Author: Katharine Jordan

The Jolly St Ermins in London are already well into the planning stages for a £30 million refurbishment which will touch all areas of the Hotel. It is the intention to retain all of the splendid historical elements like the mosaics, plasterwork and balusters. They will reinstate the garden at the forecourt that was an integral part of the original entry when St. Ermin’s was mansion flats. They will be combining all of the single bedrooms with the adjoining rooms as well as creating several suites when the office block is converted to additional bedrooms in mid-2011. The bedroom stock will be entirely new including a complete rework of the baths. The restaurant/bar will be expanded and breakfast will be moved to this area instead of the ballroom. They do anticipate that the Hotel will need to be closed for a short time, currently estimated at 4th Jan until reopening on 6th March. When they do reopen, the forecourt, public areas and majority of the bedrooms will be completed.

 

 

Hilton London Metropole has grabbed the gold for ‘Best Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events Hotel’ in the UK. The hotel triumphed despite stiff competition from other big names in the industry at the Business Destinations Travel Awards 2010.

 

The Hilton London Metropole is also delighted to announce that they have introduced a new room type, the Superior rooms, following an extensive £1.8m refurbishment in the hotel’s West Wing. With their contemporary design in vibrant and fresh colours and floor-to-ceiling windows, these bright and airy rooms offer superior comfort on 30m²-34m².

 

 

Team Spirit continues to forge ahead as market leaders and activity product developers with the launch of their new conference activity, Sense of Achievement. It’s a fun, interactive challenge that encourages team bonding whilst energising your conference audience. Run over five 15 – 20 minute sessions, each session is based around a different human sense, throughout your conference day. Sense Of Achievement keeps morale high and the momentum flowing throughout your event.

 

 

The Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel is the latest member of the Westminster Collection, bringing the Portfolio to 41.

 

 

Work has started on site of the Aloft London ExCeL, a sleek new hotel at ExCeL in London’s Docklands. Designed by architects Jestico + Whiles, the hotel is scheduled to open at the end of 2011, in readiness for the London Olympics. The project is being developed by ExCeL London’s parent company, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) in partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.

 

 

The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, will reopen its doors on Sunday 10th October 2010. One of this year’s most eagerly anticipated openings, The Savoy has been undergoing the most ambitious restoration in British history. The hotel closed in December 2007 for a restoration that encompasses the entire building from the iconic entrance and the American Bar to Savoy Grill and the 268 guestrooms and suites.

 

 

Homewood Park, part of the von Essen Hotel Collection, is proud to announce the opening of The Spa at Homewood Park. Set in acres of mature parklands and award-winning gardens on the edge of the beautiful Limpley Stoke Valley, near Bath, the spa completes the hotels full renovation, following the refurbishment of the public rooms and bedrooms in 2009. Opening officially in July, the Spa at Homewood Park is the first spa of 5 to be completed this year following the extensive multi-million pound investment across the collection to enhance von Essen’s luxury offering in 2010.

 

 

The Grove in Narberth, Wales is an 18th century country house, which has opened its doors to the corporate market. Situated in 24 acres on the edge of the Pembrokeshire National Park, the newly refurbished venue has 12 bedrooms and four self contained cottages. The Grove has three event spaces, the Garden Room, which has its own private terrace and can cater for a maximum of 22 delegate’s theatre style. The panelled room can hold a maximum of 16 delegates and the study can hold 10 delegates. The whole venue can be hired exclusively. Food is prepared by Nigel Marriage, a two Michelin star chef who was previously head-chef at Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons.

 

 

A new meeting venue destination has opened up just five minutes walk from the Heathrow Express platforms at Paddington Station in London. MWB Meeting Venues Paddington offers 14 rooms and has the capacity to accommodate up to 200 delegates in a range of flexible room configurations, all housed on the fourth floor of the new One Kingdom Street building. To celebrate the opening of this building there is a special £40pp day delegate rate introductory offer.

 

 

Corporate guests can take their bucket and spade to their meeting at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre in Warwickshire. The most central sandy beach in England has been created at the 160-acre venue which can be hired by companies for exclusive use. Delegates can relax in deck chairs and enjoy ice cream or hop on a pedalo or rowing boat. Other teambuilding activities at the 300-capactity conference centre include quad biking, zip wire and crazy golf.

