From a private residence to a humble bed and breakfast then a thriving boutique hotel, the Rosedon Hotel has evolved through the years while always striving to stay abreast of the times.

Now, as the high-end establishment, in the heart of Hamilton, celebrates its 70th anniversary, it is preparing to adapt further to captivate corporate Bermuda while cultivating its tourist base.

With Damien Davenport, the new British general manager, at the helm, the hotel is about to undergo a multimillion-dollar renovation that will include rebranding as an even more upmarket establishment resembling the global hotel chain and group of private members clubs Soho House.

In addition to the ever-popular Huckleberry Restaurant, there will be Clarabell’s, an outdoor pizzeria complemented by a wood-fire oven, the tentatively named Poolside, a poolside bar with a barbecue and themed, adult-only cocktail nights, and a fourth eatery, the details of which are under wraps.

The property was purchased by the Kitson family 70 years today on July 1, 1954, the matriarch Elizabeth Kitson fancying it as a family home. It has remained in the family ever since.

Matthew Kitson, the assistant general manager, said: “We have always been passionate about the Rosedon staying current and authentically Bermudian.

“We are working on Clarabell’s, the renovations on the rooms, and we have other plans for future outlets. We want to keep it open to as many people as possible.

“We are opening up the pool area, kicking off on July 18 doing a series of barbecue evenings and cocktail evenings. We have a nice grill set up. It should be a fun time.”

The hotel hosted a celebration party on Friday evening attended by dignitaries including David Burt, the Premier, friends, staff members and guests of the hotel. Gombey dancers entertained the guests on the front lawn as did The Working Title.

Changes have already been made to Huckleberry, whose name pays tribute to the Mark Twain character, and the menu draws inspiration from the American author's Southern roots with a Bermudian twist. Twain was known to frequent the property over a gin and tonic.

As the Rosedon’s signature restaurant, it is now open seven days a week rather than five and provides more of a brasserie-style, à la carte menu designed to make it more approachable and wide-ranging.

The hotel was originally built as the private residence of E. J. Thompson and was named after his son, Robert Rosedon Thompson.

Construction began on the building in 1904 and was completed in 1906.

The property was later sold to the Brown family from America, who installed the lavish private bathrooms.

The Rosedon was purchased from the Brown family by the Kitson family in 1954, with Geoffrey Kitson and his wife, Elizabeth, moving in with their children, Kirk, Richard and Susanna.

Soon after, they opened their home up as a small bed and breakfast, with a pool being built along with 15 rooms.

Scott Kitson, Matthew’s father and the hotel’s director, recalls how he used to take the ferry into town after school on his pedal bike in the hope of getting some cake during the traditional English afternoon tea.

Clarabell, the hotel’s former chef from Jamaica, whose kindness and culinary prowess the new pizzeria is being named for, did not give him an easy ride.

Mr Kitson recalled: “She used to make me do my homework before I could have cakes. She told the story of when I asked for a ham and cheeses sandwich and she passed me a broom.

“I had to finish my cleaning tasks before she would give it to me. She helped to build my work ethic.

“There’s a special place in my heart for Rosedon.”

Scott and his sister Lee Petty decided to make a few changes at the hotel to widen its appeal.

He continued: “My sister and I agreed that repositioning it from a B&B to a boutique hotel would be a fun experience and a way to reinvent the business.

“I had an epiphany. It was so beautiful and ornate but the only ones who saw inside were taxi riders and guests. Making the decision to transform it required opening the restaurant. That led to opening Huckleberry 2017.”

The family originally outsourced the restaurant but after a tough nine months, Scott decided to move it in-house and became “a reluctant restaurateur”. He had acquired plenty of business nous having worked within the Kitson family’s group of companies but that had not fully prepared him for what was to come.

“The restaurant business is by far the most difficult,” he said. “There are so many variables and thin margins. Part of our success is because we came at it from a different angle, interviewing chefs and hearing about what they wanted to cook and how they wanted to cook. It has been quite the journey and we are comfortable with where we are.”

The 1960s saw an extension to the main house, bringing a further 16 luxury rooms. Later, in 1998, four more rooms brought top-tier accommodation known as the Royal Rooms.

A state-of-the-art chef’s kitchen was installed along with upgrades to the Beau’s Bar area and front porch veranda.

Waterford crystal chandeliers and gas fireplaces came next while the upper floor of the main building was turned into a large event space known today as the Crystal room.

The gardens feature banana trees, citrus, bird of paradise, frangipani, hibiscus, heliconias and other unique vegetation.

In 2022, a new pergola, bar and buttery were built on the lower western area, which is now known as Finn’s Terrace. The space hosts cocktail receptions, corporate happy hours, summer parties and weddings.

The main house is an historically listed property and has been restored to highlight its authenticity.