The Man Who Fashioned a Hotel
George W. Davies on instinct, risk and the art of making people feel at home
What do you do when you’ve built three of the most successful fashion empires in British history — brands worth billions — but still can’t find anywhere that quite suits your palate? For George W. Davies, the creator of Next, George at Asda and Per Una, the answer was simple: you build it yourself.
Davies didn’t just reshape how Britain shopped — he spotted the gaps before the rest of us knew they were there. Now, that same instinct for opportunity has taken him somewhere unexpected: hospitality. With House of George W. Davies and its restaurant MODA in Broadway, he’s applying the same precision and curiosity that defined his fashion career to the pleasure of good living.
This is something distinctly modern and British, firmly rooted in the Cotswolds — a place defined by warmth, good taste, and quiet confidence.
A House in the Heart of Broadway
A long-time Cotswold resident, Davies has lived in the area since the 1990s. When the opportunity arose to acquire a former doctor’s surgery on Broadway’s famous High Street, he took it — “life’s boring without risk,” he says.
The project, he admits, took two years — “a little longer, and a little more than planned” — several millions and, perhaps, the same stubbornness that once built his fashion empires. But the result is unmistakably his.
The hotel opened its doors in August 2025, with six bedrooms in the main house, and four more in a newly built annexe to the rear. It’s his first hotel — though not his first venture into hospitality — but it marks the first time he’s been so closely involved, applying his hallmark precision to every detail.
MODA: Where Fashion Meets the Table
At the heart of the property is MODA, the 30-seat restaurant whose name — Italian for “fashion” — was chosen by Davies’s wife, Arlene, as a nod to his creative past. The kitchen, led by Chef James Wilson, formerly of (three Michelin keys) The Newt in Somerset, Michelin starred Grön in Helsinki and two Michelin starred Oaxen Krog in Stockholm, brings a finely tuned sensibility to refined British, seasonal dishes.
Alongside him, Operations Manager Anthony Au-Yeung adds equal pedigree, having spent fifteen years as Operations Manager for Joël Robuchon’s three Michelin-starred restaurant in Hong Kong. Together, they form a team defined by precision and an instinct for exceptional service.
The à la carte menu is confident yet understated: oysters with lemon and mignonette, beef tartare with smoked bone marrow, and Jerusalem artichoke with red mullet and Oscietra caviar — Davies’s current favourite. Mains range from duck with boudin noir and spiced squash to wild seabass with courgette and roasted fish sauce, while desserts like elderberry tart or sea buckthorn with Earl Grey and white chocolate end on a graceful note.
On Sundays, the mood turns classic: dry-aged Longhorn beef with all the trimmings, parsnip and spelt porridge for vegetarians, and starters that echo the weekday menu. A tasting menu (£115) and vegan alternative reveal Wilson’s precision across seven courses, complemented by a low- and no-alcohol pairing (£42) and a wine list curated with the same care as the kitchen — from the finesse of English sparkling to the depth of Old World reds. It’s compact yet worldly, with a focus on craftsmanship over showmanship.
“It’s not about fuss or pretension,” Davies says. “I like clean flavours — things done properly.”
When I visit, three early tables were already filled — all repeat guests. Davies moves easily between them, chatting with the same curiosity that once defined his success in fashion. “You learn so much that way,” he says. “That’s how you understand what matters to people.”
Spaces with Character
Behind MODA, a large terrace opens out towards the rear of the property — a quiet courtyard that Davies plans to make more durable for all-weather dining next year. “Comfort doesn’t have a season,” he says with typical practicality.
At the front, a smaller terrace overlooks Broadway’s High Street — the perfect perch to watch the world go by. Inside, the bar area provides a relaxed spot for morning coffee or catching up on a laptop, while a snug den with a log burner offers a warm retreat in winter. Spaces flow naturally from one to another — informal, balanced, and assured.
The Human Element
“Retail is about product,” Davies says. “Hospitality, to me, is about people — creating experiences that make them feel good.” It’s a shift that feels instinctive rather than strategic; the same intuition that once defined his fashion success now drives his desire to build something others can enjoy.
That human impulse runs quietly through everything he does. Known locally for his discreet generosity to good causes — including children’s, diabetes and cancer charities in the UK and Sri Lanka — he famously auctioned off his yacht to raise funds for charity. But you sense House of George W. Davies may be his most personal gesture yet: a place created not for display, but for others to enjoy.
A Lighter Kind of Luxury
While many Cotswold hotels are larger and more traditional, House of George W. Davies offers a smaller, more personal stay experience. It stands slightly apart from its peers: intimate rather than imposing, considered rather than traditional.
Set in the heart of Broadway, one of the Cotswolds’ most charming and best-known villages, it sits right on the High Street, its historic frontage preserved but interiors entirely reimagined. The result is a space of natural harmony — neither rustic nor overly polished — shaped by Davies’s eye for balance and detail.
From Product to Experience
Davies still oversees his online clothing label GWD and his consultancy Red Creative Design, both run from offices in the Cotswolds. His creative energy remains undimmed; he’s simply broadened his focus from objects to experiences.
House of George W. Davies may be new, but it already carries the assurance of something lasting — a place that reflects its founder’s precision and quiet daring. As word spreads, it’s set to become one of Broadway’s most sought-after reservations: a small masterpiece of proportion and purpose, imagined for the future yet rooted firmly in the village it calls home.
When asked who would make up his perfect dinner table, Davies didn’t choose from the glittering names of fashion or business. Instead, he mentioned those he’s met through his charity work — people from medical research and children’s causes. It felt the truest reflection of him: success, for Davies, has always been about connection.
He smiles. “I’ve always liked doing what people don’t expect. If it surprises them — that’s usually a good sign.”
Room rates: From £250 per night including breakfast
Restaurant: MODA — À la carte; Tasting £115 (Luxury Restaurant Club partner restaurant)
House of George W. Davies
38-40 High Street
Broadway
Worcestershire
WR12 7DT
George W. Davies was in conversation with Tessa Shreeve.
Luxury Restaurant Club
MODA: Club members dining in MODA enjoy a complimentary bottle of wine available when dining for lunch or dinner all week. See details.
Exclusive Stay offer:
Club members 25% off the price of a hotel room, valid from 1st – 31st January 2026, using code LRG25 and quoting your membership number.
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