 

 

The Science Museum in London has re-opened its Wellcome Wing event space after a six-month development and refurbishment programme. The upgraded ‘Who am I?’ gallery presents the latest brain science and genetics through a mixture of interactive exhibits and object-rich displays. New interactive exhibits will enable guests to morph their face and experience a voice box makeover. Corporate and private clients will be able to hire the gallery for evening drinks receptions for up to 350 guests. In addition, a new gallery exploring climate science will be launched in November, offering an events space for up to 300 standing.

 

 

The Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science has made Chicheley Hall near Milton Keynes available for meetings and events. The historic Grade I Georgian house has undergone an £11m redevelopment programme which has helped change it into an International Centre for Science. The Coach House has been converted into two lecture theatres for up to 100 delegates and includes a glazed atrium providing registration and break out space. The main house features 47 en-suite bedrooms and four meeting rooms for up to 25 delegates all with views across the glorious grounds.

 

 

The second phase at Excel London is now complete; the £160m expansion in Docklands has added a 5,000 seat auditorium, a banqueting hall with seating for 3,000 and a flexible conference suite for up to 2,500.

 

 

Flagship hotel openings ready for the Olympics include Renaissance St Pancras with 244 rooms alongside the Eurostar Terminal, Starwood’s luxury W in Leicester Square with 194 beds and 4 meeting spaces and The Shard of Glass (new London Bridge Tower) containing 195 room, 6 star Shangri-La hotel.

 

 

The Museum of London has completed redevelopments of their lower galleries spending £20.5m on creating new reception space.

 

 

Barceló UK has just completed a restoration project for 2 hotels, The Barceló Combe Grove Manor Hotel in Bath and the Barceló Stirling Highland Hotel in Scotland.

 

 

Well Met Conferencing at Leeds Metropolitan University has opened its new venue addition – Broadcasting Place.

 

 

Staffordshire’s Hawkesyard Hall has a 180 year old oak table at the centrepiece of the estates £300,000 re launch which will add a huge amount of history to any board meeting.

 

 

Telford Hotel and Golf Resort has undergone a 12 month, £10m refurbishment with the hope of the venue being not only a golf, spa and conference hotel but also a great wedding and leisure destination.

 

 

The Wood Deck at The Montague is a new alfresco event space at Bloomsbury’s four star boutique hotel The Montague. Launched last month it offers a peaceful retreat from the city overlooking the private gardens of the Bedford Estate. It can be hired exclusively for groups of up to 120 and when combined with the adjoining terrace can hold up to 200.

 

 

The MacDonald Cardrona Hotel & Golf Course in Peebles has announced extensive development plans. Approx. £5m will be invested in the hotel alone to create 50 new bedrooms, a brand new conference suite and a new restaurant.

 

 

International

 

 

A national treasure built in 1824, The Shelbourne Dublin, A Renaissance Hotel has been magnificently restored while keeping its historic charm. The Shelbourne Dublin is a luxury Five Star hotel in Dublin city centre overlooking St. Stephen’s Green, Europe’s grandest garden square. Ideally situated close to Dublin’s cultural and historic buildings, The Shelbourne Dublin offers a great location, from where you can visit the majestic St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity College or explore shops on Grafton Street. Enjoy a cocktail or Ireland’s own Guinness at the renowned Horseshoe Bar and celebrate life at the Oyster Bar or a prime-cut steak at The Saddle Room Restaurant.

 

 

Jurys Inn Hotel Group is investing €9 million this year in an extensive refurbishment programme in support of its new brand proposition of “Exceptional Everyday City Hotels”.  The programme follows a significant €4.6 million major refurbishment and upgrade of two of Jurys Inns landmark Dublin hotels, at Christchurch and Custom House Quay, in addition to significant upgrades for the hotels in Cork and Galway.

 

 

The Mövenpick Resort & Marine Spa Sousse Tunisia opened in April 2010. It is located on a prime 300 meter beach and in the heart of the city center. Only 20 Km away from “Habib Bourguiba Monastir” airport and 135 Km from downtown Tunis. 618 furnished rooms and all rooms have balconies or terraces. State of the art meeting facilities, including the main conference room (629 square meters) and 3 break out rooms of 48 square meters each.

