Hotel's £12m transformation into care home

A FORMER seafront hotel in Whitley Bay will be transformed into a care home after a £12m restoration.

- DAVID HUNTLEY

The Rex Hotel building - which started life in 1907 as The Waverley Hotel - has been almost completely rebuilt and fully refurbished by its owners, Prestwick Care Group.

Named Bay View House, it is expected to welcome its first residents this summer and will provide residential care, general nursing, dementia residential care and dementia nursing. Behind the property's facade the building has been totally remodelled to provide 86 bedrooms over five floors.

The top floor will provide four luxurious penthouse suites for residents who wish to be cared for while maintaining maximum independence. Each of the 86 bedrooms will have its own, private, en-suite bathroom facilities, along with specialist beds, bespoke fitted furniture, TV and free Wi-Fi.