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Latest News Update: 1st May 2026
Welcome to our latest hotel and venue update. We start in London and the southeast with a brief update on the new hotels and those expected to open in the near future - before heading north and finishing in Scotland.
London:
Hilton Group: is expanding its UK portfolio. Hilton London Bankside is adding a 76-bedroom extension due to complete later this year. This year also sees the start of a major refurbishment at Hilton London Paddington. Finally, The Derby London City , Curio Collection by Hilton has just opened in a former office block in London’s Square Mile. with 234 bedrooms, a restaurant, bar and meeting facilities.
Leonardo Hotels UK & Ireland: have acquired Hotel Saint in Aldgate, London. It will be rebranded as Leonardo Hotel London Aldgate, further strengthening the brand’s presence in the capital as its eleventh London property. The hotel has 272 bedrooms and suites, restaurants and bars including a 14th floor skyline bar, a gym plus five meeting and events suites with the largest seating up to 80 delegates.
Minor Hotels: is planning to open its first Colbert Collection property in the UK: The WestDill Mayfair Hotel London, Colbert Collection will open in London later this year. Located on Piccadilly in central London, the building, a former NatWest bank and offices, is set to become a five-star property with 50 bedrooms and suites across six floors plus a restaurant and bar. This Colbert Collection hotel will be the group’s first venture into Europe. More details to follow.
Point A Hotels: Queensway Group has been granted planning permission for two hotel developments in central London. Both hotels will be converted from former offices and both will be Point A Hotel brands. They include a 236-bedroom hotel near Monument in the City of London plus a 105-bedroom hotel on High Holborn in Camden. Further details and proposed opening dates to follow in due course.
The Zetter Group has just opened The Zetter Bloomsbury, a new 68-bedroom boutique styled hotel set across six interconnected Georgian townhouses. It overlooks Russell Square and is directly opposite the British Museum. The hotel has a restaurant and bar plus a gym and a 1,000-square-metre garden.
Mason and Fifth Group are planning to open their fourth London hotel next month in Belsize Park, close to Hampstead Heath. It is based in a restored, period red brick mansion. The hotel has 56 bedrooms and suites, a shared open kitchen, a guest lounge and a private garden.
Imperial Hotel Bloomsbury in central London is set to re-open this summer but we await a definite opening date. The hotel is currently undergoing a transformation. When it does reopen it will be a major conference venue with 388 bedrooms and 14 meeting and events spaces accommodating up to 600 delegates.
MCR Property Group: has acquired four hotels in London’s Kensington and Chelsea and intends to refurbish the properties and launch them as the basis of a new independent lifestyle brand. We will monitor developments.
Beyond Apartments & Aparthotels has opened three central London aparthotel sites in Bloomsbury, Clerkenwell, and Fitzrovia, adding 22 serviced apartment units to its portfolio.
St Bartholomew's Hospital A major restoration project in now complete at Barts North Wing, in West Smithfield in the City of London. The Grade I listed events venue is now available for receptions, gala dinners and conferences, for up to 400 delegates.
The Ampersand Hotel in London is launching a launching Science Family Suite which draws inspiration from the neighbouring Science Museum in South Kensington – and invites younger guests to ‘explore, learn and dream’. The suite is designed for both fun and functionality with the children’s bedroom, in particular, a universe of its own with a rocket-style bunk bed and celestial details that spark ‘curiosity at every turn’. It is scheduled to open at the beginning of June.
Zedwell are planning to convert Trafalgar Buildings adjacent to Trafalgar Square in central London into a new 387 bedroom hotel. The site consists of three interconnected buildings dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The conversion project will retain the existing ground-floor retail units and the hotel will have no on-site food and beverage provision with guests encouraged to use local restaurants and cafés. A 2028 opening date is envisaged.
Beyond Apartments & Aparthotels have opened three aparthotels in London: in Bloomsbury (10 units), Clerkenwell (six units) and Fitzrovia (six units).
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Queens Hotel & Spa Bournemouth has reopened following a major £2million refurbishment programme. The hotel now features 109 upgraded bedrooms and suites, restaurants and bars, a new luxury spa plus four flexible meeting rooms with the largest seating up to 250 delegates – and it’s just a short walk from Bournemouth’s beaches.
Wyboston Lakes Resort in Bedfordshire has unveiled ‘The Box’ a new purpose-built, flexible 900 sq-mt meeting and events space, with natural daylight, located adjacent to the Woodlands Events Centre. It will accommodate up to 400 delegates and is available to book from this July.
Plans have been published to convert the former Debenhams store, which closed in 2021, in the centre of Worcester, into a hotel. Plans outline the creation of 63 hotel bedrooms on the upper floors of the four-storey building with the ground floor retained as commercial space. We will monitor developments.
