Our Story
One MICHELIN Key Foresters Hall is owned by the husband-and-wife team, Sara Curran (born and raised in Dublin) and Peter Sussman (born and raised in Toronto.) They acquired the Hotel (then called North House,) in April, 2022. Sara and Peter met through business (film/tv) when Sara was living on the Isle of Wight and working in London, and Peter was based in Los Angeles. For the 7 years prior to Covid, Sara and Peter criss-crossed the world, spending approximately 200 nights/year in hotels in many different locations.
While Foresters Hall represents their first time working in the hospitality space, they gained much perspective on what makes a good hotel through their many travels. Sara and Peter chose Foresters Hall for its beauty and sophistication. And while they are very committed to maintaining the excellence of Foresters Hall, they can often be seen in the Hotel Bar or Library on their laptops working on a new film or tv series. Sara & Peter will create an escape like no other on the Isle of Wight. In 2024 Foresters Hall was awarded the prestigious One MICHELIN Key, one of only 3 in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Read the full article from Hello! by clicking on the image
The Ancient Order Of Foresters
The Hotel was rebranded Foresters Hall in October, 2022. The name change draws on the Hotel property’s long heritage as a celebrated meeting place in Cowes. Foresters Hall was originally constructed in 1865 as a monthly meeting hall for the Cowes branch of the Ancient Order of Foresters. By the 1890’s the Cowes branch was the largest in the UK with over 2,000 members. As time went by and the number of foresters diminished on the Isle of Wight, the building’s original function became obsolete and it was merged into the Hotel.
The Art at FH
The hotel has a very international art collection. More than two dozen pieces were assembled from Sara and Peter’s years in various places including in particular, London, Dublin, Toronto, New York and Los Angeles. From paintings and sculptures by English, Scottish and Irish artists such as Amanda Watt, Kirsty Wither, Mick Wilkins, James Harrigan, Mick Wilkins and Cliona Doyle, to North American artists and photographers such as Alex Katz, Keith Haring, Jim Dine, Lena Moross, Yousef Karsh, Christopher Wahl and Annie Leibovitz, the Hotel’s growing collection also includes more than a half-dozen serpentine and soapstone sculptures by celebrated Native Canadian (Nunavut) artists. There is also the commissioning by the Hotel of a unique 3D Mural on the back wall of the Garden Suites facing the hotel swimming pool by world-renowned artist ‘3D Joe and Max’. If visiting One MICHELIN Key Foresters Hall, be sure to stroll through to the back of the property to see “The Diver”.
The Wine At One MICHELIN Key Foresters Hall
One MICHELIN Key Foresters Hall is very proud of its eclectic and award-winning collection of quality wines and champagnes. Most bottles are sourced by the celebrated “Wine Therapy” shop on Cowes High Street and are exclusive to the Hotel. The collection is passionately curated by Foresters Hall co-owner Sara Curran, a noted “oenophile,” and includes wines from France, England, Hungary, Portugal, Lebanon, South Africa, California, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany and Canada. Having acquired the premiere wine preservation system by Bermar in the UK (for up to 24 bottles,) the Hotel is able to feature a great many of these fine wines and champagnes by the glass.
