We are always delighted when we receive an invitation to view a new hotel prior to the opening. The Grand Hotel, Birmingham was a very special one for me, as I spent 8 happy years there in the 80’s and into the 90’s as Sales and Marketing Manager
The hotel closed its doors 18 years ago and in 2003 was threatened to be bulldozed until the Birmingham History Society came along and stopped it.
The hotel will open softly this Wednesday 4th November (subject to government restrictions)
A lot of the hotel remains as I fondly remember but there are also many changes which have brought the hotel into the 21st century.
First, we went into the Madeleine’s which will be an all-day lounge and bar, with plush soft sofas in lovely warm colours. I can imagine myself having a champagne afternoon tea in the very near future
We then went through to the magnificent Grand Ballroom which has been beautifully restored and bursting with ‘wow factor’. The Ballroom will again open its doors to some of Birmingham’s most glamorous occasions.
There are nine additional meeting and event spaces combining period character with the latest technology, and all having natural daylight – a rarity these days. To complement the meeting rooms there is a break-out space, leading onto a unique terrace area. All meeting rooms, with the exception of the Grand Ballroom, are located on the 1st floor
The hotel now has 185 bedrooms, which have been beautifully restored, to include 9 suites including two grand suites and a duplex Penthouse Suite. Some suites will have access to their own roof top terrace
Isaacs Restaurant will be located on the lower ground floor which has its own entrance in Barwick Street. Although this is virtually finished it is not anticipated to open until early 2021, with the official opening of the hotel being planned for February 2021
Whilst there, we also tried to discover where the offices would have been, and believe that this area will now be a state of the art gym
The Grand Hotel is located in the heart of the business quarter, and is a 5 minute walk from Birmingham New Street Station. I look forward to a return trip in the very near future