Bespoke Hotels - operators of the Grosvenor Hotel in Chester have announced plans to close the hotel by the end of the year for safety reasons. It appears that concrete in some of its conference rooms pose a potential safety risk.
Bob W is a new aparthotel expected to open in the centre of Manchester in summer 2027. Converted from a former ground-level car park, Bob W will have 83 self-contained studio apartments plus a lobby lounge, washateria and luggage storage. It will be located in Bloom Street near Manchester Cathedral, the AO Arena, the National Football Museum and is a 10 minute walk from Manchester Victoria station.
Staying in Manchester, Ascott Hotels whose brands include Citadines, lyf and Oakwood are opening lyf Piccadilly Manchester this autumn. Located in Portland Street, overlooking Piccadilly Gardens, the hotel will include 280 bedrooms and suites, 13 meeting and conference rooms with the largest seating up to 800 delegates, a restaurant and bar plus fitness facilities and a car park.
A new Moxy-branded hotel is planned in Hull. If approved the hotel will be built next to the recently restored Castle Buildings and opposite the city's Connexin Live arena. Plans outline a seven-storey hotel with 122 bedrooms, a restaurant, bar, gym and a business section.
The former Court Inn Hotel in the centre of Durham has just reopened after being closed for nearly six years. It is now Sanctuary Knocker boutique hotel with four luxury suites complete with an oven and microwave and a washing machine for self-catering - plus free wi-fi .
Plans have been published for a new five-star hotel in Angus in Scotland on farmland adjacent to an existing 18-hole championship golf course at the Shank of Omachie site. The hotel, to be operated by Hyatt, would include around 450 bedrooms, restaurants, bars, meeting and conference facilities plus extensive leisure activities. We will monitor developments
Other Group news:
Nici Hotels: currently with just the one hotel in Bournemouth is opening two new hotels on 15th June: in Newquay with 82 bedrooms and suites and two meeting rooms plus Lymington in the New Forest with 80 bedrooms and suites, also with two meeting and events suites.
The new Hampton by Hilton Manchester City Centre will be opening in April overlooking the Castlefield Viaduct in the city. It will be the largest of the brand’s portfolio in both the UK and Europe, with 358 bedrooms and suites, an all-day restaurant, a bar, a 24-hour fitness centre plus one main meeting room to seat up to 35 delegates plus syndicate rooms.
Classic British Hotels has added Whittlebury Park to its portfolio. Located on a 700-acre Northamptonshire estate, the hotel has 254 bedrooms and suites, a 3-AA Rosette restaurant, a spa and wellness suite. The hotel has 19 meeting and events suites with the largest seating up to 500 delegates, plus three private dining rooms.
Classic British Hotels has also added Holdsworth House to its collection. This is an historic Jacobean manor house - now a 33-bedroom hotel in Halifax, West Yorkshire. The hotel, with a restaurant and bar, has four flexible meetings and events suites for up to 120 delegates.
Finally - St Ermin’s Hotel in central London has opened The Terrace – ‘bringing the elegance of an English garden into the heart of Westminster’ – ‘an outdoor terrace for relaxation, serving seasonal English sparkling wines, served at their most refreshing’ – weather permitting.
Thank you for following us. We will be back in mid May with the latest hotel and conference venue news.
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Latest News Update: 15th March 2026
GROUP NEWS:
Best Western: Best Western Leicester Oadby has officially joined the Best Western portfolio of hotels -with 30 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar.
Dalata Hotel Group: is planning to open a new four-star Maldron Hotel on Hammersmith Road in Kensington, adjacent to Olympia London exhibition centre. It will be the group’s seventh hotel in London. Scheduled to open in 2029 it will include 370 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant, bar, gym plus business and meeting facilities.
Hilton Hotels: - Refurbishment work is taking place upgrading 90 bedrooms at Hilton London Paddington. The hotel, designed by engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, opened in 1854 and forms part of the Paddington Station complex. Hilton Northampton has just hosted an immersive launch event to mark the hotel’s extensive £2.9 million refurbishment which has seen all 144 bedrooms and suites upgraded and the addition of a new wellness suite.
Hyatt Hotels: The first Park Hyatt Residences in the UK is set to launch in London later this year. Set on the banks of the River Thames in Nine Elms it will feature 103 residences. It will sit alongside Park Hyatt London River Thames with all its facilities at the disposal of its residents.
LyvInn Hotels: The German-based hotel group has published plans to expand in Britain following a successful year in Germany. It is negotiating on a range of properties targeting a total of 14 hotels by 2029, with a mix of freehold and leasehold properties in major cities throughout Europe including London.
