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Published: 09 October 2022

Birmingham has been in the news all week so let us start this weekly news roundup with two hotel/conference related stories from this fine city. Further details have been published of Birmingham's Grade II-listed Methodist Central Hall which has recently secured planning approval for conversion into a hotel: The new hotel will feature 150 bedrooms and suites, eight bars and restaurants, a gymnasium and events space. The design will preserve many of the building's original features, including the rejuvenation of its 1,500-seat events space. A new three-storey rooftop extension will see the creation of a rooftop restaurant with views across the Birmingham skyline. Completion expected early 2025.

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A masterplan has just been published seeking to develop Edgbaston Stadium, the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club in Birmingham. The masterplan would see the creation of a renewed stadium which would combine elite sport, plus conferencing and events facilities. Plans also include a stadium-based multi-use community hub with the potential for facilities such as an NHS walk-in centre. We will monitor developments and report progress

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French-based, B&B Hotels, has published plans to extend its operations into the UK. The group is planning to open up to 100 UK hotels by 2035. B&B Hotels is the leading and fastest growing independent hotel chain in Europe with more than 600 hotels in 14 countries. B&B Hotels claim to offer: ‘warm, modern and affordable accommodation for both business and leisure clients, a combination of comfort, design and high-quality services at an attractive price: comfortable beds, high-speed wi-fi, gourmet buffet breakfast’.

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The latest addition to the Bespoke Hotel portfolio – the 5-star Sun Street Hotel is opening in London next month. Sun Street Hotel will have 41 bedrooms and suites, a 40-cover restaurant, plus an outdoor courtyard for dining and the Orangery, which are also open to non-residents for daytime coffees and pre-dinner drinks. Sun Street Hotel is located on the border of Shoreditch and the City of London and is a short walk from both Liverpool Street and Moorgate stations.

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St James Quarter is a 1.7m sq-ft lifestyle district in the heart of Edinburgh, which has just been officially opened by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal. The St James Quarter will soon feature the new W Hotel Edinburgh plus a 75-bedroom Roomzzz aparthotel. The Quarter has been designed to integrate with Edinburgh’s transport network and its cultural and historic background. W Edinburgh is set to open winter 2023. It will be a 12-storey building with 214 bedrooms and suites including an Extreme Wow Suite. Other features include a signature restaurant, leisure and spa facilities plus 2,450 sq ft of events space.

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The redevelopment of the Grade II-listed George Hotel in Huddersfield is set to continue following completion of remedial works to make the building safe and watertight.Redevelopment of the 1850s Grade II-listed building, currently sheathed in a scaffolding wrap, has stopped but should recommence in the spring.George Hotel, famous for being the birthplace of rugby league, is expected to reopen in the summer of 2024 as a new member of Radisson Hotel Group.

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Plans have just been approved to build the new Ashton Gate Sporting Quarter alongside Ashton Gate Football Stadium in Bristol. The Ashton Gate Sporting Quarter will include a sports and convention centre, a 232-bedroom hotel plus125 apartments, offices, shops, a gym, a club museum and a multi-storey car park. Bristol City Council have approved the plans, but the project will need a final sign off from the government before work can begin.

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Schloss Roxburghe, country estate in the Scottish Borders, is going to join the Destination by Hyatt brand – the brand’s first outing in the UK. Currently a 22-bedroom property, the Schloss Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course is set to become a luxury retreat with an additional 58 rooms and suites planned  as well as 12 cottages, two restaurants, three bars and two lounges. Development work is expected to be complete by late 2022. Further developments include a spa facility with two saunas and an outdoor infinity pool plus a purpose-built banqueting suite. Schloss Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course will be the second Hyatt-branded property in Scotland and is set to join the Hyatt Centric Edinburgh Haymarket with its planned opening in 2025.

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Finally, possibly the world’s most unusual hotel opens shortly in Ongar in Essex. Hotel Hyundai is the world's first car-powered hotel with all power supplied by an Hyundai Ioniq 5, through an adaptor. Hotel Hyundai features cabin accommodation, a restaurant, and a makeshift cinema, with all electricity harnessed through an adaptor from the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Hotel Hyundai is open for 14 nights, from October 19 to November 5.

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Published: 23 September 2022

The new 5-star Sun Street Hotel is the latest new property from Bespoke Hotels. The Sun Street Hotel is set to open October 2022 on the borderline of Shoreditch and the City of London. Behind the hotel’s traditional Georgian frontage there will be 41 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar, a library, events and meeting spaces plus a sun terrace and courtyard.

This month sees the opening of Manchester University’s newest conference and events venue – the Grade-II listed Oddfellows Hall.

