The Northfield Hotel

If you’ve ever stayed at a hotel, you’ve probably had a look around their facilities before you book – to see if they are what you want to use during your stay. Hotels are always under pressure to provide the highest standard of facilities, namely top-of-the-line swimming pools, spas and saunas. 

The Northfield Hotel was no different. A hotel with a history going back to the 1980’s, the Northfield Hotel prides itself on providing a comprehensive experience for all of their guests, from high-end dining to a range of activities in and around the hotel – including a gym, sauna, spa and of course, a swimming pool.

 

The Challenge: Outdated and Out of Order

 

Recently, the Northfield Hotel was purchased by a hotelier chain, and almost immediately the new owners wanted to make some changes. In particular, they noticed that there were some issues with the swimming pool. 

Specifically, they were experiencing problems with leaking pipework, cracked stone and worn fittings. On top of that, the pool hadn’t been updated since the hotel opened 35 years ago, so the entire facility was starting to feel old, worn out and very tired. 

Given the hotel’s modern and contemporary branding, the pool was very out of character, outdated, and just a bit tired. So, the challenge posed Pure Pools was actually quite simple – to select a slip resistant porcelain from Cranbourne Stone that will transform and bring the Northfield’s pool up to the high standard they expect from their hotels. 

Pure Pools a well respected, reliable and friendly pool builder used Cranbourne Stone bespoke pool surround porcelain to perform a complete top-to-bottom refurbishment of Northfield Hotel’s 35-year-old pool.

 

Team Work

 

Before Stewart’s team at Pure Pools could work on bringing the look of the pool up to date, he first needed to rework the fixtures, fittings and installation of the pool beneath, and the room surrounding it. 

During a full refurbishment that lasted 13 months, he pulled out the old pool and room fixtures, leaving the Northfield Hotel with a blank slate. Purepools, an esteemed pool builder partner of Cranbourne Stone’s, then installed a new air handling unit to improve air quality in the room, fresh underfloor ductwork, modern pipework and a state-of-the-art filtration system to keep their water sparkling. 

One that was in place we could focus on rebuilding the pool itself, keeping the original shape, but adding in new fittings and underwater lights for a brighter, more atmospheric experience for swimmers.

 

Extra Challenges

 

Of course, every project comes with its own unique set of challenges, and once work had been underway for a few weeks, we came across one. 

In this project, it was in the form of boilers and heating systems. Once the team had started removing the old pool fittings, they quickly found that a single 2” gas main was supplying the three hotel boilers on its own, along with a pool boiler. 

Not only that, but the pipework for the pool boiler ran directly under the pool steps (a big no-no in the health and safety world), and was under almost a foot of mosaic tile. If the pipe broke or malfunctioned then this would represent a considerable hazard. Not only this, but it would also be incredibly difficult to get to for repairs without ripping the pool apart. 

To solve this, Pure Pools and Cranbourne Stone made the decision to re-route the pipework. 

 

Finishing Touches

 

Once the technical aspects of the refurb were complete, we could focus on bringing the dated pool into the modern age. The Northfield Hotel wanted a modern, contemporary look, with surrounds that showcased the beauty of their grounds and venue. 

The material chosen was a Houghton Grey porcelain floor tile (with added grip), which is a beautiful, light-toned, Quartzite-looking porcelain. Manufactured in Italy, the Houghton Grey porcelain tiles were both practical due to their specialist anti-slip resistance, yet also provided an attractive light and toned appearance to add character and a contemporary feel.

This modern looking tile features a non-slip finish, making it perfect for a pool surround. The finished design included flooring tiles, matching skirting tiles and 20mm bull-nosed copings to complete the look. This gave them the modern, contemporary finish they were looking for, and their brand new swimming pool was ready for use by the public again.

Cranbourne Stone supplied Purepools with 80 sq. metres of Italian porcelain flooring was used to bring the modern look together, along with 39 copings, eight corners and 40 linear metres of pencil-edged skirting. 

Through utilising the skill of technicians from Purepools and the quality material from Cranbourne Stone, The Northfield Hotel swimming pool has transformed into a place of calm relaxation and leisure for both its residents and members. 

 

Get in Touch

 

As the largest stockist of pool copings and matching tiles in the UK, Cranbourne Stone offers a broad range of project-suitable materials to create a bespoke design fit for your unique specification.

With over 30 stunning colours to choose from, Houghton Grey is just one example of the high-quality porcelain Cranbourne Stone can supply.

If you would like to know more about pool refurbishments and finishing or want to enquire about your own hotel project, please just get in touch with the team today.