Northumberland-based hospitality group, The Doxford Group has announced it will be opening a new hotel, bar and restaurant on the grounds of Charlton Hall Estate in Alnwick.

Taking its name from the Latin translation of the word time, The Tempus will be in keeping with its rebellious sister venue, Charlton Hall which takes inspiration from the well-known tale, Alice in Wonderland.

Set to open early 2023, The Tempus will comprise of 15 guest bedrooms including one majestic Boutique Suite and two Junior Suites on the second floor, boasting idyllic views of the private 150-acre country estate as well as King, Superior King and Family rooms.  

With interiors inspired by the Alice in Wonderland adage of being ‘entirely bonkers’, the award-winning team at Jeffreys Interiors will bring The Doxford Group’s vision for The Tempus to life. Juxtaposing colour palettes, lavish soft furnishings and the use of natural light and materials will create the feeling of a wonderland with a nod to the estate’s existing event venue, Charlton Hall.

Sitting proudly on top of the hotel’s middle roof peak will be an iconic clocktower complete with bespoke weathervane in the form of The Doxford Group and Charlton Hall Estate’s renowned logo – an owl.

To enhance guest experience, The Tempus will also be home to a ground-floor bar, restaurant and orangery offering bistro-style dining and late night-cocktails.

Richard Shell, Owner and Director, at The Doxford Group, said: “It’s a very exciting time for us here at The Doxford Group with the announcement of the Tempus to Charlton Hall Estate.

“Since opening our wedding and events venue, Charlton Hall back in 2017, my vision has been to expand our offering and guest experience – whether it be in the form of an overnight stay, celebration event, intimate dining experience or a tipple or two in our hotel bar – something we can now offer thanks to The Tempus.

“We have seen a significant rise in demand for overnight stays in the area with Northumberland becoming a popular hotspot for holidaymakers and tourists all year round. The addition of The Tempus will increase the number of guests we can sleep on site to 86 and the new bar and restaurant will provide an exciting new culinary address for the area and all of Northumberland.”

Jo Aynsley, Head of Interior Design at Jeffreys Interior, commented: “It was an honour to be asked to work with The Doxford Group for the interiors of The Tempus having worked on the restoration of Charlton Hall back in 2017 and the interiors within the most recent accommodation in 2021.

“The children’s tale, Alice in Wonderland and the current interiors at Charlton Hall were our main inspiration for the design concept for The Tempus. We wanted to tell a story through the power of interior design taking guests on a journey through a wonderland.”

The Tempus will open spring 2023 and will mark The Doxford Group’s third venture following the launch of its wedding and event venues, Doxford Barns in 2015 and Charlton Hall in 2017.