Asylum Hotel to Return to Regular Use

Published on: 15 Sep, 2026
Updated on: 17 Sep, 2026

A protest outside the Stanwell Hotel July 2025. Sam Jennings

By James Moules

local democracy reporter

A Surrey hotel will no longer be used to house asylum seekers and return to broader public use following a major refurbishment that has received council approval.

The Stanwell Hotel in Stanwell has been used as asylum accommodation by the Home Office since 2022, during which time it has faced extended periods of unrest and protest outside its doors.

Ministers have repeatedly expressed their intention to end the use of asylum hotels, and the Labour government previously set out plans to achieve this by 2029.

The Stanwell Hotel is now poised to return to commercial use with a major £10 million investment that includes an extension and refurbishment.

Spelthorne Borough Council has now given planning permission for the project, paving the way for the hotel’s revamp to go ahead.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service previously reported that asylum seekers staying at the hotel would be expected to move out to alternative accommodation if planning permission were granted.

A spokesperson for the hotel’s operator Splendid Hospitality Group said: “We’re pleased to have been granted planning permission to develop and extend the Stanwell Hotel.

“This is an important milestone and represents a significant long-term investment in the hotel and the local area.

“The plans will create a bigger, improved global branded hotel for the future, supporting employment and tourism in Stanwell while enhancing the experience for guests and visitors.

“We look forward to progressing the plans and sharing more detail as they develop.”

Under the plans, the hotel will get a second-floor extension to its main building as well as a fresh single-storey building at the site’s rear.

Put together, it will increase the number of rooms available at the hotel by 43 – taking it to a total of 96.

The planning documents read: “This would significantly strengthen Stanwell’s visitor accommodation offer by providing reliable, high-quality accommodation for both business and leisure visitors.

“This would also generate employment and support local businesses.”

However, Spelthorne Borough Council received 22 letters of objection to the proposals, with concerns ranging from parking and highways to potential noise from the construction process.

One resident wrote: “Our village is already at capacity. We have no space for the overspill of vehicles. We strongly object.”

But the applicant’s planning statement claims the changes will reduce parking demand, as facilities including the hotel’s meeting rooms and restaurant will no longer be for general public use – and will be exclusive for guests.

“Under this proposal, these facilities will be for the exclusive use of hotel guests,” it reads. “This change will reduce parking demand, as only hotel guests will require on-site parking.”

Some residents also wrote to voice opposition over the hotel’s asylum use, but council officers clarified in their report that the scheme “proposes to convert the use back to a regular hotel”.

Once the refurbishment works are completed, the Stanwell Hotel aims to take advantage of its proximity to Heathrow Airport to be a key venue for tourists and business travellers.

According to the council’s planning report, the renovated hotel will also more than triple its workforce, employing as many as 15 full time staff and 20 part time workers.

In their approval, planning officers wrote: “The design of the extensions to the hotel building are considered to have an acceptable impact on the character of the area and the amenity of the neighbouring properties.”