One of the Midlands' best known hotels is undergoing a major facelift after being bought out of administration by Birmingham-based Greyfort Properties.

Droitwich-based Chateau Impney Hotel & Exhibition Centre has concluded the first phase of a major refurbishment programme to position the complex as one of the UK’s leading hotel and exhibition venues.

The revamp comes after the Grade II listed Chateau was bought out of administration in July last year by Greyfort Properties, which led to the rescue of 44 jobs.

The three-month programme has seen the 106-bedroom property refurbish a quarter of its accommodation, while preserving the Chateau’s wealth of historical features.

Improvements have also been made to a number of other parts of the hotel, including its function rooms, the reception and bar areas, and the Chateau’s ornamental gardens. In addition, the hotel has been rebranded and a new website has been launched.

General manager Ben Elder said: “When the new owners purchased the Chateau last year, they knew they were buying a property steeped in history, with lots of potential but in need of some TLC and modernisation.

“From the outset, they made a clear commitment to put the property back on the map and to create a venue that is amongst the very best in the country.”

More than £1 million is being invested to revamp the historic hotel.

“The work undertaken to date is just the first step of that ambitious plan, and we are delighted with the results so far. While we still have a lot of work to do over the coming months, the feedback from guests has already been overwhelmingly positive,” he added.

The next phase of work, which has already commenced, will see the remainder of the bedrooms in the main chateau building, its 41 courtyard rooms and nine self-catering apartments, totally refurbished.

As well as the 106-bedroom hotel, the Chateau Impney site also boasts extensive conferencing and exhibition facilities, including the expansive Impney Regent Centre, the largest exhibition space in the Midlands after the NEC.

But in recent years, the facilities have been under-utilised, and the new management team plans to rectify that with the extensive upgrade.

“While many people in the region will know Chateau Impney for its hotel facilities, most will be unaware of the sheer scale of our on-site exhibition complex,” said Mr Elder.

Set in 110 acres of manicured gardens and grounds, Chateau Impney is one of the most authentic examples of French chateau-style buildings in the UK. Dating back to 1875, it was originally constructed as a private residence for John Corbett, a wealthy Droitwich salt magnate, before being converted into a hotel in 1928.

The hotel was built by the wealthy magnate, for his wife, Anna Eliza O’Meara, who was part French and part Irish.

The two met in Paris, and as both loved French chateaux, John Corbett had one built, near the town where his fortune has been made. Sadly, his grand gesture had little effect, as the marriage was not a happy one, and his wife moved to another of his houses, in Wales.

The building cost almost £250,000, the equivalent of £16 million today. In the late 1960s, one of the earliest rock festivals was held in the grounds, featuring artists including Fleetwood Mac and Joe Cocker, and hosted by the late John Peel.