A £15m transformation of Durham’s Old Shire Hall has resulted in a vibrant mixture of Victorian luxury and modern vibes, says Jenny Needham

IF you were led into Durham's newest hotel blindfold and let loose in your room, it wouldn't take you long to work out where you were. There are references to the city's university and world-renowned cathedral everywhere.

A scatter cushion might give the game away: "Eadem mutata resurgo", it proclaims. "Although changed, I arise the same" – the motto of the College of St Hild and St Bede. If you need more clues, some rooms are dressed in Palatinate Purple, the colour associated with the university. It is used for rugs, bed coverings, on plush banquettes and for upholstery. There are oars on the wall above some beds, reflecting the university's rowing heritage, and equations and mathematical symbols on walls and in frames, in homage to the city's history as a seat of learning. Old-style trunks, the sort students would have hauled back with them at the beginning of term, come in useful as somewhere to put your tea tray and glossy magazines, while bedside tables resemble academic desks.

On one side of the hotel, if you were still in any doubt of your location, all rooms look out onto Durham's amazing Cathedral. There are old black and white etchings and maps on the walls showing this magnificent place of worship and the surrounding city and peninsula, embraced by a loop in the River Wear. Other frames contain travel posters exhorting tourists to come and visit, featuring, naturally enough, the Cathedral, and artistic renderings of its stained glass windows.

But it's not just what's outside that will wow guests. The building that now houses Hotel Indigo itself has history aplenty, and its own stained glass windows. Built in the 1890s for Durham City Council as the city hall and latterly used as the administration centre for the university, every feature, flourish and detail of the hotel's interior reflects its proud Victorian legacy.

The building had lain empty since 2012 when Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) decided it was a perfect addition to their Hotel Indigo portfolio. Each Hotel Indigo property is designed to reflect the culture, character and history of the surrounding neighbourhood, and many of them are housed in converted buildings. The conversion of the Grade II-listed Old Shire Hall cost £15m and was completed in the spring.

Period features such as the tiled marble staircases, wood panelling and stained glass windows have been retained, and a circular debating chamber and lobby room have been reimagined as a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse seating 100 diners and the Rotunda cocktail bar, where stained glass dapples the light. Brass etchings line the lobby walls, marble tiles adorn floors and huge old metal safes provide talking points.

“As we worked on the building, we discovered original features that had been covered up," says Hotel Indigo Durham sales and marketing manager Luke Balcombe. "Every room is a different shape and there’s something unique about each of them. Many of its original features were retained as part of the redevelopment, which was designed by Durham architects Howarth Litchfield, including dozens of stained glass windows, elaborate tiling and wood panelling."

“The place had been empty for such a long time, so we were delighted to have this opportunity to bring such a beautiful building back to life – and enhance it," adds general manager Paul Borg.

But while the developers and designers have respected the fabric of this impressive building, there's been nothing fusty or old-fashioned about their approach. Shiny Victorian wall tiles in a palette of browns and greens have been offset with ultra-modern, sculptural chandeliers; lighting throughout is funky and modern and bright splashes of colour prevent the public areas from feeling drab. Bespoke prints and textiles furnish elegant guest rooms, where you can drift off in blissful spa bathrooms, and to keep guests connected there's superfast WiFi.

The hotel also houses a multicoloured coffee shop called Tinderbox, and there's a function room that can be used for weddings, conferences and events.

“Hotel Indigo has been an outstanding project to work on," says Howarth Litchfield’s interior designer Kathryn Mason. “The listed building is steeped in history and our brief was to reflect the neighbourhood story of Durham within the hotel. It was crucial to design a scheme that enhanced the original features, but also held the hotel's brand in a way unique to Durham, while making it suitable for today’s clientele.

“Many legacy items of furniture from the council chambers have been re-used and adapted throughout the hotel, along with bespoke items and lighting, to create a grandeur and opulence to the interior.”

  • Hotel Indigo, 9 Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 3HL. T: 0191-329-3535