Appleby hotel business booms after £1million investment
An Eden hotel is making its mark with its busiest three months in more than fifteen years.
Family-owned Appleby Manor opened the doors of its new £1million Garden Spa in the heart of the Eden Valley at the end of 2015. Offering the most comprehensive selection of day spa packages and treatments in the North West, the new facilities have helped visitor numbers at the hotel soar to an all-time high for January, February and March.
Mike and Angela Dunbobbin have owned Appleby Manor since 2000. This latest major investment has created 10 new jobs in the spa, with additional new recruits now also needed to cover the upturn in business at the main hotel.
Over the past three months, the hotel has seen a surge in local visitors from West Cumbria and the Lake District, as well as guests from further afield including Lancashire, Merseyside and the North East. There has also been a shift towards friends and family celebrating birthdays and special occasions with group getaways to the spa.
Owner Mike Dunbobbin says, “It’s been a difficult time for many people following the devastating floods, but we are really proud to be investing in Cumbria and helping put this special part of world on the tourism map. We hope the positive economic benefits we are seeing will bring added benefits not just for our business, but also for Appleby and the county as a whole.
He adds, “Obviously we cannot rest on our laurels. The spa development is just phase one of a longer-term plan and we will be continuing to look to the future with the development of a roof top garden for the spa and newly refurbished bedrooms over the next couple of years.”