Legacy Hotels and Resorts has taken over the operation and management of the Best Western Botleigh Grange Hotel in Southampton.

The £750,000 contract with owners the Plumpton family will last five years.

The country house hotel, situated within 25 acres of grounds with lakes, will be re-named The Legacy Botleigh Grange Hotel.

Andy Townsend, chief executive of Legacy, said: “All the staff will continue to be employed at Botleigh Grange Hotel.

“We will continue to build on the successful hotel that the Plumpton family has created in terms of style and quality of service, but want to expand and promote the hotel’s banqueting, conference and events business, as the Hampshire Millennium Suite is one of the largest function suites in the region.

“The Lakeside Spa was built two years ago and we are keen to encourage more people to come to the hotel on leisure breaks and spa days by raising its profile and developing this particular aspect of the hotel.”

The Legacy Botleigh Grange is the eighth hotel to be managed by the group in the UK.

Photograph: Andy Townsend with David and Yvonne Plumpton and Legacy’s regional operations director Kevin Skeet