A SIXTEENTH century hotel has undergone a £2m refurbishment to turn in into a wedding venue.

The year-long refurbishment of Hallgarth Manor Hotel, in Pittington, near Durham, has just been completed, following its purchase by Shepherd Cox, which owns a numbers of hotels including The Town House in Durham.

Margaret Livingstone-Evans, group manager for weddings and events, said: “The old hotel had a good reputation and definite country house vibe, but needed some work to bring it up to the standards demanded for modern weddings.

“We felt we had the right ingredients in terms of location, history and character but needed to ensure the facilities ticked every Bride’s wish list from ballroom to bedroom.”

The new look hotel includes a bridal suite, mirror ball function room and orangery, as well as 24 bedrooms, four acres of private grounds and The Tavern pub.

Shepherd Cox company director Nick Carlile said: “The hotel has been lovingly and subtly refurbished to combine the best from its 500 year history with contemporary touches and interiors to provide the ultimate and highly personal country house hotel experience.”