Mantis has announced its latest project could be the development of a five star hotel at the island of St. Helena, a British overseas territory located within the South Atlantic Ocean.
As probably the most distant places on earth, greater than 2,000 kilometres from the closest major landmass, and with its rich natural world, the island certainly fits with Mantis’ mantra of ‘unearthing the exceptional’.
A team of six from Mantis including founder and chairman, Adrian Gardiner, visited the island in January of this year and identified Ladder Hill Fort because the location for the five star hotel, that will have 45 bedrooms including ten self-catering units, in addition to a cafe, spa and fitness facilities.
Over the subsequent six months Mantis with Enterprise St. Helena may be undertaking a feasibility and costing exercise with the purpose of commencing building towards the top 2013 and opening the hotel in 2015.
The island, that’s currently accessed by the last commercially operating Royal Mail Ship, would be opening its own airport in January 2016.
A major priority for the project would be the restoration of the building, ensuring it’s sensitive to its history, the surroundings and the local people, something which Mantis has experience of from the 2011 refurbishment of 16th century country house hotel, Ellenborough Park, Cheltenham.
As well as its development knowledge, Mantis can be bringing its hospitality, education and conservation experience to the island with initiatives to develop skills locally in addition to support the natural environment.
The 47 square mile island has a population of four,257.
Adrian Gardiner, founder and chairman of Mantis, said: “St. Helena is exclusive – the waters that surround it, the forest, the possibility of the hospitality industry – and i’m hugely excited for our brand to be inquisitive about this major tourism development for the island.
“The Mantis mantra is unearthing the outstanding and St. Helena isn’t any doubt some of the exceptional.
“We plan so as to add value wherever we will be able to to make the tourism industry in this island a hit drawing on our own experience, from supporting the island’s marketing plans to training its community and championing conservation work, a difficulty very on the subject of my heart.”