Hotel firm is buying closed-down inn

The inn has been shuttered since early this year, when it fell into foreclosure.

Lark Hotels CEO Robert Blood fell in love with Stowe 14 years ago while vacationing here with his wife. When he learned Ye Olde England Inne had been sold at auction, he contacted the real estate developer who had bought it to see if he’d be willing to sell.

“We’ve been growing our hospitality portfolio in other areas of New England,” Blood said. “This complements our other properties in a great way. Most of our properties are coastal, so having a property in a mountain town works well for us.”

The inn was appealing for several reasons, Blood said.

“It’s an amazing location. It’s in good shape and there’s a lot of opportunity for repositioning it,” Blood said.

He’s been inspired by the recent renovation of Edson Hill Manor and the expansion at Stowe Mountain Resort.

“We see a lot of good things happening in Stowe and look forward to being a part of it,” Blood said.

Lark Hotels is under contract to buy the property for $1.1 million. Blood expects the deal to close Feb. 13 and hopes to reopen the inn by early September.

He hasn’t chosen a new name yet.

Blood lives in Massachusetts. Lark Hotels includes properties in Camden, Portland and Kennebunkport, Maine; Portsmouth, N.H.; Newport and Narragansett, R.I.; and Nantucket, Mass.

New décor, menu

The property was foreclosed on this spring. The Stowe town government lists its assessed value as $1.6 million; its 2013-14 property tax bill is $29,743.

Patrick Malone, a commercial property developer from Calais, bought the property at auction May 22 for $800,000.

The 2.5-acre property includes 30 guest rooms, a restaurant and pub, a whirlpool, a covered deck, a pavilion and an outdoor pool.

Blood plans to spend $2.7 million to renovate, furnish and redecorate the property.

Its current motif is a classic English Tudor style, with wallpaper, dark wood moldings and paintings of equestrian scenes, dogs and British aristocrats. Many of its rooms contain Jacuzzis, fireplaces, plush carpeting and antique iron headboards.

Blood will meet soon with a designer to work out the details of the renovation.

“It will be more modern Vermont lodge rather than Vermont country inn,” Blood said.

He plans to reopen the inn’s restaurant and pub and is working with a “well-regarded Vermont restaurant group” to design the menu. He would like it to become a gathering place for locals as well as visitors.

“It will be more accessible food,” Blood said. “There will be an emphasis on craft beer and, at a risk of sounding cliché, the food will be farm-to-table.”

Blood said he’s aware of the competition he’ll face from Stowe Mountain Lodge and Stowe’s luxury resorts, but believes his hotel will fill a unique niche.

“We try to position our properties at the top of the middle of the market — at the sweet spot in between the resorts and spas and bed-and-breakfasts,” Blood said. “We provide a very design-driven experience, an authentic hospitality experience without pretense.”

The hotel’s rates will likely be between $179 and $400 per night.

“You don’t have to mortgage your house to stay at our properties,” Blood said.

The inn’s current layout, a mix of single rooms and suites, fits his plans.

“The beauty of the property is that its rooms range from 200 square feet to suites of 800 square feet,” Blood said. “It can accommodate everyone from single travelers who don’t want to spend a lot of money to those looking for a luxury experience.”

A storied history

The inn, built over 100 years ago, has gone through several major renovations.

Chris and Lyn Francis, originally from England, purchased the property in 1983 while vacationing in Stowe. At the time, it was a ski lodge called Sans Souci.

They transformed it into a British-themed inn, with a restaurant and pub called Mr. Pickwick’s.

Chris Francis later helped launch the British Invasion, the largest British motorcar show in the United States. The event attracts thousands of participants and spectators and celebrated its 24th anniversary in September.