Marriott Hotels: The former Kings Hotel in Kings Road, Brighton has been rebranded as the Four Points Flex by Sheraton Brighton, following completion of a major refurbishment by Marriott International, its new owner. The hotel has 95 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar and two meeting rooms accommodating up to 100 delegates.
Radisson Hotel Group: boasts a history of responsible business stewardship with ethical business practices. With this in mind it is promoting the ethical sourcing of ingredients, including cage-free eggs across its portfolio. The Group claims that switching to cage-free egg supplies on a global scale will benefit the lives of hens and ensure that the welfare of animals raised for food remains a high priority.
SevenStay Aparthotel group: have just opened their third aparthotel in Liverpool – in Old Hall Street. It joins SevenStay’s other Liverpool sites in Bold Street and Fleet Street. It has 44 serviced one and two-bedroom apartments plus a gym and a café which will be opening shortly.
The Competition and Markets Authority: (CMA) has launched an investigation into suspected sharing of competitively sensitive information among competing hotel chains: Hilton, IHG Hotels and Marriott.Hotel news from around the country starting iLONDON: Six Senses London: is a new hotel which has just opened in the former Whiteleys department store in Bayswater in central London. It features 110 bedrooms plus 14 branded residences, a lobby bar and lounge, an all-day dining restaurant with an open kitchen, a gym and swimming pool plus 12 treatment and consultation rooms.
TOGETHER: is a new London-based meeting, conference and events facility opening in Wood Street in the City of London in March. The space, with natural daylight, will accommodate up to 500 delegates theatre or 270 cabaret style and benefits from natural light across the entire floor. It is equipped with fully integrated Tech and AV including a 9 metre LED wall as well as a catering facility.
The Webster: is a new American-based lifestyle brand hotel about to open its first UK hotel in London this summer. It opens in Covent Garden with 167 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant, a speakeasy bar, a terrace restaurant plus three meeting rooms with the largest seating up to 160 delegates.
BOURNEMOUTH: Queens Hotel & Spa in Bournemouth reopens this month following an extensive refurbishment. The hotel has 109 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar, wellness and spa facilities plus two meeting and events spaces and a garden accommodating up to 150 guests.
BATH: The Francis Hotel, Bath has just opened a new spa facility. It marks the final phase of the hotel’s £14million refurbishment of the Georgian hotel in the centre of Bath.
LIVERPOOL: The ACC Liverpool Group has announced a major rebranding to reflect ‘its evolution from a single venue into a diverse campus of brands’. It will be come Convention Centre at Liverpool Experience Campus plus the Exhibition Centre at Liverpool Experience Campus and the M&S Bank Arena. The launch of the new identity is planned for mid-April.
MANCHESTER: The Stock Exchange Hotel in Manchester adding a further 95 bedrooms by converting space in a building opposite the hotel. In addition, the hotel extension will include three ground floor meeting and events suites as well as a café and bar, a boutique gym plus a spa. A launch is anticipated early in 2027.
CHS Manchester is a major event industry trade show launching on September 30 at the city’s AO Arena. It will include 250+ UK and European venues, destinations and suppliers and it will feature fringe events including venue tours and evening experiences all showcasing Manchester's events scene. The latest list of exhibitors include: QEII Centre London, Allianz Stadium Twickenham, Manchester Central, Hilton, Marriott Hotels, De Vere, Liverpool Convention Bureau, Legacy Hotels and Resorts, Meliá, Dakota Hotels, Countrywide Hotels, Horwood House, The Ned, the AO Arena, Marketing Manchester and VisitScotland.
PRESTON: Plans are still ongoing to convert the former Park Hotel in Preston into a 92 bedroom hotel with 239 apartments. The site, formerly the headquarters of Lancashire County Council, has been empty since 2011. We will monitor developments.
WALES: Y Seren is a new 23-bedroom hotel and restaurant in Llangunnor, Carmarthenshire. Based in a former care home, the hotel opened at the end of last year and features a restaurant and bar plus an events suite for up to 90 people and a gym.
SCOTLAND: The Wellington Glasgow by Adina, is a new apart-hotel which has recently opened in Wellingrton Street in the centre oF Glasgow with 98 serviced apartments. It marks the UK debut of Australian-based TFE Hotels group and their flagship Adina brand. Rooms include a fully equipped kitchenette with microwave. A grab-and-go breakfast is available if preferred.
The Amorist is a new luxury hotel which has just opened in the centre of Dunfermline. Located above a bistro bar on High Street, the hotel has 18 bedrooms, a restaurant and a bar.
