Malmaison Cheltenham

It’s a century-and-a-half-old Regency building in the tony spa town of Cheltenham — but don’t go leaping to any conclusions about what sort of hotel you’ll find in the Montpellier Chapter. For this stately old hotel, in its new guise, shares ownership with the Upper House in Hong Kong and the Opposite House in Beijing — neither one exactly a slave to tradition, it’s safe to say. Swire’s new UK brand, Chapter, begins here in Cheltenham, and as you step inside you can’t fail to note the resemblance.

Which is to say: the historic bones of the place are still present, and lend an air of architectural distinction, but the décor is thoroughly contemporary, in its crisp, tightly controlled way. The rooms in the original villa are big and bright, and the more modern rooms in the Crescent wing are even more so — all are possessed of a certain chic refinement, with furniture by the modern Italian master Antonio Citterio.

What’s perhaps best about the Montpellier Chapter is its sense of proportion. Its cousins in Beijing and Hong Kong scale phenomenal heights of luxury; then again, a pound goes a bit farther there than it does here. The Chapter stops short of the faintly ludicrous opulence that marks the extreme high end in Britain, and the result is a more accessible brand of luxury. The restaurant, fine as it is, has a casual streak, with an open kitchen and a wood oven; the spa is visually somewhat minimalist, saving the big effects for the tactile realm. It’s a must-see next time you’re in Gloucestershire, and it’s worth monitoring the situation, as the Chapter group has plans to expand.