on your hands or a bit too much money in your wallet, then you can indulge your self in a visit to the art gallery and see some of Pete Caswell’s beautiful art work from sunsets, yacht races to skiing and snowboarding paintings at all you favourite resorts in the Alps. You don’t even have to visit the gallery as we have thought of that as well. Each lodge has its own little display of Pete’s art to colour and brighten up you day. Pete’s paintings can be seen for sale on www.petecaswell.co.uk

Colourful large painting for sail of surfing at Saunton Sands Beach near Braunton.
Colourful large painting for sail of surfing at Saunton Sands Beach near Braunton.

Hotel Suite Number three is the ski lodge with all the latest skiing and snowboarding paintings (Do check first though as being an artist things are liable to change). If you are like me, in the middle of summer all you can think about is the first powder of the season. So here it is a lodge you can feel like you are skiing in all year without all the hard work.  http://petecaswell.co.uk/wp2/product-category/ski-snowboard-paintings/

Ski Painting blog http://petecaswell.co.uk/wp2/blog/

Courmayeur and Chamonix skiing painting in the French Alps looking up to Mt Blanc
Courmayeur and Chamonix skiing painting in the French Alps looking up to Mt Blanc

Lodge number two if for the inevitable getting older and less mobile. With a few assistive grab rails in the bathroom and a wheelchair ramp to the entrance and low threshold doors make mobility easier. All the thresholds are level with no nasty bumps or raised thresholds to trip you up. But wait there with a bit of clever design and custom manufacture we managed to discreetly hide all these extra features so you feel normal again with all those unsightly fittings spoiling the beauty of the bathroom. Take a look it looks beautiful.

I do hope you like the hotel garden lodges which I have built for you.  Are they a hotel room, a hotel suite, a lodge or a holiday let. I’ll let you decide.  In my mind they are a luxury hotel suite carefully placed and thoughtfully created in the middle of a beautiful hay meadow. If I stayed at a hotel again, this is how I would like it. They are chilled out with low fuss and hassle, peaceful and calming. Please help to keep it this way.

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