Television personality and winner of the ‘Celebrity Traitors ’programme, Alan Carr, has purchased Ayton Castle in the Scottish Borders and plans to turn it into a luxury hotel and spa. The castle is located in 160 acres of grounds with 17 bedrooms plus its own 600m-long miniature railway line. Further details to follow.
We will be back in April with the latest hotel and conference venue news from around the country.
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Latest News Update: 15th February 2026
Hotel Group news:
Accor Group: Novotel Hotels are launching a ‘Longevity Everyday’ programme designed to support guests' mental and physical wellbeing and quality of life. Longevity Everyday is an ambitious vision outlining how guests can feel better during and beyond their stay at over 600+ hotels in 67 countries. The group believes the ‘longevity economy’ is the fastest-growing shift, with double-digit year-on-year growth and is forecast to be worth £3.7tn to the travel and hospitality sector by the end of the decade. The programme is designed to influence everything from diet and sleep to mental wellbeing, physical activity and social connection.
Accor have also launched a new luxury hotel branding - The Emblems Collection. Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa, six miles from Bath in Wiltshire is the first UK hotel to join.
Accor plan to open a 144-bedroom ibis Styles hotel in Chester city centre in 2028. It will be in the Chester City Gateway, a regeneration project connecting the railway station with the central Chester.
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Apex Hospitality Group: has launched its new Monogram Collective – a grouping of luxury countryside hotels. The new group brings together three properties. Pine Trees in Pitlochry, Perthshire, with 32 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar. Meldrum House in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire set in 240 acres of countryside with 51 bedrooms, two restaurants and a bar plus an 800-year-old Cave Bar with 120+ whiskies. The Vineyard in Newbury with 49 bedrooms, currently closed for refurbishment with a planned reopening summer 2026.
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Best Western Hotels: has added The Kings Court Hotel, Alcester in Warwickshire to its BW Signature Collection by Best Western portfolio. The hotel is in a rural setting but very convenient for Stratford on Avon. It has 61 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant plus four meeting rooms with the largest seating up to 120 delegates theatre style.
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Dominus: Plan to convert Ibex House, an Art Deco, Grade II-listed, office block in central London, into 382-bedroom hotel have been approved. The hotel, close to Aldgate, Fenchurch Street and Tower Hill, will include a ballroom and a large conference centre plus meeting and events facilities. The hotel is set to open in 2028 and will be run by Dominus.
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Hilton Hotels: are planning a Spring 2026 opening of their Spark premium-economy brand - Spark by Hilton. Spark by Hilton London Chiswick will open in restored Victorian townhouses with 105 bedrooms, a casual dining area plus meeting space. The hotel is a short walk from five London Underground stations.
The group is also planning a spring 2026 opening of the Grade I-listed Hilton Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch Hotel with 100 rooms and suites, a ballroom, a spa, a rooftop terrace, bars and restaurants.
The Derby London City will be Hilton’s 10th property in its Curio Collection. It is scheduled to open in London’s Square Mile in March with 237 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant, bar and fitness facility plus two boardroom-style meeting rooms
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Hyatt Hotel Group: The 5-star Hyatt Regency London Olympia connected to the Olympia Convention Centre opens in May 2026 with 196 bedrooms and suites a restaurant and lounge with a bar and three modern meeting rooms.
Hyatt Place London Paddington - located close to Paddington Station, with 87 bedrooms, an all-day restaurant, a fitness centre and events space for up to 22 delegates will be opening sometime this year.
Hyatt Hotels have enjoyed a successful year of growth thanks to a boom in luxury, all-inclusive travel with worldwide earnings at $1.15 billion last year - an increase of 5.8 per cent over 2024.
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IHG: is expanding its Garner brand with The Garner Hotel London Paddington scheduled to open in late 2026 - a 149-bedroom hotel with a restaurant and conference space. It is located near Paddington Station and Hyde Park.
IHG has partnered with Fairview Hotels to open four new UK properties under its Garner and voco brandings during 2026 including voco London – Marylebone currently undergoing refurbishment, Garner Hotel Lincoln, Garner Hotel Rotherham East and Garner Hotel Chesterfield North.
Hotel Indigo London K West opens late 2026 in Shepherd’s Bush in west London with 231 bedrooms, restaurant and bar and a spa plus an outdoor garden. It will have three meeting rooms with the largest seating up to 70 delegates.
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Marriott Hotels: are planning a mid-2026 opening of the St. Regis London opening in London’s Mayfair. The 196-room hotel, formerly known as Westbury Mayfair Hotel, will feature a signature restaurant, a speakeasy jazz bar, a fitness centre and a spa.
