The Vineyard, a luxury 5-star hotel in Newbury, Berkshire, upholds its strong family values as it embarks on a new chapter with Apex Hotels
In October 2024, The Vineyard, a luxury five-star PoB Hotel, became part of the esteemed Apex Hotels group after 26 years under the ownership of Sir Peter Michael and his family. This decision reflected Sir Peter Michael’s desire to preserve the hotel's strong family ethos, passing it from one family to another. By joining Apex Hotels, The Vineyard continues its legacy of family values and commitment to excellence. The transition to Apex Hotels will also bring new opportunities for growth as the group intends to invest heavily into The Vineyard, with plans for a refurbishment of the bedrooms, public spaces and spa facilities, further boosting The Vineyard’s position as Berkshire’s leading luxury hotel.
Judit Balonka, Deputy General Manager comments: ‘’We are truly excited about The Vineyard's new chapter with Apex Hotels. The transition has been seamless, and we're thrilled to be part of a group that shares our commitment to excellence. This partnership brings fresh opportunities for innovation and enhances the exceptional experience we've always offered. We look forward to elevating The Vineyard to even greater heights as we embrace the future with Apex Hotels."
Since its opening in 1998, The Vineyard has long been celebrated for its outstanding service, innovative dining experiences, luxury accommodation and world-class wine collection, boasting an impressive collection of over 30,000 bottles of wine from both the New and Old World. As a proud holder of a One Key distinction by the MICHELIN Guide in 2024, The Vineyard is known for its unwavering excellence in service. With the launch of its pioneering dining offering The Tasting Room in October 2023, created by Chef Tom Scade, The Vineyard has since been associated as the perfect retreat for gourmands and the culinary curious alike. As The Vineyard embarks on this new chapter, guests can expect the same exceptional service, outstanding accommodations, and unparalleled wine offerings that have become synonymous with the property.
New for 2025, The Vineyard will be the proud host of The Spectator Wine Club event series, as well as adding a variety of offerings to the hotel’s 2025 calendar of events including a specially curated Mother’s Day lunch with Champagne and a delightfully romantic Taste of Valentine’s package, perfect for couples and wine lovers.
The Vineyard joins 12 other hotels across a UK wide and varied portfolio, including vibrant city centre hotels and rural resorts. Since the brand’s inception in 1996, Apex Hotels has grown into one of the UK’s leading independent hotel groups, attracting tourists and corporate guests from across the globe. The company has acquired a range of new hotels in recent months as it continues to grow and diversify its portfolio. These include Pine Trees country house hotel in Pitlochry, acquired in July 2023, Meldrum House Country Hotel & Golf Course in Aberdeenshire, which the group bought in April 2024 and the DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro, which was acquired in November 2024.
As well as offering consistently high standards for business and leisure guests, Apex Hotels has a committed approach to environmental and sustainable tourism practices and is one of the few independent hotel groups to hold Silver Green Tourism Awards in all city centre hotels and Gold Green Tourism Awards for its Bath and Dundee properties. Likewise, The Vineyard team are incredibly passionate about maintaining sustainable practices, following receiving an ECOSmart Accreditation (Silver Award), The Vineyard teamed up with Climate Care to reduce greenhouse gases and all single use plastic bottles were replaced with glass. The hotel also has two EV charging points and the building is constructed largely from sustainable or reclaimed materials, further maintaining the ethos of sustainable practices shared by Apex Hotels and The Vineyard.
The Vineyard’s integration into the Apex Hotels group will allow the hotel to build upon its legacy of excellence while benefiting from the shared values of its new owners such as strong family ownership, commitment to sustainable and its drive to delivering high-quality service. Much like The Vineyard, Apex Hotels is devoted to offering guests an exceptional experience with an emphasis on family-oriented values.
Angela Vickers, CEO of Apex Hotels comments: “We have huge respect for what Sir Peter Michael and his family have achieved at The Vineyard over the years and, as a family business ourselves, we recognise the dedication, hard work and passion that goes into creating a first-class venue such as this. We look forward to taking on the reins of this fantastic hotel and wish Sir Peter and his team all the best for the future.”
For Sir Peter Michael and his family, the decision to pass The Vineyard to Apex Hotels was driven by a deep desire to ensure that the hotel remains under the stewardship of another family-run business that shares their commitment to personal service and family-oriented hospitality.
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