 

 

Events facilities at Congress Centre Basel in Switzerland are to have a major revamp with an investment of CHF430 million.

 

 

The Nuvola (The Cloud), a contemporary new conference centre in Rome is finally under construction after years of delays. The futuristic design centres around a fibreglass ‘cloud’ containing an 1,800 seated auditorium ‘floating’ inside a huge glass and steel box. The development, located in the city’s business district also includes two large congress halls, a 6,000 m2 exhibition space and a 439 room hotel. It is expected to open mid 2011.

 

 

Dolce Hotels and Resorts have opened the 255 bedroom hotel ‘Dolce Munich-Unterschleissheim’ next door to its existing Dolce Ballhaus Forum conference centre.

 

 

Park Plaza Vondelpark in Amsterdam has been reopened with a 4 star status. It was closed for 3 months, during which time it had a complete makeover.

Dorchester Collection, the luxury hotel group whose hotels include The Dorchester in London, Plaza Athénée in Paris and The Beverly Hills Hotel in LA, is set to open a new country house hotel and eco-luxury spa, Coworth Park near Ascot in September 2010. Set in 240 acres of idyllic Berkshire parkland, yet just 45 minutes from Central London, Coworth Park is a restored Georgian Manor House and estate with 70 rooms and suites. 

 

 

Newly arrived at the RIBA – enjoy a Twinings Tea Ritual Afternoon Tea on the beautiful Florence Hall Terrace. Positioned in the heart of London, this divine little sun trap provides the perfect setting for an afternoon tea.

 

 

A new Hilton by Hampton hotel is currently under construction and should be open Mid September 2010. Located just off Junction 23 of the M4.

 

The New Macdonald Windsor Hotel, a contemporary townhouse in central Windsor, is the latest addition to Macdonald Hotels & Resorts’ impressive portfolio. Located on the site of the old Caley’s Department Store, this 120 bedroom hotel offers the quality and finish of a 5 star boutique property along with many original features and is ideally located opposite the Guildhall and Windsor Castle.

 

76 Portland Place is proud to announce that we have received the silver level award from Green Business Tourism. Green Tourism for London is the first independently audited Green Accreditation scheme for the meeting industry in London.

 

Magnuson Hotels, the world’s largest independent hotel chain, has signed 20 properties within the first two weeks of its official launch in the UK. Magnuson Hotels, which represents more than 1,200 properties in North America, is targeting independently-owned hotels with 20-plus bedrooms with its ‘fee-free’ business model which allows the hotelier to retain their independence.

 

Twycross Zoo is going through lots of change including the opening of new conference rooms and a banqueting /exhibition area, which looks out on to the superb Snow Leopold’s.  Twycross also has the facility to host team building activities.

 

Set to redefine guest experience; the new generation, 4 Star Holiday Inn Reading M4 Jct 10 opens on the 23rd June 2010, providing the latest and most innovative design and standards within the Intercontinental Hotel’s Group brand. The hotel has 174 luxuriously appointed bedrooms including Executive Rooms and Junior Suites. 

 

After a two year £25m redevelopment project Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa has opened its doors to guests, bringing five-star hospitality to York for the first time. 

 

New meeting and training rooms have been unveiled at London’s historic underground Churchill War Rooms. The modern spaces offer air conditioning, integrated AV and adjacent break-out rooms and can be used in conjunction with the recently refurbished Switch and Harmsworth Rooms for events for 10 – 400 people. 

 

The Ricoh Arena in Coventry completed its £3m expansion programme in May. Enhanced conference and exhibition facilities at the 38,000-capacity stadium include three new exhibition halls with retractable walls, boosting capacity from 8,000 to 10,000 and event space from 6,000sqm to 8,500sqm.  There is also a new 650-seat indoor sound proofed auditorium and a remodelled arrival area for the exhibition halls, while work on a new entrance to the on-site 71 Rooms & Silk Suites Hotel will be completed in June.

