A FALMOUTH hotel celebrated its £20million new look today - creating 50 full-time jobs for the town.

St Michaels has transformed itself into a luxury resort after securing a total of £50million of investment - claimed to be the first and largest investment of its kind in Cornwall.

The cash came from CBRE Global Investors, BH Group and Acorn Property Group and the redevelopment is taking place over two phases.

Nigel Carpenter, founder and chairman, secured the investment with the vision to turn St Michaels, then a boutique hotel, into a leading luxury resort.

The hotel has been transformed and relaunched on Tuesday as a chic and relaxed resort by the Blue Flag Gyllyngvase beach.

New resort director, Nikki Broom, will lead the team, having joined St Michaels from Red Hotels group, where she was general manager of The Scarlet.

The remaining £30 million will be invested into a new luxury, sea-facing apartment development, called The Liner, which breaks ground in autumn 2018 and will offer a collection of 53 self-catering sea-facing apartments.

The transformation of St Michaels Falmouth has seen more than 200 local artisans and craftsmen employed in its creation and the hotel expects to recruit a further 40 members of staff over the next three years.

St Michaels chairman Nigel Carpenter said: “This substantial investment has transformed St Michaels into a new resort destination set on one of the most beautiful pieces of England’s coastline and on the edges of the bustling and buzzy Falmouth community. St Michaels is a luxury resort with unequalled spa, health and fitness facilities and testament to the fact that the British seaside has grown up.”

The new-look St Michaels will offer a new destination spa with the world’s first Cornish sea salt steam room and what is claimed to be the largest hydrotherapy pool in the south west, a sprawling 13,000sqft health club with a dedicated gig rowing studio, 32 new contemporary bedrooms in the Beach House, taking the total bedroom count to 84, and two new restaurants – The Garden Kitchen and Brasserie on the Bay.

Other highlights include a rainforest steam room; a glass-fronted Finnish herbal sauna; a Morrocan rhassoul offering a mud-steam experience and three experience showers, including an ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’.

There is also a garden with a sundeck, red cedar-wood hot tub and barrel sauna with sea views.

A deep relaxation room and specialist manicure and pedicure champagne bar, with nailcare by OPI, complete the spa line-up.

The 32 new bedrooms in The Beach House include bedheads made from reclaimed timber and stunning nautical art. Each bedroom offers 6ft-wide super king deluxe beds, with luxurious linen, Elemis bathroom amenities, walk-in rainforest showers, Lavazza coffee machines, Roberts radios, a mini fridge and a selection of local treats to eat and drink, including a jar of homemade cookies.

Visitors are welcomed by a new entrance leading to the heart of the resort.

The BH Group backed the phase one redevelopment works to the hotel and spa with its partners CBRE Global Investors, one of the world’s largest real estate asset management companies. Managing director of BH Group James Houlston stated: “When we and our investors saw what was planned for the regeneration of the area and the overall vision, we were really keen to invest. What has been created is truly stunning and we are delighted with the finished product.”

Find out more at www.stmichaelshotel.co.uk