Luxury UK hotel collapses into administration – all bookings cancelled

A luxury hotel group has collapsed into administration, cancelling all bookings at its two UK sites. The Crazy Bear, known for its eclectic decor including velvet walls, mirrored ceilings and quilted walls, appointed administrators on October 27.

Kiri Holland and Danny Dartnaill of BDO LLP said the venues in Beaconsfield and Stadhampton would shut with immediate effect, with all event, room, spa and restaurant reservations cancelled. The news comes just days after a new restaurant concept called Fable was launched at the 35-room Beaconsfield site, which opened in 2008 and includes a bar and outdoor swimming pool.

The original Stadhampton hotel was founded by Jason Hunt in 1993, and has 23 bedrooms, two restaurants, a terrace, bar and events space for up to 250 people. An anonymous employee said everyone at the Stadhampton branch had lost their jobs on the day of the administration filing.

They told the Oxford Mail: “A meeting was called and everyone was sent home. It was sudden, however we knew there had been some money problems in the last couple of weeks.” They described the company’s original site as a “crazy place to work” with an “energy and vibe that was hard to find elsewhere”.

“We definitely had some struggles, but the team were fantastic and we always stayed positive,” they added. “I can imagine it’s hard for everyone, especially this close to Christmas and in this economy job wise. I don’t think we’ve had any time to process it all.”

A statement shared on the Crazy Bear website reads: “Unfortunately, the closures have resulted in the cancellation of all event bookings, room, spa and restaurant reservations. Gift vouchers purchased either directly from the hotels or through third parties will no longer be valid for use. The joint administrators will be contacting affected customers to provide additional information specific to their circumstances.”

It’s not the first time the hotel chain has come under financial pressure. The Crazy Bear also fell into administration back in December 2024, before it was brought by its current directors in a £6.5million pre-pack deal.

Executive director Richard Booth and managing director Tom Etridge took the reins in January 2025, although Mr Etridge resigned as the director of two of the firm’s parent companies in September 2025, according to Companies House.

The Express has contacted BDO LLP for further comment.