Designer hotel in the suburbs

Three years ago Jeremy Levy and Cliff Thomson decided they needed a new challenge in their lives. Although they had successful careers - Jeremy worked for his family's fashion agency and Cliff was a landscape architect - they felt that they should harness their creative energies in a completely new direction.

The result of their life-changing decision is Kingsley Lodge - a stunning property in Wilmslow that is not only their home but a private luxury guesthouse with just four bedrooms, set within two acres of mature landscaped gardens.

"It has always been a dream of mine to own and run a small hotel," says Jeremy. "We've been lucky enough to stay in some of the world's best hotels and we constantly observe the standard of quality and attention to detail, the essence of which we wanted to incorporate into our own venture."

"We both have an eye for style and design," adds Cliff. "We had completely renovated our previous home in Hale Barnes and felt that this was something that we could realistically achieve."

Jeremy and Cliff spent many weeks driving around the Cheshire countryside looking for the perfect property. When they found the first suitable house, a farm in Mobberley, they were disappointed to be outbid by a developer. Not long after, Jeremy spotted a photograph of a large garden in an estate agent's window and had to view it. "As soon as he walked around the back, that was it," says Cliff. "The house itself wasn't at all what we had been looking for. It was a very ordinary 1950s bungalow with two bedrooms that had been empty for a couple of years. The setting, however, was breathtaking and was the main selling point."

Jeremy and Cliff decided that even though the house wasn't perfect, they could work with what they had by completely redesigning the layout and the look of the place.

Cliff prepared all the architectural plans that involved converting the garage and adjoining rooms of the bungalow into a self-contained apartment, extending the front of the property to create an imposing entrance hall and stairwell and adding a completely new first floor to accommodate four ensuite bedrooms.

"First and foremost the house was designed to work as a family home not as a hotel," explains Jeremy. "As this was something of a test for us, we had to have a sensible plan in case we needed to sell it at a later date."

However, when the residents in the area objected to the proposals, Jeremy and Cliff weren't prepared for such a long drawn-out process in order to obtain planning permission.

"This was the worst part of the whole project," says Jeremy. "We were very open and honest with our neighbours and told them exactly what we were planning to do. Before we knew it, we had 120 objections. We went into panic mode and employed a planning specialist who assured us everything would be OK. After a nerve-wracking year during which we felt at times like giving up, we were finally able to go ahead."

Ironically, since Kingsley Lodge has opened its doors as a luxury guesthouse, some of the original objectors are now using it to accommodate business associates, friends and family.

Costing an estimated £1.5 million to convert an ordinary bungalow into a state-of-the-art hotel, the project was an all-consuming passion for Jeremy and Cliff.

"We totally refurbished and extended the original house," says Jeremy. "We didn't start again but that would've been so much cheaper, although it would probably be a much smaller house than what we have now."

The building work, which took a year to complete, was done by Littlemoss Construction and Jeremy and Cliff used local companies to provide the high quality fittings - Altrincham Kitchen Centre and Finishing Touches for the bathrooms.

Jeremy and Cliff designed each of the five bathrooms in the house individually, using Philippe Starck fittings for a flawless contemporary look.

"We wanted to attain perfection by having all the pipe work concealed behind tiling," says Jeremy. "Unfortunately, if anything goes wrong, everything has to come out. We had three leaks and at one point there was a waterfall through the ceiling into the breakfast room!"

Despite the problems, the finished result is what they dreamed of . Opting for a contemporary-meets-
classic approach, they have mixed natural limestone floors throughout with warm neutral colours and a mix of antique and ethnic furniture.

"We want people to feel comfortable here," says Jeremy. "We've been influenced by some of the hotels we've stayed in such as The Peninsula in Hong Kong and The Oriental in Bangkok. We wanted a Thai theme in the breakfast room that overlooks the gardens and the reception room as you walk in to be very welcoming and homely."

Walking around the house with its cleverly designed layout, there is a seamless division between the guesthouse and Jeremy and Cliff's own home which has an enormous dining room and lounge with a neo-classical theme, both giving views over the beautiful grounds.

Each room is immaculate in its presentation and tasteful decoration - Jeremy puts this down to his constant pursuit of perfection.

"I'm obsessive with attention to detail," he says. "I can't stand dirt or clutter. The decorator is always here - we've always got jobs for him to do."

Jeremy and Cliff have loved the experience of being genial hosts. Creating a private paradise, with the emphasis on personal service, they hope to attract people who prefer an intimate atmosphere and instinctive hospitality.

"We've had lots of business people stay here and couples on the first night of their honeymoon," says Jeremy.

"We wanted to create a real home from home and we feel that it's something really special. Each morning when I get up and look out over the gardens, it's like being on holiday."

Kingsley Lodge, 10 Hough Lane, Wilmslow can be contacted on 01625 441794.