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Published: 12 September 2022

The final brief summary of some of the stories you may have missed during our newsdesk’s ‘extended’ summer break.

Dao by Dorsett has recently opened in Shepherd’s Bush, West London. Dao by Dorsett is a 74 bedroom aparthotel. It is the first aparthotel as well as a new brand from Dorsett Hospitality International. Dao by Dorsett includes one or two bedroom suites, a multi-functional kitchenettes plus living, relaxing and working space. Dao by Dorsett overlooks Shepherd’s Bush with good access to London Heathrow Airport.

Virgin Hotels are back in the UK – or in Scotland to be precise. Virgin Hotel Edinburgh is now open in the city's Old Town area close to The Royal Mile. Located in the historic India Buildings, Virgin Hotel Edinburgh has 222 bedrooms and suites plus a range of dining options.

Meanwhile Virgin Hotel Glasgow opens officially in December 2022.  Virgin Hotel will have 242-bedrooms plus a range of dining and drinking outlets as well as meeting and events space. Virgin Hotel Glasgow will open in Clyde Street near to St Enoch Square and overlooking the River Clyde.

D&D London has launched Blueprint, a catered events space located close to London's Tower Bridge. Blueprint occupies the site of the former Blueprint Cafe, which Sir Terence Conran opened in 1989 at what was then the Design Museum. Blueprint can host a range of events from dinners for 30 guests to parties for 150 or more.

During the summer Hilton Hotels launched a new boutique hotel concept in London - Lost Property. Lost Property – Curio Collection by Hilton is located on Ludgate Hill just 100 metres from St Paul’s Cathedral in central London. It has 145 bedrooms and suites each featuring a marble bathroom and an ‘industrial-chic’ design.  Lost Property – Curio Collection by Hilton features a restaurant and bar called ‘Found’ plus a coffee house known as ‘Tattle’ as well as a fitness centre,

A new Hampton by Hilton is currently under construction at the Upperbanks site in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.  A ‘topping out’ of the building was celebrated during the summer. Hampton By Hilton Upperbanks Rochdale will have 146 bedrooms when it opens next year. It will share a new 10-storey building with 242 private apartments.

citizenM has opened its fourth property in London. citizenM London Victoria is located in Vauxhall Bridge Road. citizenM London Victoria has 226 bedrooms plus a Living room and a canteenM. It joins citizenM London Bankside, citizenM London Shoreditch and citizenM Tower of London.

Supercity Aparthotels have published plans for a new aparthotel with 57 luxury suites in Edinburgh. It will be located in Forth Street and Broughton Street Lane, in Edinburgh’s New Town district. Plans include a lounge and bar area, with reception facilities provided on a 24/7 basis, plus a gym. Development is expected to start later this year with plans to open in 2023. Supercity Aparthotels currently has six properties in London, Manchester and Brighton, with two new locations in York and Leeds opening by 2023.

Finally, if you want a vision of what a hotel bedroom of the future might look like then take a look at This is what the hotel room of the future will look like by 2034 - Lonely Planet

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Published: 07 September 2022

There follows a summary of some of the stories you may have missed during our newsdesk’s ‘extended’ summer break.

Bespoke Hotels are planning to open the new Sun Street Hotel in London in October 2022. Sun Street is a new five-star hotel located in a restored Georgian terrace in the heart of the City of London on the borders of Shoreditch and the City. Sun Street Hotel will have 41 bedrooms, a restaurant and a private member’s club.

The Crimson Hotel group has acquired The Trafalgar St. James Hotel in Central London with 131 bedrooms, several food and beverage outlets plus a rooftop bar.  The Trafalgar St. James is located at Trafalgar Square in the heart of London. It will be the second Hilton Curio Collection acquisition for Crimson Hotels, alongside 100 Queen’s Gate Hotel in South Kensington.

Locke, aparthotel operator, has announced plans to open a new location in London – Locke Kensington. Locke Kensington aparthotel is expected to open in June 2023. It will include 121 apartments, ranging from studios to one- and two-bedroom apartments. Locke Kensington aparthotel will feature a bar, restaurant, co-working space, meeting rooms and private gardens. The building was formerly the NH Kensington Hotel and is situated in Cromwell Road just north of Earls Court Tube station.

Closer to our base here in Birmingham, Aston Villa Football Club is planning a £100million investment at its Villa Park stadium. Plans envisage a brand new stadium which would include a new standalone multi-use entertainment, business, community and retail venue destination. If all goes to plan completion is anticipated late 2025.

Heythrop Park hotel in the Cotswolds has reopened following a £40 million investment. Heythrop Park hotel has 337 bedrooms plus three restaurants and a spa

The Landing Hotel is a new hotel opening at London Biggin Hill Airport in January 2023. It will include 54 bedrooms plus a restaurant, bar and a fitness suite.

The University of Manchester opens Oddfellows Hall in September, adding year-round meeting rooms to The University of Manchester’s venues portfolio. Oddfellows Hall is a Grade II listed building, a ten-minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly station. It features 13 modern meeting rooms seating from six boardrooms to 50 classroom style.

