The History of Rutland Hall Explore England’s Best Kept Secret

About Rutland Hall! Opening its doors as a hotel in the 1990’s, the property was known as Barnsdale Hall Hotel.

The Main Hall was originally constructed in 1890 for the 6th Earl Fitzwilliam as a family hunting lodge. The geographical position of the hall placed it at the heart of the most prestigious fox hunts in the country; the Quorn, the Belvoir and the Cottesmore, and gave the Earl the opportunity to play host to royalty, including Edward, the late Duke of Windsor and Mrs Simpson and the cream of England’s aristocracy.

In May 2020, the Patel family bought Barnsdale Hall Hotel and set to work almost immediately to transform the resort into a widely recognised destination hotel.

The resort was rebranded and its name changed to Rutland Hall Hotel. During COVID the family invested heavily in refurbishing the main hall area, all 66 hotel bedrooms and the on site restaurant Blossoms. Since that time, the hotel has gone from strength to strength, growing its reputation as a family friendly resort, with outstanding wedding and conference spaces. The new Pavilion venue, a large 450 indoor space, was opened at the beginning of 2024, and plans are afoot to open a unique wellness centre. A large spa is also planned to open in the Summer of 2025.