Golf club that closed during the pandemic reopens

The first golf club to announce it was closing down during the Covid pandemic in 2020 is reopening with a new name.

Bernwood Park Hotel is set to open in Buckinghamshire this month following an extensive transformation of the countryside property.

The venue, formerly known as Magnolia Park Hotel and Golf Club, closed in March 2020, reopened in May 2020, saw unprecedented demand – but then announced its permanent closure just a few days later.

Its on-site 40-bedroom Best Western Plus hotel never reopened once restrictions lifted.

It has now been bought and redeveloped by Bespoke Hotels, the UK’s largest independent hotel group, and rebranded as Bernwood Park Hotel.

The hotel will comprise 40 newly designed bedrooms alongside three food and beverage venues, a wellness suite and the 18-hole championship golf course.

The property sits within 200 acres between Oxford and Bicester and is being positioned as both a countryside destination and a base for exploring the surrounding region.

James Jude, general manager of Bernwood Park Hotel, said: “Bernwood Park Hotel is a destination we are incredibly proud to be opening this autumn, and it feels like the start of a real new chapter.

“We wanted to create somewhere golfers of every ability could enjoy a genuine test on the course, while also unwinding with upscale food and wellness, and using it as a natural base for exploring Oxford, Bicester Village and some of the finest countryside in the Home Counties.”

Bernwood Park’s 18-hole championship golf course was designed by Jonathan Gaunt and has operated since 1999. Extending to more than 7,000 yards from the back tees, the course has been restored as part of the wider redevelopment and will remain open throughout the year. Play and Stay packages will combine rounds of golf with overnight accommodation.

Meetings, weddings and private events will be centred around The Pavilion, which includes its own bar, dancefloor and terrace overlooking the grounds. The space will accommodate up to 80 guests for wedding breakfasts and receptions, with smaller events also available within Uliveto and on the hotel terrace.

Bespoke Hotels, which was founded in 2000 and now operates more than 120 properties worldwide, already manages a number of hotels on or adjacent to golf courses, including Carnoustie Golf Hotel in Fife, Cally Palace in Dumfries & Galloway, and Coulsdon Manor Hotel & Golf Club in Surrey.