Marriott has opened the new Moxy London Piccadilly Circus in a former office building in Piccadilly Circus. The hotel has 532 bedrooms and suites, a bar and a lobby area suitable for casual or social gatherings.
Marriott Hotels also plan to transform the Grade II-listed St Clement’s House in Clements Lane in central London into a 180 bedroom - key luxury Marriott Hotel. Construction expected to start this summer with an opening in 2027/28.
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Novotel Hotels: are launching a ‘Longevity Everyday’ programme designed to support guests' mental and physical wellbeing and quality of life. ‘Longevity Everyday’ is an ambitious vision outlining how guests can feel better during and beyond their stay at over 600+ hotels in 67 countries. The group believes the ‘longevity economy’ is the fastest-growing shift, with double-digit year-on-year growth and is forecast to be worth £3.7tn to the travel and hospitality sector by the end of the decade. The programme is designed to influence everything from diet and sleep to mental wellbeing, physical activity and social connection.
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The Pig Group: The Pig on the Farm is scheduled to open late 2026 in Stratford on Avon - in a converted 16th century, stone-built farmhouse in 53 acres of land. It will have 35 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant, two private dining rooms, a bar and lounge and three treatment huts.
Meanwhile, The Pig at Groombridge near Tunbridge Wells in Kent is ‘coming soon’ with 56 bedrooms and a spa.
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Radisson Hotel Group: continue their rapid growth programme into 2026 with highlights including: The Medlock, a 401 bedroom hotel set to open in Manchester City’s Football Club’s new entertainment destination in 2026.
The group also have plans to open a 180-room hotel as part of Oxford United Football Club’s proposed new stadium development in Kidlington.
Plans have also been approved for a new Radisson Red on-site hotel at Edgbaston Cricket Stadium in Birmingham. The 146-bedroom hotel will include a rooftop terrace, pitch-view rooms with balconies and is due to be completed in time for the men’s Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston in 2027.
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Thistle Hotels: plans for its London-based portfolio include: the reopening of The Tower Suite at The Tower Hotel this Spring. This follows a major refurbishment of the 500-delegate events suite.
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Travelodge: Travelodge Manchester Central Riverside hotel in Salford near the River Irwell and around a mile from central Manchester, has completed a full renovation, transforming all 104 bedrooms and updating the reception area and bar.
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Valor Hospitality Partners: continue to grow its hotel portfolio. It has more than doubled in five years - increasing from 17 hotels in 2021 to 40 hotels in 2026. New hotels lined up to join the group include the Crowne Plaza Aberdeen Airport, Holiday Inn Express Aberdeen Airport, Holiday Inn Express Trafford City and Hampton by Hilton Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
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Village Hotels: group has acquired the former DoubleTree by Hilton Sheffield Park Hotel in Sheffield – its 35th hotel in the group. A full renovation and upgrading programme is underway which will see additional bedrooms - with an expected opening date in winter 2026. The former Doubletree had 130 bedrooms. The hotel will include a Village Health & Wellness Club, a Pub & Grill plus meeting and events space.
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Bob W: is a ‘newish’ operator offering fully equipped short-stay apartments for business or leisure trips – with expansion plans. They currently operate properties in London: Tower Hill, Olympia, Holland Park, St Paul's and Paddington.
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Latest News Update: 1st April 2026
Group news:
IHG group: has acquired the Munich-based Ruby Hotels group – their 20th branding in the UK. There are currently three hotels in the UK and IHG is planning to expand its coverage over the next few years with a new hotel already planned in Edinburgh.
Garner Hotels has become IHG’s fastest ever brand to open globally since its August 2023 launch. Garner Hotel Preston Samlesbury was the first in the UK opening in March 2025. The grouping is now celebrating reaching 100 open hotels.
Resident Hotels: the privately-owned independent hotel company is to rebrand as The Sirius Hotel Group with plans to add 20 plus hotels to its portfolio in the next five to ten years.
Room2 Hotels: A new 200-bedroom room2 hotel is scheduled to open in the former Leeds International Swimming Pool in Spring 2028. The 17-storey hotel will feature a mix of studios, plus one- and two-bedroom suites, a restaurant and bar, leisure facilities plus meeting and events space.
Marriott Hotels: is to introduce Series by Marriott in Europe in collaboration with Splendid Hospitality Group. The project covers eleven hotels, with five in the UK including three in London: in Earls Court, Euston and Kings Cross. The branding aims to provide modern, comfortable accommodation with ‘grab and go’ food and beverages options.
