We start our latest round-up of hotel and venue news in London as usual - and then head westwards and northwards.
The Barbican in London, in partnership with caterer Searcys, is now offering an exclusive private dining experience for between 60 and 120 guests in its Conservatory which also features over 1,500 species of exotic plants.
The RIBA, headquarters of the Royal Institute of British Architects, based Portland Place, will temporarily close from this June to undergo a two-year modernisation programme.
The National Army Museum is the latest member to join the Unique Venues of London’s portfolio. The organisation now has over 80 member venues.
IHG Hotels: has opened voco Zeal Exeter Science Park, its first branded net zero carbon hotel – with 142 bedrooms, a restaurant, bar, meeting space and a mini-gym.
A new Radisson branded hotel is part of a development at Oxford United’s proposed new stadium near Kidlington. The hotel will have 180 bedrooms and is part of a wider development which includes a Conference and Exhibition Centre with a capacity of over 1,000 delegates. A summer 2026 opening is anticipated.
Fallow House events space has just opened at Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire. The two-storey building houses 540 sq-mt of events space. It includes a Grand Room accommodating up to 100 delegates, three meeting rooms seating between 10 and 20 delegates and two bars.
Escapade Silverstone is a new hotel complex which has just opened at the Silverstone Racetrack – ‘the home of English motor-racing’ in Northamptonshire. It has 184 ensuite bedrooms including Trackside rooms, a restaurant and bar, a 24-hour gym, swimming pool, sauna and wellness suite plus meeting and events
spaces.
Nobu Hospitality is venturing outside London. They have plans to open a 160-bedroom hotel in a 76-storey tower in Castlefields in the centre of Manchester. The hotel will also include events spaces plus a Nobu restaurant and bar. No anticipated opening date has been published yeRadisson Hotel Group: has announced the opening of the 154-bedroom Radisson Blu Hotel in Pinstone Street in Sheffield city centre with 154 bedrooms, a restaurant, bar, fitnescentreand six meeting and conference suites with the largest seating up to 190 delegates theatre style.
Dakota Newcastle is a new hotel which has just opened on St. Ann’s Wharf, overlooking the riverside promenade in Newcastle on Tyne. It has 118 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar plus a main events suite to seat up to 60 delegates, three smaller rooms and two private dining rooms.
Plans have been approved for the first Zedwell Hotel in Scotland. It is planned to open in the former Debenhams building on Princes Street, Edinburgh, with over 600 bedrooms. It will be the brand’s first hotel in Scotland. No anticipated opening dates have been published yet.
The Malmaison Hotel in Queens Road, Aberdeen has completed a £1.8 million refurbishment of all 79 bedrooms and public areas, including the bar and grill. The hotel has a main events suite seating up to 30 delegates plus two boardrooms.
Hilton Hotels have announced the signing of DoubleTree by Hilton Belfast City Ten Square. The hotel is about to undergo a multi-million refurbishment. The hotel includes 131 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar plus a range of meeting and events suites. The hotel is the 1,000th property in the group’s EMEA region.
Staying in Belfast and with Hilton, the group is planning a European brand launch with Tempo by Hilton Belfast City Centre, the first Tempo by Hilton hotel outside the US. Expected to open late 2026, it will have 144 bedrooms and suites plus a fully equipped fitness centre.
ASM Global Europe are planning to open four new UK venues by 2027. They are: Becketwell Performance Venue, Derby with a 2,100-theatre style auditorium set to open Spring 2025. The Sage ICC, Newcastle Gateshead with 5,000+ sq-mt exhibition space plus 17 conference and meeting spaces, opening 2026. The New Olympia Conference Centre located alongside the existing Olympia complex in London. It will include 14 meeting rooms plus 2,000sq-mt of flexible space, opening 2026. Southport Marina Lake Events Centre (MLEC) accommodating 1,200 theatre style plus 1,500m2 of exhibition space – also expected to open in 2026.
In recent years, the UK has witnessed a growing trend in the hospitality industry: the rise of stadium hotels. We have highlighted one above - a new Radisson-branded hotel at Oxford United’s proposed new stadium. See ‘The rise of the Stadium hotel – how UK venues are redefining hospitality’ in the HotelOwner magazine/website.
Finally, Hatters Hotel in Skegness, which has been named Britain’s ‘Most Unique Hotel’, is to go up for auction this month. The 29-bedroom hotel has been converted into an Alice in Wonderland-themed property, with characters from the Disney film installed throughout the venue. £650,000 is the guide price if you are interested.