Behind Oddfellows Hall’s historic Edwardian Baroque architecture there will be 13 meeting rooms, seating from six delegates boardroom to 50 delegates classroom style, ideal for interviews, away days, training events and smaller conferences.

The Beehive restaurant on the ground floor will seat 128 guests with more informal catering spaces within the Hall.

Oddfellows Hall is located on Oxford Road in central Manchester around a ten-minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly station.

Radisson Blu Perth has opened with 75 bedrooms in Perth - the Scottish city on the River Tay known as the “Gateway to the Highlands” of Scotland. The hotel occupies a landmark property that first opened in 1890 as one of the original British railway hotels.

Radisson Blu Hotel Perth has 75 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant, lobby bar and garden bar plus a fitness gym five large meeting and events suites and two ballrooms including the largest outside Edinburgh.

Lamington Group operators of room2 hometel brand have published plans to open three new net zero hotel in:

room2 York is planned to open September 2024 with 116 bedrooms.

room2 Glasgow is planned to open early 2025 in the city’s financial district with 134 bedrooms

room2 Manchester is planned to open early 2026 with 180 bedrooms and will become the group’s tallest hotel with 22 storeys.

room2 group currently have three hotels in the UK in Southampton, London Hammersmith and London Chiswick.

Plans have been published to convert the Grade II-listed former Debenhams building in Southport into a new aparthotel with around 20 apartments plus a restaurant and bar.

The building is located in the Lord Street Conservation Area in central Southport and has remained vacant since 2020.

The Grade II-listed Eldon Chambers in the centre of Newcastle are set to be converted into a new boutique hotel.

Plans have been approved to convert the historic building on Newcastle’s Quayside into a boutique hotel with 26 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar.

Eldon Chambers dates back to 1833 and has been unoccupied since 2016.

Finally, Rocco Forte’s city hotels have partnered with theatres, opera houses and musicians in each location to provide performances for guests available to order alongside in-suite dining from the hotels’ restaurants.

Rocco Forte UK sites include The Balmoral in Edinburgh and Brown’s Hotel in London.

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Published: 14 September 2022

The Edyn Group has announced its acquisition of the NH Kensington Hotel. It is part of the group’s planned extension of their lifestyle brand – Locke. 

Planned to open in June 2023, the Locke aparthotel will include 121 apartments, ranging from studios to one and two-bedroom open-plan units. The hotel will also include a lobby and common areas plus a bar, restaurant, co-working space, meeting areas and private gardens.

The new Locke aparthotel will be located in Cromwell Road, around five minutes from Earls Court tube station. It will be Edyn’s sixth Locke in London joining Kingsland Locke, Buckle Street Studios by Locke, Locke at Broken Wharf, Leman Locke and Bermonds Locke.   

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Published: 30 September 2022

A brief look at some of the stories you may have missed this week. These include:

Dalata Hotel Group will be opening their new Clayton Hotel Glasgow City in October 2022. The hotel will have 303 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar plus Red Bean Roastery. Clayton Hotel Glasgow City will have a range of meeting and events suites each equipped with the latest technology.  Clayton Hotel Glasgow City is located in Clyde Street, a short walk from both Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street stations.

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Plans have been submitted to restore and redevelop a number of disused and currently vacant buildings on the corner of Oldham Street and Spear Street. in Manchester's Northern Quarter into an aparthotel. The redeveloped building would open as an Accor Adagio Access brand with 117 hotel bedrooms, a guest lounge, gym and laundry facilities with 15 cycle spaces and two independent commercial units on the ground floor.

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Storied Collection is a new hotel group which will focus on offering hotel accommodation in historical buildings. The company is expected to launch next month. Boutique Hotelier report that “Across the UK and Ireland, there are some truly breathtaking historic properties, from Tudor estates to French-influenced chateaus. Storied Collection is looking to combine this period charm with the inquisitive minds of its guests and really celebrate the rich vein of history that runs through the hotels in the portfolio.” Storied Collection is planning to launch hotel accommodation in a range castles, manor homes, estates and other historic residences.

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Spring 2023 is now the expected opening date of Raffles London at The OWO.  The hotel is the brand’s first opening in London and is set in the Grade-II listed Old War Office building which was once the site of the original Palace of Whitehall and home to Henry VIII and other monarchs. Raffles London at The OWO will include 120 bedrooms and suites plus 85 residences together with 11 restaurants and bars, an immersive spa with a 20-metre indoor pool and separate vitality pool, and a 620 seated-capacity grand ballroom.

