Alex Aitken’s Lime Wood hotel to open in November

Lime Wood, the £30m hotel project overseen by Hotel du Vin co-founder Robin Hutson, is to open this November.

The 33-bedroom, five-star boutique hotel in Lyndhurst, Hampshire, will launch with a soft opening on 9 November, with the official launch taking place on 23 November.

Hutson has been the consultant on the Georgian manor house, which is a joint venture between businessman Jim Ratcliffe and Michelin-starred chef Alex Aitken, who will head up the hotel’s two restaurants.

The Lime Wood launch includes a number of new appointments, creating what Hutson described as a “dream team” in an interview with Caterer earlier in the year.

Justin Pinchbeck, formerly general manager of the Zetter hotel in London, comes to the hotel as general manager, with Chris Ward, previously of Chewton Glen, taking on the sales and marketing director role.

Head sommelier will be Nicolas Charriere, who has trained at Hotel du Vin and has recently been wine making in France, with Christophe Dumeige, formerly of the Manor House at Castle Coombe, heading up the front of house team as restaurant manager.

Hutson was coaxed out of semi-retirement to consult on the project by owner Jim Radcliffe, and told Caterer: "I've been approached over the past few years to do these sorts of things, but they were all more of the same. This really stood out and it will be important for the hotel sector. We're aiming to be in the top five UK country house hotels within two years."

Robin Hutson and Michelin-starred chef Alex Aitken to open boutique hotel >>

Alex Aitken takes over Latimers on the Quay >>

Robin Hutson resigns as director of Soho House >>

By Rosie Birkett

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