 

QHotels property The Queens in Leeds has opened a new executive floor, ‘QClub’. The dedicated floor incorporates 18 executive guest rooms and suites, a complimentary bar, executive lounge serving breakfast, meeting and office space and a private terrace providing views of Leeds’ skyline.

 

Following a £70,000 investment, the four-star Stratford Manor near Stratford-upon-Avon, has opened the Conference Café. The new business and training facility, which has been designed explicitly with small and medium meetings in mind, offers complimentary break out space, free flowing tea and coffee, unlimited snacks, complimentary WI-FI and computer access to all delegates.

 

Following the recent refurbishment of nine event spaces, healthcare charity The King’s Fund has relaunched its London headquarters as No.11 Cavendish Square. The Grade II listed Georgian townhouse, overlooking Cavendish Square, combines period features with contemporary designed conference suites in the adjoining extension.
Natural light and harbour views are both on offer in the new glass-fronted Grand Ballroom at Wyndham Grand, London Chelsea. The ballroom can be divided into five spaces and accommodate up to 1,000 conference delegates, or 600 guests for evening events.

 

In addition, two new interconnecting meeting rooms have opened on the penthouse level. Albert Bridge and Battersea Bridge both seat up to 60 people, offer river views, and are equipped with plasma screens and projectors. A new executive lounge is exclusively available to those using the meeting facilities or staying in the penthouse suites.

 

Located on the historic Brooklands race track in Surrey, the new Brooklands Hotel combines a contemporary glass design with an art deco inspired interior. The property, which has a section of the 1930s racing circuit running through its reception and is next door to Mercedes Benz World, offers 120 luxury rooms and suites, spa, cocktail bar, restaurant, and seven sets of meeting rooms ranging from the Brooklands Suite, that can cater for up to 175 people, to the Boardroom which can host up to 12.

 

Charles Boyd, the man behind caterers Chester Boyd, has launched The Northumberland within a magnificent Grade II listed Victorian building off Trafalgar Square in London. Built in 1887 as part of a 500-room ‘grand hotel’, the building has been occupied by the Crown since 1940 and has undergone a £7m refurbishment to create a 1,000 guest capacity events venue.  The impressive interior includes ornate plaster work, carvings and stained-glass windows, while its restaurant, Boyd’s Brasserie & Bar, is in a magnificent marble walled room. Catering is overseen by head chef David Collison, who previously ran the Queen’s garden parties.

 

A former East London town hall has reopened as a hotel. The aptly named Town Hall Hotel and Apartments makes the most of the building’s Edwardian architecture. The carefully restored conference & banqueting rooms include The Council Chamber, an impressive art-deco room with walnut panelling and raised seating for up to 70 people, and Bethnal Hall, which is made up of four interconnected rooms that can be separated by vertically sliding walls of polished wood or joined together to make a banqueting or conference space for up to 200. The building is a popular film location and has featured in Atonement, Brideshead Revisited and Poirot.

 

A range of new outdoor event spaces have been made available at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. Alfresco events and receptions can now take place on the Pavilion Roof Terrace, Mound Stand Terrace or the tranquil surroundings of the Harris Garden.

 

A spark of life has been breathed into London’s Battersea Power Station with the launch of a new venue inside the iconic building. The Boiler House at Battersea Power Station is a 1,000-capacity temporary structure with a clear gable end and roof section offering impressive views of the power station’s chimneys.

 

Lingfield Park Marriott opened this month with its four function suites seating up to 350 delegates banqueting style. The Marriott is connected to Lingfield Park Racecourse in Surrey and offers 116 bedrooms, a spa and golf course.
 

 

Harrogate International Centre has announced a £13m investment into the venue which will create 3400 sqm of additional event space when it is complete in Autumn 2011.

 

 
Birmingham New Street Station is currently being transformed by a £600m project and the government has just unveiled plans for a new high speed rail link between London and Birmingham with work due to commence in 2017.

 

The Holte Suite at Villa Park can now accommodate up to 800 guests and the Symphony Hall has just opened its doors to public events and can stage conferences for up to 2,200 delegates.

