St Moritz Hotel

1930 - The Underwoods

The original private residence was commissioned and built in 1930 by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Underwood. (Note from the editor…does anyone know what the original house was called before Richard re-named it St Moritz?)

1939

During World War II, the house began to home evaccuees.

1943

In the late summer of 1943 it became a home for about 25 school-aged children, evacuated from Aldersbrook in East London Following the war, Richard Underwood trained as a chef in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Upon his return, he converted the house into to a hotel, the St Moritz Hotel.

1946

In 1946 the St. Moritz Hotel was opened. The Underwoods ran the hotel and restaurant very successfully for 32 years. In the 1960s, they solved the shortage of bedroom capacity by employing large local houses to provide overflow sleeping arrangements for some St. Moritz guests who were happy to sleep off-site but eat in the hotel. Brian’s parents, the Oatens, did just that, and you can read about that on The Haven page in the HOUSES chapter.

Mr and Mrs Graham Leach …Underwoods Sold to Leach…date TBC to …

More info to follow

1978 - The Rushworths

The Leach family sold the hotel to Dorothy and her son Stephen Rushworth in 1978, while St. Moritz Court was sold separately to the Bedwell family. The Rushworths successfully managed the hotel until 2004, adding several extensions and the popular circular function/ball room.

2004 - The Ridgeways

In 2004, Steve and Hugh Ridgway purchased the property. Following a multi-million-pound redevelopment, it reopened in 2008 with its current Art Deco-inspired design. As we look forward, 2030 will mark 100 years since the residence’s original construction.

If you can add or correct any of our memories and dates we would love to hear from you. eg. does anyone know the name of the Underwoods house that they built in 1930 before it became St Moritz?

PHOTOS

Daymer Bay Hotel - Opened 1946

waiting for photos

Built originally as No 1 and No 2 The Terrace, both bought by Harry Hardcastle’s parents and joined together to convert into a hotel.
Now semi detached houses again, Bar’s House and Honeybourne.