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The new Radisson Blu Sheffield hotel currently under construction in Sheffield city centre has reached the ‘topping-out’ stage. Radisson Blu Sheffield is located between Burgess Street and Pinstone Street in the city centre. The eight storey hotel will include 154 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar plus meeting rooms. It will also feature a rooftop bar and terrace with views over Sheffield’s Peace Gardens. Expect an opening towards the end of 2023.

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Monk Fryston Hall Hotel, the Grade II listed country house hotel located between Leeds and Selby, has gone into administration after closing during the pandemic. The hotel building dates back to the 12^th century and includes 29 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar plus meeting and events suites.

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Just a quick reminder in case you missed it - YOTEL London Shoreditch officially opened in June 2022. The hotel is in East London, just a two-minute walk from Bethnal Green tube station, with convenient links to events at London ExCel, Liverpool Street station, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Central London. It is also just stone's throw from Shoreditch and Brick Lane. YOTEL London Shoreditch was formerly the East London Hotel.

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Published: 19 September 2022

Hotel news you may have missed last week:

The Hoxton is opening its fourth hotel in London in December 2022  - located in Shepherd’s Bush. The Hoxton Shepherd’s Bush will be a 237-bedroom hotel and will feature a large open lobby, a central bar and terrace plus meeting and events space. The Hoxton Shepherd’s Bush will also be home to Thai-Americana all-day restaurant: Chet’s. The Hoxton’s meeting and events concept – the Apartment – will be located on the ground floor with four rooms centred around a communal Pantry Kitchen. The Hoxton Shepherd’s Bush will be located on the north end of Shepherd’s Bush Green, close to Shepherd’s Bush Market.

Plans for the next phase of a landmark science and tech-focused development at Alderley Park in Cheshire have now been submitted. They include meeting and events facilities. The new developments will support the development of the UK’s largest single-site campus, which is already home to more than 250 companies. It will be suitable for life sciences, technology and healthcare companies, particularly those working in drug discovery and development, diagnostics, digital health and AI sectors. Meanwhile, new office building planned alongside will provide workspace across six floors, offering coworking, serviced, meeting and managed spaces. Facilities will include flexible meeting rooms, lounge areas, an outdoor terrace and a hospitality offering as well as providing new amenities for all the existing Alderley Park community. We will monitor developments particularly regarding the meeting and events facilities.

Manor House Hotel in Alsager, Cheshire has just completed its second phase of its spa development and opened a new 'English Country Spa Garden'.  A new Pool House, the final addition to the hotel’s leisure facilities, is due to open in November 2022.

Plans have been approved to convert the upper floors of the former Natwest Bank in Liverpool’s Caste Street into a 92-bedroom hotel. Plans have already been approved for a restaurant and bar on the ground floor of the Grade II-listed building. The building has been unoccupied since being vacated by the bank five years ago.

Plans have been submitted to create a new hotel on the site of a car park in Shrewsbury.  Plans would see the site in Barker Street converted into an 83-bedroom Travelodge set across three floors, with an entrance and reception area on the ground floor. Plans are currently with the Shropshire Council.

Northop Hall Country House Hotel, an historic country house hotel in North Wales, is set to reopen under new ownership following its closure during the Covid outbreak. Northop Hall Country House Hotel is located in the village of Northop Hall within nine acres of private woodland and secluded gardens. Northop Hall Country House Hotel has 37 bedrooms, three meeting rooms, a restaurant and bar plus a banqueting suite for 150 guests. Northop Hall Country House Hotel is around 10 minutes from Chester and Mold, and a half an hour's drive from Manchester and Liverpool.

De Vere Latimer Estate, located near Chesham in Buckinghamshire has just unveiled the results of a refurbishment to its contemporary standalone events centre -The Mews. All 23 bedrooms have been refurbished and re-styled. The Mews with its double height glass atrium, has also seen its lobby transformed to provide a stylish, flexible space. De Vere Latimer Estate is set in 30 acres of Buckinghamshire countryside. It offers 27 flexible spaces for conferences, meetings, training and teambuilding across three different locations, each with its own dedicated entrance and parking. Leisure facilities include a pool, sauna and steam room.

Leicester City Football Club is seeking planning permission to extend their King Power Stadium. A new hotel together with a multi-purpose arena form part of the club’s plans.

Finally, American-based Great Wolf Resorts are behind a plan to build a new hotel and adventure park on a 46-acre site at Chesterton, near Bicester in Oxfordshire. It will be the group’s first development in Europe and will include a 500-bedroom hotel plus an indoor water park and an adventure park.

We will track progress on all these plans and report their progress.

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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