The Albion is a new hotel which has just opened in Aberteifi in west Wales. The Albion is themed around Cardigan's maritime past. It has opened with 12 bedrooms (with more to follow) and is housed in a Grade II-listed former warehouses. The Albion is currently serving breakfast with full restaurant facilities plus an outdoor sauna in a private woodland glade behind the hotel, planned to open in December 2022.

Travelodge has opened its first two new-build “budget-luxe” hotels in the UK. The new properties are located in London’s Docklands and Hexham in Northumberland London Docklands Travelodge is located next to East India DLR station and has 350 bedrooms. It is also the group’s most sustainable property with solar panels on the roof, air source heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points.  Hexham Travelodge has 69 bedrooms

Accor has opened its first Tribe Hotel in the UK in London. Tribe London Canary Wharf has 320 bedrooms plus an all-day restaurant. It is located in Water Street around a five-minute walk from Canary Wharf tube station.

More summaries to follow

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Published: 04 July 2022

Dominvs Group has received planning permission for a two-hotel scheme in Nine Elms, to the west of the US Embassy in London.

The two hotels will have different operators.

The north hotel with 11 storeys and 360 bedrooms will be a midscale hotel whilst the south hotel will offer a luxury branding. This hotel will be 15 storeys with 477 bedrooms plus a ground floor café and a rooftop restaurant and bar with views towards the River Thames.

The two hotels are on the site of the former Victorian pleasure grounds at Nine Elms.

The hotels will be managed by two as yet unnamed hotel operators.

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Published: 08 September 2022

A further brief summary of some of the stories you may have missed during our newsdesk’s ‘extended’ summer break.

De Vere Selsdon Estate in Croydon is set to undergo a major refurbishment before it is relaunched next year as the second Birch Hotel in the UK. The first Birch Hotel opened on the former De Vere Theobalds Estate hotel in Cheshunt. Selsdon Estate is located in 200 acres of parkland. The hotel has 150 bedrooms, a selection of dining options, a leisure centre plus a range of meeting and events facilities.

The Park Inn by Radisson York City Centre is about to undergo an extensive refurbishment. Work will start during September and is set to be completed in spring next year. Originally built in 1969, the seven-storey hotel has undergone a number of refurbishments over the years. Park Inn by Radisson York City Centre has 200 bedrooms, a range of dining options, twelve meeting and events suites with the largest seating up to 200 delegates. 

Holiday Inn London Oxford Circus is to get £34million facelift which will upgrade the hotel to ‘boutique’ status. The number of bedrooms will also be increased to 171. The hotel currently has six new air-conditioned meeting rooms plus a fitness centre. Holiday Inn London Oxford Circus is located in Welbeck Street, a short walk from Oxford Circus tube station

Over the summer plans to transform the site of the Grade II-listed Methodist Central Hall in the centre of Birmingham have been approved. Plans envisage a 155 bedroom hotel with a rooftop restaurant and bar plus events and meeting space. We will monitor progress on the exciting new development in the city.

Construction work has started in the centre of Leeds on the new Sovereign Square Hotel. Interstate Group will operate the hotel under the two Hyatt brands: Hyatt House and Hyatt Place. It will be a 12 storey building with 305 bedrooms, meeting and events space, a ground floor restaurant and bar plus a rooftop bar. The hotel will also feature an on-site gym. Completion dates await publication.

The Ploberger Hotel Group is bringing forward proposals for a new sustainable hotel-led development in the City of London. The hotel will include 311 bedrooms and suites, a ground floor cafe/bar, a rooftop restaurant plus meeting and events spaces and co-working areas. The hotel development is at Boundary House on Jewry Street in the Square Mile. We will monitor developments.

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Published: 05 July 2022

Hotel Brooklyn Leicester is now open. It joins its sister hotel - Hotel Brooklyn Manchester, which opened in 2020. Like its sister hotel it also draws its inspiration from the New York borough of the same name.

Hotel Brooklyn Leicester is close to Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium, the home of Leicester Tigers rugby club. They are both linked by a footbridge.

Hotel Brooklyn Leicester has 191 bedrooms and suites. The 120-seat restaurant, The Lair, is a nod to the Tigers next door.

Hotel Brooklyn Leicester has three meeting and events suites - two seating up to 40 delegates theatre style and the third seating twenty theatre style.

Hotel Brooklyn Leicester is one mile from Leicester station.

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Published: 04 July 2022

A new boutique hotel is planned in the Castlefield district of central Manchester. The hotel will be the third hotel in Salboy’s portfolio.

The site includes two currently vacant Grade II-listed three-storeys buildings with basements - and in need of refurbishment. A 39 bedroom boutique hotel is planned together with a ground floor lobby and concierge area, a lounge bar and a restaurant.

The new hotel will be located in Liverpool Road in Castlefields. The area was home to the world’s first steam-powered railway station in 1830 and is the site of the oldest railway hotel in the world. The site is within easy walking distance of all three modern, central Manchester stations.