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New owners plan re-opening of Selsdon hotel for late March

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Revamped: Birch (Selsdon), what used to be the Selsdon Park Hotel, is expected to reopen before the end of March

What used to be known as the Selsdon Park Hotel, with its 200-acre golf course, is expected to open its doors to guests for the first time in more than a year at the end of March, with cattle and ponies roaming the estate and helping to “rewild” the one-time fairways.

Birch (Selsdon), as it is to be known, is expected to start taking bookings from March 29, with suites available for up to £350 per night.

“We hope to have an exact date of when they can be booked to stay soon,” a spokesperson for Birch told Inside Croydon.

Birch opened their first boutique-style hotel in Cheshunt in 2020. The company acquired the Selsdon hotel in late 2021, and the venue has been undergoing a revamp ever since, at a cost which Birch are unwilling to disclose.

It’s fair to say, with their use of top designers, that their modernisation of what had become a slightly jaded suburban hotel, has given it a stylish, modern look. None of which will have come cheap.

Pony-ing up: Exmoor ponies and cattle are central to the Birch (Selsdon) mission

They do say that “Birch (Selsdon) will offer 181 bedrooms, a lido, a wellness space, two restaurants, three bars, a co-working hub, activity studios and several communal spaces”. There’s to be arts studios, an arcade, and even a kids’ club, as well as running and cycling trails in the grounds.

Getting into their stride, Birch say, “It is part hotel, part foodie haven, part members club, part working space, part wellness getaway, part creative hub, and all parts fun.”

The communal spaces, they say, go from “cosy snugs to the light-bathed Orangerie”.

What was a farm with a manor house in the 1500s, the origins of the Selsdon Park Estate date back to medieval times, forming part of the land owned by the Archbishop of Canterbury. According to Croydon’s List of Historic Parks and Gardens, the original farmhouse was extended in 1815, alongside the construction of many of the outbuildings which have remained on the estate.

In 1924, the mansion house was converted into a 23-bedroom hotel, and was enlarged over the coming years, with the Selsdon Park Hotel officially opening in 1926. The 18-hole golf course was first laid out in 1929, and has been altered little since then.

The south of the estate borders Kings Wood, an ancient woodland and one of the four adjacent designated Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation, or SINCs, which make the re-wilding plans quite so exciting – representing a significant investment by Birch and their backers into the natural heritage of this part of south London.

Splashdown: the bathrooms are nice, too

Their new hotel will offer “an unashamed escape from the everyday”, they say.

“Birch (Selsdon) is all about bringing like-minded people together and providing them with the space to reconnect – with themselves and each other. It’s a welcome respite from the noise and intensity of London’s concrete jungle, where members and guests can find headspace, try new things and have some fun.

“Lots of fun.”

And there does seem to be a lot planned to be going on there.

The interiors of the hotel have been remodelled by leading designer and architecture studio A-nrd, led by Alessio Nardi and Lukas Persakovas, and by Sella Concept.

Sebastian Cox, an award-winning furniture designer, maker and environmentalist, who is behind the project, has masterminded the rewilding of the estate’s grounds and designed bespoke furniture for the bedrooms, suites and communal spaces.

It is suggested that Birch (Selsdon) will be London’s biggest rewilding project, an effort to create a “scrubland savannah”.

Initially, the rewilding will involve allowing the grass to grow over the once immaculately-kept greens and fairways, and just allowing the rough to develop between the many breaks of mature trees around what was the golf course, and where there will no longer be any damaging pesticides used.

Stylish and slick: the hotel rooms have been modernised and refurbished

An environmental survey conducted around the estate last year for its new owners reported, “A combination of existing high-quality habitats on-site primarily within the ancient woodland cover, strong potential for restoration of calcareous grassland and proximity to other nature conservation sites suggest that there is high potential for biodiversity restoration.”

Among the bird species observed on the estate are the spotted flycatcher, which is on the Red List as an endangered species, and the redstart, a bird which is under pressure because of the loss of its woodland habitats.

Birch intend to introduce a small herds of long-horned cattle (just three or four of an ancient breed) and, from later this year, a couple of Exmoor ponies, who will be let loose to graze the land and help make it more attractive for bird, bat and invertebrate species. The owners are hopeful that dormice, nightingales and nightjars could be tempted back to the area.

As well as an escape from city life, Birch clearly hope that membership of this exclusive-looking establishment (from £150 per month) and its bars and restaurants will be as big a draw as at their Cheshunt hotel.

“The menus at Birch (Selsdon) are informed by the estate’s rewilding ethos, it’s kitchen garden, and a farm-to-fork, seasonal approach,” which sounds sound.

Designer chic: rooms at Birch (Selsdon) start from £180 per night

“A dedicated family wing will allow kids to run free, while a special kids club, ‘Birchlings’, will take care of the little ones with an enriching programme of activities and plenty of opportunities to learn about biodiversity.”

Birch say that its membership programme “allows people from the surrounding areas to access the whole estate for work, pleasure or both, enjoying everything on offer from co-working to wellness.

“Birch (Selsdon)’s unique Green Co-Working proposition offers sheltered outdoor desk spaces for those who want to immerse themselves in nature while getting on with tasks and to-do lists.”

Benefits of membership of this stylish 21st Century country club include discounts on stays and private room hire at Birch, as well as access to a central London membership club and wellness clubs across the world, plus priority booking for all ticketed events.

“Birch’s ambition is to create a community with common interests, shared values and open minds.”

Rooms at Birch (Selsdon) start from £180 per night. There’s a launch offer for those who book before the opening, with a £20 credit per person to spend on food and drink during their stay.

Confirmation of the opening dates and booking availability can be found on the website www.birchcommunity.com


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