Zedwell hotel group is planning to convert 1 Princes Street in the City of London into a flagship hotel. The Grade II-listed building constructed in 1929 was the headquarters of National Westminster Bank. Its neighbours include: The Royal Exchange, the Bank of England and Mansion House. More details to follow.
Hilton Hotels group: continues to grow its lifestyle-brand portfolio. The New Continental Plymouth, Tapestry Collection by Hilton is the latest addition. The building, dating from the 1860s, is one of Plymouth’s oldest buildings. The new hotel will include 120 renovated bedrooms and suites plus a restaurant and bar, a fitness centre and meeting facilities. It is scheduled to open in spring 2027.
Point A Hotels: is planning to open its second Edinburgh hotel on St Andrew Square in July 2026. This budget boutique hotel will be housed in a ‘listed building of architectural significance’ and will include 148 double rooms and 58 twin rooms over six floors plus a breakfast room, and bar.
Other Hotel news:
The five-star The Landmark London hotel in Marylebone, has unveiled its newly renovated collection of Marylebone suites. ‘The 48 suites draw inspiration from the hotel’s British heritage while introducing a more contemporary residential aesthetic’.
Onefifty Fenchurch is a new luxury, 33-apartment boutique aparthotel which has just opened in Fenchurch Street in the City of London
Hotel Gotham in Manchester has been sold to new owners who are planning a major refurbishment followed by a rebranding to The Rex Hotel. The hotel with 60 bedrooms and suites first opened in 2015. The Art Deco building in King Street originally opened in the 1930s as a banking headquarters.
The Royal Carlton hotel on Blackpool’s seafront has been converted into a luxury boutique hotel and renamed The Glass Tower following a major £15million refurbishment. It reopens in April with 38 bedrooms, a new restaurant and bar.
The former Lock and Key Hotel housed in a Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse in Duke Street in Liverpool city centre has reopened following a major refurbishment. It is now the Duke Street Boutique Hotel with 26 new-look bedrooms The hotel is around a 10-minute walk from the Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, The Beatles Story and the M&S Bank Arena Liverpool.
Plans have been approved for a multimillion-pound redevelopment of the former Judges Country House Hotel near Yarm in Stockton-on-Tees into a five-star boutique hotel and spa hotel with a restaurant plus events facilities.
Finally, ‘Conference News’ has just published its latest industry statistics. They reveal the growing economic impact of corporate events in the UK with business event spending rising faster than inflation in the UK, plus delegates staying longer. All of which generates £19.3 billion of direct expenditure. The UK now hosts more than 1 million conferences and meetings annually. Interestingly, international business event delegates spend up to four times more than domestic attendees.
That is the good news, unfortunately the UK hotel sector had a lacklustre February, with flat demand and high staff costs hitting operating profits. This is only set to get tougher as tensions in the Middle East continue, according to RSM UK Hotel Tracker.
We will be back with our next hotels and venues update on 1st May.
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Latest News Update: 1st March 2026
Hotel Group news:
Accor Hotels: Accor’s systemwide revenue per available room (RevPAR) for 2025 increased 4.2 per cent year-on-year to €76, exceeding expectations. This was largely driven by higher rates – with the average daily rate increasing 3.2 per cent to €113 - rather than increased occupancy,
B&B Hotels: a group with more than 800 hotels in 17 countries, in Europe and Brazil has completed a refurbishment of its seven UK Hotels in Derby, Birmingham, Inverness, London Heathrow, Ipswich, Cambridge and Warrington.
Cabu: operate a range of eco-cabins featuring modern Scandi-style designs, log burners and fully equipped kitchens. A third property in the UK, Cabu in the Cotswolds, is planned - opening date to be advised. Cabu in the Cotswolds will comprise a mix of 51 one-, two and three-bedroom, self-catering eco-cabins set in 25 acres of Cotswold countryside close to Bourton-on-the-Water. Facilities include a nature spa, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, kayaking and paddleboarding, a shop and restaurant, two bars and a studio events space. It joins Cabu by the Sea in Kent and a Cabu in Ireland.
Hilton Hotels: Hilton are planning to open two new hotels in the centre of Manchester. Hampton by Hilton Manchester City Centre will be a 22-storey building with 358 bedrooms and suites, restaurants, bars, a fitness area and one meeting room seating up to 35 delegates theatre style. It is scheduled to open beginning of May 2026. The other is Motto by Hilton - a 21-storey hotel in the Piccadilly Basin, with 154 bedrooms, a restaurant, bar and fitness space and close to Manchester Piccadilly station. It is not scheduled to open before 2027.
Hilton London Bankside is launching a 76-bedroom extension this Spring. It will take the total number of bedrooms at the hotel to 368. The hotel also features restaurants and bars, a ballroom, 11 meeting and events suites, a fitness studio plus an indoor swimming pool.
