Botleigh Grange Hotel in Hedge End closes doors and calls in administrators

Botleigh Grange Limited – which owns the Botleigh Grange Hotel and Spa in Hedge End – has called in the administrators.

A popular wedding venue, the hotel often hosts school proms with hundreds of Hampshire youngsters visiting each summer.

• Botleigh Grange Hotel under investigation over food hygiene violations

However, disappointed guests have reported arriving at the hotel over the weekend to locked doors and to be turned away by administrators.

Leonard Curtis which specialises in corporate recovery, insolvency and business restructuring were appointed on Friday, January 17.

Just last year, the hotel’s former owners - Botleigh Grange Hotel Limited also went into administration.

• Guests slam prestigious hotel for "losing the plot" 

Despite this change in hands, the Daily Echo can reveal that both companies have been headed by director Daniel James O’Doherty.

The Echo has unsuccessfully attempted to contact the hotel’s finance director Mia Gerber multiple times.

According to its website which is still taking bookings the hotel, in Grange Road was originally built as a private country house during the 17th century.

With fifty-five bedrooms, five function rooms, a restaurant and bar, Oliver Cromwell is even believed to have stayed there.

It also has “picturesque” gardens and terraces with landscaping which sweeps down to two lakes, and a small woodland area.

The hotel website states: “Ideally situated in the heart of Hampshire, this beautiful 17th century country house hotel with expansive stunning lakeside gardens will offer you the warmest of welcomes.

As reported earlier in the month the hotel had been under investigation by a public health watchdog.

A report from environmental health chiefs, who carried out an inspection at the hotel gave it a food hygiene rating of one out of five.

It found that systems to ensure that food is safe to eat and that staff know about food safety needed major improvements.

Inspectors found that the hygienic handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage at the hotel needed improvement.

Despite previously holding a five-star or “excellent” hygiene rating, the cleanliness of the premises on Grange Road in Hedge End also needed improvement.

Inspectors from the environmental health partnership of Eastleigh Borough Council undertook the visit on November 15.