 

 
Nottingham Conferences has just become the first academic venue to sign up to the 2012 UK Event Industry Fair Pricing and Practice Charter which has been established to ensure fair pricing during the Olympic Games. Nottingham Conferences operates East Midlands Conference Centre, University of Nottingham, University Park, Jubilee Campus and Sutton Bonnington.

 

 
The Herbert Museum and Art Gallery in Coventry has just completed a £20m redevelopment and can hold up to 200 delegates.

 

 
Telford International Centre’s next phase of development is to create a 200 bedroom onsite hotel and to also develop bars/restaurants/parking/outdoor event space by 2016.

 

Carden Park, part of the De Vere Group, has completed a £350,000 refurbishment creating the self contained Carden Suite which can hold up to 400 delegates with its own entrance and car park.
 

 
The Lancaster London has been awarded silver from the Green Tourism for London – an official recognition of the hotels environmental policies.

 

 
The Science Museum (London), The National Media Museum (Bradford) and The National Railway Museum (York) have all become the first national museums to be awarded World Class Service recognition – audited on all levels of service.

 

When the Corinthia Hotel London opens its doors in December 2010, it is set to become one of London’s most prestigious hotels in this cosmopolitan capital.  Originally the magnificent Metropole Hotel that opened in 1886, the new hotel will be completely refurbished with 300 exceptionally designed and spacious bedrooms. The hotel will also feature a number of suites offering outstanding views, including the River Thames, The London Eye, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall. From the elegant central courtyard foyer, to the restaurants, luxury spa, destination bar, meeting facilities and the delicately refurbished grand ballroom, this hotel will offer guests a lavish retreat into timeless beauty in this historic and exciting city.

 

International

 

 

Dublin’s 50,000-seat Aviva Stadium, part of the Lime Venue Portfolio, officially opened on 14 May. Event facilities consist of more than fifty diverse spaces spread over five levels. Spaces vary in size and are flexible allowing for two to 800 people in any one space (total capacity is 2000). The stadium, designed to be Ireland’s most sustainable venue, offers 36 corporate boxes varying in capacity from two to seventy people. Also available is the state of the art Media Auditorium with seating for 190 guests and outdoor marquee areas.

 

 

As from 13 May 2010, 90% of the 280 rooms in the Hermitage in Monaco will have been renovated, bringing the decoration of this elegant Belle Epoque luxury hotel up to date with a new, functional look. The newly decorated restaurant, “Le Vistamar”, which has been redesigned with a new, separate bar, will also be unveiled, as will the new Eiffel Hall and its four new meeting rooms. A total of six rooms for meetings and receptions will therefore be available. From mid-July 2010, two additional new meeting rooms will also be available to clients, making a total of eight meeting and reception rooms.  Finally, in January 2011, the long-awaited new 310m² conference room, the “Salle Eiffel,” which can be divided into two sections, will be available.  (It can seat 260 for a banquet, 340 people as a theatre).  There will also be three new meeting rooms.

 

 
Having made a name for itself all over the world, the chic and casual style of Buddah Bar Lounges is coming to Monaco. The Société des Bains de Mer will open the new establishment in June 2010 in its “Golden Triangle”, a wing of the Monte-Carlo Casino. The lounge will be able to receive 160 guests in its restaurant and a hundred more in the exotic Buddha Bar. The establishment represents a completely new concept, combining a restaurant featuring inspired haute cuisine and the finest service available anywhere with a bar bathed in a musical atmosphere specially orchestrated by a talented DJ. The Buddha Bar will form an exclusive trio with the Principality’s two other exciting new hotspots… the “Moods”, soon to celebrate its 2nd anniversary, and the “Black Legend”, Monaco’s most recent nightclub acquisition.

 

 

The Hyatt Dusseldorf is due to open in December 2010. It’s set to be Hyatt’s 5th hotel opening in Germany.

 

 

A total of 47 million Euros has been invested in the new entrance, service and conference Mitte area of the Nuremberg Exhibition and Congress Centre in Germany.

Hampton Hotels Opens Three New Properties in the United Kingdom

Hampton Hotels, part of the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands, today announced the opening of three hotel properties in the United Kingdom, located in Birmingham, Braintree and Shrewsbury. The converted hotels are owned by Osborn Securities and managed by Hilton Worldwide. These hotels increase the UK Hampton by Hilton estate to five, creating more than 500 additional rooms.

