Premier Inn, Willen Lakes

Enhancing a popular leisure destination 

A brand new 120-room hotel and a 211-seat Brewers Fayre restaurant and inn now overlook the lake at the area’s beloved public park, which welcomes over 750,000 visitors each year. Spanning 180 acres, the park features two lakes that offer fishing, watersports, and a range of other outdoor activities. Visitors can enjoy special events, a miniature railway, and serene lakeside spots ideal for observing abundant birdlife and local wildlife.

CHQ Architects, working closely with Whitbread’s dedicated team, took charge of the project design. The well-established 50-member firm operates across various sectors and has a long term relationship with Premier Inn. Serving as the main contractor, Carter Lauren—one of the largest privately owned construction companies in South Wales—oversaw the build, while award-winning A2O Cladding installed around 2,500 square meters of Rockpanel boards.

The panels create a dynamic visual contrast, combining main elevations clad in a random arrangement of vertical planks in five finishes from the Rockpanel Woods collection, along with bold, projecting feature planes in rectangular anthracite grey. The selected plank finishes include Ceramic Oak, Rhinestone Oak, Ebony Slate, Slate Oak, and Ebony Granite.

Rockpanel Woods panels replicate the natural warmth and workability of wood without the maintenance and aging challenges. Crafted from a core of naturally occurring volcanic basalt stone wool, Rockpanel façades bring durability and resilience to the building exterior.