Longleat has bought a second von Essen hotel following the estate’s purchase of Bishopstrow House in Warminster a few weeks ago.

Homewood Park Hotel and Spa, a 21-bed country house hotel with 10 acres of grounds, was sold by Christie and Co on behalf of von Essen group administrators.

The hotel, between Freshford and Hinton Charterhouse, has the nationally-renowned restaurant Lime, a hydrotherapy pool, sauna and heated outdoor pool, and extensive views over Limpley Stoke valley.

The gardens are a seven-times first prize winner in the Bath in Bloom competition.

Longleat CEO David Bradley said: “We are looking at refurbishing these two hotels so we will be able to offer our visitors somewhere to stay, and we won’t necessarily be stopping at two.

“We get more than a million visitors a year and 42 per cent of them are here on overnight stays in the area.

“We will be offering the hotels for groups and corporate events, weddings and package deals, so people can, say, visit Longleat and Cheddar Gorge, use the hotel spa and feed the tigers, that sort of thing. Homewood Park has a brand new spa and an excellent restaurant which we are planning to open to the public, not just residents.

“I am completely confident this will be a financially successful venture.

“We have the African Village, where people can feed the giraffes, Gorilla Island attractions opening in the spring, and much more to come.”

Longleat bought the 32-bedroom Bishopstrow House last month for a rumoured £5m, safeguarding the jobs of the hotel’s 60 staff, and plans to invest £1m in refurbishing it.

Homewood Park also has facilities for weddings, corporate functions and other events.

Longleat plan to invest ‘a significant sum’ over the next six months to improve the facilities at the hotel even further.