The hotel was designed by architect William Prouse in the Art Deco style and built in 1929-30 of steel-framed reinforced concrete at a cost of almost £100,000. The hotel was originally to be called the Majestic Hotel, as Prouse had also designed the nearby Majestic Theatre and the two buildings had features in common, but the name was changed during the construction period. During excavation for the foundations it was discovered that the site contained substantial deposits of blue clay, so the builders had to put in deep concrete piles to ensure stability.
Architect William Prouse designed the hotel in the Art Deco style and built it from steel-framed reinforced concrete between 1929 and 1930 at a cost of nearly £100,000. Originally intended as the Majestic Hotel due to its resemblance to the nearby Majestic Theatre, the name was changed during construction. During excavation for the foundations, blue clay deposits were discovered, necessitating deep concrete piles to stabilize the site.