Ventrolla restored sash windows in London’s oldest hotel

Key features: Commercial, Sash Windows, Hotel, Renovation, Acoustic Glass, Victorian.

Timber window renovation specialist, Ventrolla, has added a ‘touch of glass’ to London’s oldest hotel.

Most were in public areas such as the restaurant and tea lounge and have been fully draught-proofed and renovated as part of the project.

An additional four windows were worked on in private function rooms, The Lord Byron and The Graham Bell, which was used by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 to make the UK’s first ever telephone call.

For these rooms, Ventrolla fitted special acoustic laminated glass to minimise noise ingress. Phil Hillman, Chief Engineer for Brown’s, said:

“We are pleased with the quality of the work all round, but the improvement in the private rooms is particularly noticeable.”

“The rooms are used to host meetings, conferences and dinner parties and we were experiencing real problems with traffic noise disturbing guests. Ventrolla recommended a special type of glass product which works brilliantly in keeping unwanted noise out but doesn’t detract from the style and finish of the windows.”

Brown’s Hotel is part of the Rocco Forte Collection of luxury hotels. First opened in 1837 by Lord Byron’s valet, James Brown, the hotel boasts 117 stylish and elegant bedrooms, including 29 luxurious suites, a restaurant, spa and six private dining rooms. The hotel joined the Rocco Forte Collection in July 2003 and underwent a £24 million restoration before reopening for business in December 2005.

A spokesperson for Ventrolla, said: “This has been a hugely prestigious and rewarding project for us which we hope will lead to further work with Brown’s in the future.We first started working on the project four years ago and then kept returning to tackle individual rooms at times when they were not booked up or being used to host events. This approach ensured minimal disruption to the hotel and its guests.”

Ventrolla offers a bespoke renovation service for timber sliding sash and casement windows as well as timber doors. The central office is in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, with additional offices located throughout the UK and Ireland.

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