Repositioning a legacy leisure asset
The Old Thorns estate is a long-established countryside property historically anchored in golf and leisure. It will be transformed into a 194-room Mövenpick resort, following a comprehensive refurbishment programme covering guestrooms, public areas and leisure infrastructure. The strategy is based on the revival of an existing asset rather than a greenfield development, allowing the project to leverage the site’s scale, location and operating history while aligning it with contemporary premium resort standards.
The conversion will reimagine the resort with a strong focus on guestroom upgrades, the expansion of wellness and leisure facilities, and the introduction of enhanced dining concepts reflecting Mövenpick’s culinary positioning. The estate includes a championship golf course designed by Peter Alliss, inaugurated in 1976 and played by figures such as Seve Ballesteros and Jack Nicklaus, alongside 2,500 square metres of conference and meeting space. The repositioned resort will feature four restaurants, a wellness centre incorporating a new spa, and a ballroom designed to accommodate more than 500 guests. Existing leisure amenities, including a 20-metre indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room and fitness centre, will also be upgraded as part of the redevelopment.
European rollout and UK market entry
The Hampshire agreement follows Mövenpick’s recent European entries in Poland, Greece and Italy, confirming the brand’s phased expansion across mature and high-potential leisure destinations. For Accor, the UK represents a strategic market for premium growth. “Bringing Mövenpick to the UK marks an important step in strengthening our premium brand portfolio and reinforcing our growth commitment for this important market,” said Graham Dodd, VP Development for UK & Ireland, Premium, Midscale & Economy brands at Accor. He added that the brand’s positioning around culinary heritage and environmental responsibility is well aligned with UK demand fundamentals, while noting that Old Thorns provides a relevant platform for the brand’s UK debut.
Investment logic and partnership structure
From an ownership perspective, the project reflects a value-add investment strategy focused on asset revival and brand repositioning. “This property stands as a landmark of character and opportunity. Its celebrated history aligns seamlessly with Mövenpick’s commitment to authentic experiences and Swiss-inspired hospitality,” said Israr Liaqat, Group CEO of Select Group. He emphasised the role of the partnership with Accor in elevating the asset’s positioning and unlocking its long-term resort potential.
Brand-led conversions as a growth lever in mature markets
The Old Thorns conversion illustrates a wider development pattern observed across Europe, where international operators increasingly rely on conversions and upgrades to drive growth. On mature markets such as the UK, this model enables faster brand entry, reduced development risk and improved capital efficiency, while responding to demand for higher-quality, experience-led resort assets.
A conversion-led growth model in line with Accor’s European strategy
The transformation of Old Thorns into Mövenpick Hampshire fits squarely within Accor’s broader European expansion strategy, increasingly driven by conversions and asset repositioning on mature markets. This UK debut echoes the group’s strong development momentum, with Accor having signalled an exceptionally active pipeline for 2026 and a sustained rhythm of openings across Europe, combining premium brands and selective resort projects.
It also aligns with Accor’s wider asset-light growth ambitions on mature markets, as illustrated by the group’s objective to surpass 50 hotel openings in France by the end of 2025.
This conversion-led approach mirrors other recent UK developments within the group, notably the launch of Emblems through the repositioning of an existing asset, confirming Accor’s preference for value creation through transformation rather than greenfield expansion.
For operators and investors, Mövenpick Hampshire underscores the relevance of brand-led asset revival as a pragmatic lever to generate value in a context marked by cost inflation, planning constraints and evolving leisure demand.