Around £65m will buy you the Graduate by Hilton Cambridge. Located on the banks of River Cam, it is currently on the market. It has 148 bedrooms, restaurants, bars and meeting/events spaces.
IHG Hotels: have reported a 13% rise in operating profit during 2025 as well as adding a record 443 rooms to their worldwide portfolio. According to press reports, IHG group is looking forward to 2026 with confidence thanks to what promises to be a very profitable World Cup taking place in the USA this summer. The event is expected to attract over a million visitors.
IHG, who acquired The Ruby Hotel brand last year, will be opening Ruby Hotel Edinburgh early this year. It will be located on Princes Street with 300 bedrooms, a rooftop terrace with views of Edinburgh Castle, restaurant, bar and meeting and events space. It will join the existing Ruby Hotel in London.
The Balmoral, A Rocco Forte Hotel is now the only hotel in Edinburgh with a five-star rating. It has 187 bedrooms and suite, a range of dining options, 10 meeting and conference rooms with the largest seating up to 350 delegates - but what really sets it apart from other hotels is its world-class whisky bar with over 500 varieties of Scottish whiskies.
Marriott Hotels: Marriott International has announced record-breaking growth in the UK in 2025 across its brand range. The UK is one of their highest-growth markets across Europe, the Middle East & Africa (EMEA).
A new Fairfield by Marriott is under development next to the British Motor Museum in Warwickshire, just off the M40. It will be the first Fairfield by Marriott branded hotel to open in the UK. It will have 142 bedrooms and easy access to the museum's conference and events facilities which include a Conference and Exhibition Suite seating up to 600 delegates, theatre-style. The project is due to be completed in May 2027 with an opening planned for June 2027.
Radisson Hotels: Work is due to start next month on a £20million restoration of the George Hotel Huddersfield prior to its relaunch as the first Radisson Red branded hotel in Yorkshire. The building which opened in 1851 was the birthplace of rugby league. It will house 91 boutique-style bedrooms, a lounge, bar and a 70-seater restaurant plus meeting and events facilities. The hotel is expected to open at the end of 2027.
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News from London:
Kensington Hideaway: is a 59-bedroom boutique hotel which has just opened in the heart of Kensington. It features bedrooms themed around famous writers such as Agatha Christie, T S Eliot and others. The hotel has a restaurant and bar offering an all-day dining experience.
The Newman: opened in February 2026 in London’s Fitzrovia with 81 rooms including suites and apartments, a holistic wellness centre, brasserie, cocktail bar and spaces for private events.
Six Senses London: the former department store, Whiteleys, is set to become the Six Senses London opening from 1st April 2026 it will feature 14 branded residences, 109 bedrooms, meeting and events suites, a restaurant and bar plus a courtyard.
The opening of The Drey in London later this year marks the arrival of a new hotel concept. Set to open with 125 bedrooms in Earl’s Court, it will feature a ‘staff-lite’ concept with none of the added extras found in most hotels. Hence guests will check-in online, with keyless room access and manage their stay through a dedicated app, with the usual hotel services provided on-site with vending machines plus local cafés, bars and boutiques – and a reduction in room rates as a result.
Construction work is expected to start this summer on a new Wilde Aparthotel in London’s Nine Elms. It will have 185 bedrooms and suites, a café, bar and co-working space.
Meanwhile further north, the Grade-II listed Cooper's Building, a department store and a landmark building in the centre of Liverpool is set to be transformed into a 148-unit aparthotel by the new Spanish-based owners -Libere. It will be the group’s second property in the UK following Libere London Edgware Road which opened last year.
CODE The Loft first capsule-bed hostel in the UK has reopened in Edinburgh after a major revamp. It now features six rooms with a combined capacity of 30 Japanese-style beds in which guests have to crawl into to enter and are just big enough to sit inside. Capsule hotels are reportedly becoming increasingly popular in major European cities. CODE The Loft is located on Rose Street, just behind Princes Street in central Edinburgh.
The Bedford Hotel Belfast is opening May 1st in Donegall Square South in Belfast city centre. Based in the former Scottish Mutual Building, the hotel will include 82 boutique-styled bedrooms, a destination restaurant and a café bar.
Plans have been published to transform Galgorm Castle near Ballymena in Northern Ireland into a new boutique hotel. The castle dates back to the 17th century and plans will create a 30-bedroom boutique hotel with the Church and Ploughman’s House on the site converted into two performance venues.
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Latest News Update: 1st February 2026
We start our latest update on new hotel developments in London before heading down to the south coast and then north before finishing in Northern Ireland.
