Month: June 2011

Building work is on schedule for completion of the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, Northern Ireland’s largest ever tourism project (by March 2012), in time to mark the centenary of RMS Titanic’s maiden voyage a month later. Titanic Belfast is expected to attract around 400,000 visitors per year. Overlooking the site where the famous liner was built, the venue will feature visitor attractions, plus community arts and education facilities, a large gallery for temporary exhibitions, performances and meetings, cafes, restaurants and shops and the Astor Suite, a 750-capacity banqueting/conference centre.

The Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) has announced that its new arena will be called The Scottish Hydro Arena as part of a £15m deal. Energy supplier Scottish Hydro will invest £1.5m per year over the next 10 years as the naming rights partner at the venue, which is due to open in spring 2013. The arena – which is being referred to as ‘The Hydro’ – is set to play host to national and international music concerts as well as entertainment and sporting events. With a seating capacity of 12,000, The Hydro will hold around 140 events per year and it is aiming to attract an audience of one million visitors each year – positioning it alongside Madison Square Gardens and The O2 arena. According to an economic study, The Hydro has the potential to inject an additional £131m annually into the local economy.

Hampton by Hilton Hotels today announced the opening of its eighth hotel in the United Kingdom, the 117-room Hampton by Hilton Derby City Centre. The new build hotel is located in the recently opened Derby Riverlights development, situated in a waterfront area between Courts Centre and Cock Pitt Island in the centre of Derby.  The hotel is conveniently located adjacent to Derby’s Central Bus Station. This property is owned by Shiva Hotels Limited and managed by Hospitality Management International Limited under a franchise agreement. The Hampton by Hilton Derby City Centre is the sixth hotel the brand has opened in the UK market this year, with another 5 hotels currently scheduled in the pipeline to open between now and the end of 2013.

The £20 million four star Casa hotel in Chesterfield has officially opened its doors. Casa is the town’s only 4-star hotel and excitement has been building for visitors to be able to enjoy unrivalled luxury accommodation, state-of-the-art facilities and a touch of Spanish flair. ‘Casa’ is the Spanish word for ‘home’, and this is at the heart of the hotel’s aspirations with 100 luxury bedrooms complete with state-of-the-art technology, meeting facilities, 176 free car parking spaces and a number of bars to unwind in. The Spanish theme runs throughout the decor and interiors, to help create a vibrant, warm ambience. The 94 deluxe bedrooms come complete with rain-showers, 32″ flatscreen televisions, Wi Fi, Super King size beds and stunning floor to ceiling windows.

Legacy Hotels and Resorts have taken over at the helm of the Legacy Woodhall Spa Hotel at The Broadway, Woodhall Spa. The three-star, 25-bedroom property, which is the oldest hotel in Woodhall Spa and owned by Hoby Hotels, is located only 400 metres from The National Golf Centre and is in the heart of the conservation area. The company will also be managing the Lincolnshire Oak Hotel in East Road, Sleaford, a 3-star, 17 bedroomed hotel which is also owned by Hoby Hotels.

The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel companies worldwide, adds a further Park Inn flagship to its UK-portfolio and announces the Park Inn Watford. The 235 rooms-property is scheduled to welcome the first guests in Q2 2012. “Park Inn is one of our core brands and is currently being refreshed – we promote Park Inn’s new look and feel with a huge marketing campaign across the UK. The signing of Park Inn Watford comes at a perfect time and will further strengthen our brand awareness in the capital city and the country”, said Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor. Park Inn Watford will be a mid-market hotel located 6 km away from central London on Olympic Way, a pedestrian zone leading to the main entrance of Wembley Stadium (300m).

Radisson Edwardian, the luxury hospitality brand, will create 165 new jobs when its new Guildford hotel opens in September. The 185 bedroom hotel will feature two restaurants, a dining terrace, style bar, a spa, gym, swimming pool, conference and meeting rooms when it opens on 29 September.

Hotel Indigo has opened its newest 4-star venue; Hotel Indigo Liverpool. Located in the city’s commercial district and only a 5 minute journey from the BT convention centre and the Echo Arena, Hotel Indigo Liverpool delivers an exciting and vibrant guest experience to the heart of the local community. The glamorous boutique hotel is inspired by its historical and cultural surroundings, from the design of the bedrooms right down to the music played throughout the lobby. The hotel has 151 guestrooms, complete with oversized beds, spa-inspired bathrooms and complimentary wireless internet access. Fitness Studio and a Marco Pierre White inspired steakhouse.

Meliá’s new London hotel has had its roof destroyed by a fire which took 100 firefighters more than seven hours to extinguish. The hotel, which is due to open next year, is situated in former BBC headquarters, Marconi House, on The Strand in London’s West End. Meliá Hotels International confirmed that no one was injured in the blaze, although the full extent of the damage is still unknown. The 173-room Foster & Partners designed hotel, which will be named ME London, is Meliá’s second hotel in the capital, where it already operates the Meliá White House in Regent’s Park.