Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons - a Michelin-starred restaurant and hotel, nestled in the Oxfordshire countryside – has completed an overhaul of its meeting and private dining room, the newly-renamed La Belle Epoque. The audiovisual design and installation project was entrusted to Chris Gunton of CGA Integration Limited and was based around Cloud Electronics’ digital amplifier and eight-channel output zoner, DCM-1, with a pair of CDR-1 digital wall controllers.
CGA Integration has worked with Le Manoir for a number of years, developing a relationship originally through audiovisual maintenance within the 32-room, listed hotel. Chris Gunton’s company is now the chosen contractor for new works. The meeting room installation follows a contract to provide a new IP television network throughout the hotel bedrooms as well as complete suite automation including DDA compliance.
Gunton explains: “I opted for the DCM-1 and the CDR-1 combination in this application because the digital displays make the control so simple for the end user. The controllers clearly display the selected input and then very clearly display the action that is being taken with that input. There’s little chance for error. The product is well designed and also leaves room for future expansion, which has already been planned.â€
The audiovisual installation is designed to be discreet, with the equipment invisible unless in use. The Cloud DCM-1 controls the zoning of La Belle Epoque, which is essentially one large room, which can be split into two smaller spaces. The amplifier drives four Amina SoundUnseen loudspeakers which are plastered in-wall into the ceiling – a method sympathetic to the aesthetic and highly-listed status of the hotel.
Further inputs into the Cloud DCM-1 include separate CD and DVD players, as well as a Sennheiser EW 135 G2 radio microphone. A retractable, ceiling-concealed projection screen appears to fulfil any visual requirements, working in conjunction with a Sanyo LCD video projector, which is brought in as necessary on its custom mount and, as with all the equipment, is controlled from the Cloud CDR-1 wall panels.
Gurval Durand, deputy general manager of Le Manoir, added: "Due to the dual purpose nature of the room we required a mixer with discreet and simple wall-mounted controls that provides audio to two separate areas, when the room is divided, or a single large room.â€