Millions of pounds are being invested in transforming an historic hotel.

And the work at Gretna Hall Hotel will celebrate its colourful - and famous - past.

The third of four phases of renovation - an investment of between £2m and £2.5m - has been completed.

Gretna Hall, in Gretna Green, dates back more than 300 years and was made famous by a series of high-profile aristocratic weddings in the 1800s.

It was bought by the family run Gretna Green Group - owners of the nearby Smith's Hotel, Famous Blacksmith's Shop complex and Greens at Gretna - in 2016, with work on the rebrand and renovation set into motion.

Chairman Alasdair Houston said: "This grand old lady had been showing her age after being involved by previous owners before we were able to bring her back into the heart of our business.

"The historic building has a wonderful heritage that we wanted to celebrate, alongside creating a new sort of timeless, stylish environment that our colleagues and guests deserve."

Gretna Hall boasts 97 rooms - along with its famous coach house wedding room, which attracts couples from all over the world - and employs 45 staff.

It was originally built in 1710 as a private manor house and is set within 10 acres of gardens.

The new look - created by working alongside Carlisle company Unwin Jones Partnership - is designed as a modern interpretation of a manor house.
Revamped Gretna Hall Hotel

It includes five individually-designed suites, named after famous aristocratic couples who wed there during the 1800s.

They include the Wakfield-Turner, in recognition of the infamous nuptials of 1826 when Edward Gibbon Wakefield married Ellen Turner, causing a scandal in Georgian England.

The dining room and bar has also been revamped, while there is bespoke wallpaper featuring words from handwritten love notes and marriage proposals sent to the hotel over the years.

Mr Houston, whose family's firm has been in operation since 1885, added: "Gretna Hall now complements our sister hotels and is another step forward in the elevation of Gretna Green as a world-class, international visitor destination for business, leisure and weddings."