A LUXURY hotel owned by former media magnate Eddy Shah is open for bookings.

The addition to the Wiltshire Golf and Country Club, near Wootton Bassett, comes three years after the owner of the former Today newspaper bought it.

So far, 32 of the rooms have been completed and a further 20 rooms, a mix of double and twin bedrooms, have yet to be built.

Mr Shah's wife Jennifer, the hotel manager, said she was ready for businesses.

"The building work took six months and it all went quite smoothly," she said.

Mrs Shah, who is from Salisbury, said the main clientele would be business people and golfers but they also hope to attract families.

"Guests who stay in the hotel will be able to use the all the leisure club facilities and they get preferential rates for the golf course," she said.

"It will be a great place to stay if you are a business person because there is plenty to do in the evening.

"Most of the hotels in Swindon are busy during the week and empty at the weekend. We expect to be busy seven days a week with happy golfers coming to stay at the weekend."

Mr Shah diversified into the leisure industry in 1995 and now owns the Messenger Leisure Group. The couple are now concentrating their efforts on the Wiltshire.

So far, £3.2million has been spent on building the hotel and upgrading the club, which includes an 18-metre indoor swimming pool, a gym, a sun bed area, vast changing rooms, a crche, and a bar, restaurant and lounge.

Mrs Shah added: "The club's position is unrivalled, it is close to the motorway and has fantastic views."