Morgans Hotel, Swansea
Encyclopedia
The Morgans Hotel is a hotel in Swansea
, Wales
. Describing itself as Swansea's only boutique hotel
, the hotel is the only Welsh Tourist Board five star-rated hotel in Swansea, although it is only rated as four star by international standards.
The hotel occupies a Grade II listed building adjacent to the offices of the South Wales Evening Post
in the Maritime Quarter
, formerly used by Associated British Ports. An additional 21 rooms are located in a nearby Regency
house.
Originally completed in 1903, the main hotel building was designed by architect Edwin Seward
who submitted the winning design out of 100 entries. The original character of the building is still preserved after its conversion to a hotel. The decorative Baroque
exterior is clad in red brick and white stone and topped by a Greek statue-clad clock cupola. The interior features stained glass
with compasses, exploration and maritime themes. A mural
depicting tall masted ships on the River Tawe
, overlooked by Swansea Castle
, decorates the boardroom.
Previous names for the building have included Associated British Ports Building and Swansea Harbour Trust Building, reflecting the names of the building's occupiers.
The hotel currently has 41 rooms (20 in the main building, while an extra 21 in the new morgans townhouse). The hotel group has another hotel - the Cawdor Arms in Llandeilo.
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Describing itself as Swansea's only boutique hotel
Boutique hotel
Boutique hotel is a term popularized in North America and the United Kingdom to describe intimate, usually luxurious or unique hotel environments. Boutique hotels differentiate themselves from larger chain/branded hotels and motels by providing personalized accommodation and services / facilities...
, the hotel is the only Welsh Tourist Board five star-rated hotel in Swansea, although it is only rated as four star by international standards.
The hotel occupies a Grade II listed building adjacent to the offices of the South Wales Evening Post
South Wales Evening Post
The South Wales Evening Post is a tabloid daily newspaper that distributed in South West Wales. The paper has three daily editions - Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire and is published by South West Wales Publications, part of the Northcliffe Media group. The current editor is...
in the Maritime Quarter
Maritime Quarter
The Maritime Quarter, or Swansea Marina, is a residential area of Swansea, Wales, UK located immediately south of the city centre shopping core. It falls within Swansea's Castle ward...
, formerly used by Associated British Ports. An additional 21 rooms are located in a nearby Regency
Regency architecture
The Regency style of architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to later buildings following the same style...
house.
Originally completed in 1903, the main hotel building was designed by architect Edwin Seward
Edwin Seward
Edwin Seward was an architect based in Cardiff, Wales. Born in Somerset, Seward trained in Yeovil before moving to Cardiff to work as an assistant to G. E. Robinson...
who submitted the winning design out of 100 entries. The original character of the building is still preserved after its conversion to a hotel. The decorative Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
exterior is clad in red brick and white stone and topped by a Greek statue-clad clock cupola. The interior features stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
with compasses, exploration and maritime themes. A mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
depicting tall masted ships on the River Tawe
River Tawe
The River Tawe is a river in South Wales. It flows in a principally south-westerly direction for some from its source below Moel Feity in the Old Red Sandstone hills of the western Brecon Beacons to the Bristol Channel at Swansea. Its main tributaries are the right bank Upper and Lower Clydach...
, overlooked by Swansea Castle
Swansea Castle
Swansea Castle was founded by Henry de Beaumont in 1106 as the caput of the lordship of Gower, in Swansea, Wales.-History:The original castle seems to have been a sub-rectangular/oval enclosure overlooking the River Tawe on the east, surrounded on the north, west and south sides by a larger...
, decorates the boardroom.
Previous names for the building have included Associated British Ports Building and Swansea Harbour Trust Building, reflecting the names of the building's occupiers.
The hotel currently has 41 rooms (20 in the main building, while an extra 21 in the new morgans townhouse). The hotel group has another hotel - the Cawdor Arms in Llandeilo.
External links
- BBC South West Wales: From Harbour to Hotel... (history of building)
- Morgans Hotel website