Barcelo The Lygon Arms

One could hardly get further from the chrome-and- wengewood minimalism of many contemporary hotels than the Lygon Arms (pronounced liggin). Furlong Hotels, the family-run firm that bought the place nearly two years ago, has taken on the task of bringing it into the 21st century. The Lygon today is a blend of ancient and modern. The public areas are a maze of small rooms with low, beamed ceilings, where patrons take tea with the daily papers, and most of the guest rooms, too, are archtraditional in style. However, a major refurbishment of one wing brought flat- screen TV’s and futuristic shower fixtures to 19 of the hotel’s 69 rooms.