The hotel – officially reopened by High Sheriff of South Yorkshire, Giles Bloomer – now has 33 bedrooms and a conference suite complete with air-conditioning, wifi and broadband. The landscaped grounds, famous for their peacocks, have a new terrace and water feature.

Whitley Hall, at Grenoside, was built in the 16th century for William Parker, whose name was carved above the doorway. The new conference suite has been named in his honour and the refurbishment is sympathetic to the building's history.

Owner David Broadbent said: "This hotel is unique and we are determined to keep it that way. It is said that Mary Queen of Scots stayed here and we like to think that we have a hotel fit for royalty today."

The number of bedrooms has been increased by more than half, featuring granite and wood-panelled bathrooms, DVD players and entertainment systems. Conference facilities have doubled, to include three meeting rooms and two function suites.

The building was first converted into a hotel and restaurant by former owners, the Fearn family, in the late 1970s. It was taken over by the current owners in 2004 and extension plans have been in the pipeline ever since.

Whitley Hall Hotel was the first in the county to be approved for civil marriage ceremonies, 13 years ago, and now caters for more than 100 weddings each year. It has been awarded an AA rosette for food quality.