Hilton London Bankside is opening a 76 bedroom extension on 1st February bringing the total number of bedrooms at the hotel to 368.
DoubleTree by Hilton London West End in London’s Bloomsbury has completed its £4 million refurbishment project with the addition of 14 new bedrooms including two suites and a new ground floor restaurant.
Travelodge are planning a new hotel in Stratford, London. They are converting a vacant office building close to Stratford Station into a 151-bedroom Travelodge - with National Rail, Underground and DLR connections.
Native Fulham Broadway is a new hotel opening in London this spring, comprising 41 studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments – to be followed by Native Fitzrovia, opening in the autumn - reports Boutique Hotelier.
Six Senses London is a new hotel opening on 1st March 2026. It is the brand’s first hotel in the UK. It opens in The Whiteley Building, a Grade-listed former retail outlet in Bayswater. It will have 109 bedrooms and suites, 14 Six Senses Residences, a private members club, restaurant, bar and café, a meeting room plus wellbeing facilities.
The former Corus Hotel Hyde Park in London is currently closed and undergoing a £42 million redevelopment and is set to become "Hyde & Seek," a bohemian-themed hotel joining Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio in autumn 2026.
Ennismore are planning to open their first Delano branded hotel in the UK later this year. Delano London will be located close to Kensington Gardens, overlooking Hyde Park. It will include 67 bedrooms and suites, a ‘new concept’ restaurant and bar plus retail and wellness space. More details to follow in due course.
Hotel Indigo Torquay opened last month on the Devon coast with 153 bedrooms and suites. It features a rooftop bar with sea facing terraces, a restaurant and bar on the ground floor overlooking the Torbay plus a gym and spa.
The former Crowne Plaza Reading at Caversham Bridge is rebranding to Village Hotel following its acquisition earlier this month. An extensive multi-million-pound refurbishment is planned.
Aparthotel Birmingham is a new hotel which opened last autumn. It is located in Snow Hill in the city centre, on the site of the former Royal Angus Hotel. The hotel has 161 studios, 1 bedroom & 2 bedrooms apartments and suites across 9 floors plus a 12-seater boardroom and an on-site shop and takeaway.
The Raven Hotel in Droitwich Spa closed more than a decade ago following a devastating fire. Now local campaigners are in talks with the site's owners and Wychavon District Council with their plans to turn the former hotel into a conference venue. We will monitor progress.
Accor has signed an agreement to open a 144-bedroom ibis Styles hotel in Chester City Gateway, a urban regeneration project that connects the railway station with the nearby city centre. Expect an opening from 2028.
The Radisson Blu Medlock Hotel, Manchester is a partnership between Manchester City Football Club and the Radisson Hotels group. It is set to open later this year within the Club’s Etihad Campus, the city’s new entertainment centre. The hotel will include 401 bedrooms including 42 suites, ten pitch-side suites. Meeting and events facilities in the stadium will include 15 main meeting suites, the largest seating up to 450 delegates theatre-style plus 48 smaller meeting rooms and 2,000 sq-mt of exhibition space. More details to follow.
The Crowne Plaza Newcastle have built an infrastructure to support delegates who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, including the installation of hearing loops and special features including vibrating pillows linked to fire alarm systems. The hotel is located in the centre of Newcastle with 251 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar, spa and leisure facilities plus nine meeting and events suites with the largest seating up to 450 delegates.
The historic, former Strathness House Hotel on the banks of the River Ness in Inverness has just reopened following a £6million refurbishment as the Ambassador Hotel. Created from two former Victorian townhouses, the hotel includes fourteen themed bedrooms and signature suites plus a restaurant and bar.
The Bedford Hotel Belfast is a new boutique-style hotel opening in the former Scottish Mutual Building in central Belfast in May. It will have 82 bedrooms and suites, a destination restaurant, a bar, private dining spaces and a café bar. There will be a range of meeting facilities with the largest room seating up to 100 delegates.
Staying in Northern Ireland, The Malone Lodge hotel is a new hotel opening in South Belfast in February following an 18-month, multi-million-pound refurbishment of the former Malone Hotel. It will have 103 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar plus six flexible meeting and events suites with the largest room accommodating up to 200 delegates.
And finally, what can happen to a hotel when it closes its doors for the last time? In the case of a hotel in Monmouth Place in Bath, it has been converted into cannabis farm. Somerset Police found 700 healthy cannabis plants growing when they raided the premises earlier this month. On the other hand, Blackaddie House, a four-star hotel on the banks of the River Nith in Dumfriesshire closed its doors at the beginning of January. It is set to become a privately owned, 6-bedroom property set in 2.5 acres of landscaped gardens.