After two years of hard work and millions of pounds of investment, a vision to guarantee the future of one of Southsea’s best loved hotels, for generations to come, was recently revealed.
The Edwardian splendour of the Queens Hotel in Osborne Road has been painstakingly restored and enhanced as part of a multi-million pound renovation scheme.
Years of neglect and cutting corners have been put right. A new heating and water system has been fitted and the public rooms on the ground floor together with bedrooms on the first floor, have been transformed using the finest fabrics and a tasteful colour palette
Director Farid Yeganeh has admitted to falling under the spell of the Queens Hotel since taking ownership in 2017, as her inherent beauty has been revealed for all to enjoy.
“I have been involved in hotels all my life and when the opportunity came about to buy the Queens Hotel I leapt at the chance.
“To me she epitomises style and I could see the potential to return her to her former glory,” he said.
When Farid and a consortium of investors took over the hotel, they inherited existing planning permission for a 22 bedroom boutique hotel arranged over the basement, ground and first floors and 98 apartments – including 30 residential units on the remaining second, third and fourth floors of the hotel and a separate block of 38 flats on ground next to Home Heights.
As part of those plans, city planners have given the green light for:
- Two new shops in Osborne Road – one of which will be a cafe where top pastry chefs will create delicious confections for the cafe and hotel
- A new destination spa in the basement of the hotel with a leisure pool
- Conference facilities
- Ornate new entrances for the conference rooms and the apartment owners
Having lived and breathed the Queens Hotel for the past two years, Farid is now looking to safeguard the majority of the building as a hotel with just six penthouse apartments.
Farid explained: “I see myself as a custodian of this beautiful building and I want to do all I can to keep her as a hotel for future generations to enjoy.
“The desire is to have up to 104 bedrooms and for her to be Southsea’s only four star hotel.”
An application is set to be lodged with the city council which would see the currently derelict fourth floor brought back into use for the hotel and a fifth floor and new roof added.
