The Norfolk Royale Hotel is a Grade II listed building and 4 star Victorian hotel in Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset in England.[1] The hotel is one of Bournemouth's most historic buildings and stands behind St. Andrew's Church, Richmond Hill and opposite the Sacred Heart Church.
History
The hotel was built as 2 large villas between 1840 and 1850 for Henry Fitzalan-Howard, the 14th Duke of Norfolk. It became a hotel in 1870.
In 1946, hotel guest Doreen Margaret Marshall was murdered by serial killer Neville Heath.[2]
In November 1992, Price Waterhouse offered the hotel for sale at £4 million and two years later it was on the market for £6 million. The hotel was put up for sale again in 2008.[3]
In 2017, the hotels owner took a 10 million pound loan.[4] In April 2022 it was reported that the hotel had been put up for sale for £9 million.[5] The sale was reportedly intended to clear the owners debts.[6]
In early 2023, the hotel was purchased by coach operator Alfa Leisureplex Group.[7] They bought it from Peel Hotels for an undisclosed sum.[8]
In October 2023, an elderly woman was rescued after her car accidentally reversed into a ditch in the hotel car park.[9] Later that month the hotels new owners applied for planning permission for a remodelling of the interior including 31 new bedrooms and a larger entertainment space.[10]