The first hotel to open (March 16) was Hampton by Hilton Birmingham Star City, located just five minutes from Junction 6 of the M6, and only two miles from Birmingham city centre. This hotel is in an ideal location for discovering all the attractions this vibrant area has to offer – including the Bullring shopping centre, Fort Dunlop, Cadbury World, NEC and ICC. The hotel is surrounded by the Star City entertainment complex, which is perfect for guests to catch a movie or sample local restaurants. The hotel has 90 spacious, non-smoking bedrooms, including family rooms.

The Hampton by Hilton Shrewsbury opened on March 18 and is located on the outskirts of one of the finest medieval market towns in the UK, close to the Welsh border and easily accessible from Birmingham and the Midlands. The hotel is in the newly developed Shrewsbury Business Park. In addition, it is only a 15 minute drive from Telford, which boasts many business districts along with the Telford International Centre. The hotel is a great property for business travellers, offering 75 rooms to relax and rejuvenate after meetings, as well as for leisure travellers visiting shopping areas and historic sites.

The Hampton by Hilton Braintree opened March 23 and is located just ten minutes from Stansted Airport and 45 minutes from central London. The hotel is also conveniently located for visiting other attractions in Braintree, including the famous Freeport Designer Outlet Village just five minutes from the hotel, and the Fennes Estate and Leez Priory wedding venues. An ideal base for exploring Essex and the surrounding cities, guests can visit the London 2012 Olympic regeneration area and access Eurostar Kings Cross/ St Pancras International station, via an easy 45 minute train journey. With 76 rooms, the Braintree hotel is sure to be a welcome retreat for many local and international visitors.

Guests can expect exceptional quality from the three newly converted properties. These hotels are designed and styled to appeal to business and leisure travellers, offering best in class service and comfort. Currently guests can enjoy rates starting from £45 per room per night* when they book via Hamptonbyhilton.com, which includes a free fresh hot breakfast served daily. Hampton by Hilton continues to exceed guest’s expectations with outstanding guest service and value, a top priority for Hampton.

All the newly opened Hampton by Hilton hotels feature the brand’s signature key offerings including stylish lobbies and free high-speed internet access. Additional guest amenities include a 24-hour snack area featuring light entrees and sandwiches and a bar area along with evening dining options for guests to connect after meetings. Also on site is a stylish fitness centre and meeting space. Hotels also feature free on-site parking.

 

The Strand Palace Hotel in London has announced that the Mask Bar can now be booked for private events for up to 50 people.

Lord’s have been awarded a Business Development Research Consultants (BRDC) Gold Standard ‘VenueVerdict’ – one of only 19 such highly rated venues in the country. BDRC launched the new ‘VenueVerdict Gold Standard’, award which is only given to venues delivering the very highest levels of customer satisfaction over a period of time, based on large volumes of customer feedback. Lord’s was picked out as one of the first ever recipients of the award – alongside venues such as The George Hotel in Edinburgh and Silverstone racing circuit.

May sees the opening of a brand new hotel and leisure development at Lingfield Park Racecourse. A 4* Marriott which has magnificant views over the racecourse and has a relaxing spa and 18 hold golf course. In addition Lingfield Park has invested almost £1/2 million to refurbish the existing principal conference and hospitality facilities.

The Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science has announced that Chicheley Hall near Milton Keynes will open as a venue for meetings and events from the beginning of June. The historic Grade I Georgian house, which was purchased by the Royal Society in March 2009, will serve as the Kavli Royal Society International Centre, an extension to the Royal Society’s base in London, to host a wide range of scientific meetings and events. Chicheley Hall, will also open to both the commercial and social markets to host events such as team building, away days, both residential and non residential conferences, meetings and seminars.

 

Chandos House, the second property of The Royal Society of Medicine in Westminster, London has taken the Westminster Collection to its 40 member milestone. An exclusive Grade 1 listed Georgian Townhouse venue built between 1769 and 1771, Chandos House is located in the heart of London’s medical quarter, between Portland Place, Oxford Circus and the fashionable Marylebone Village. The house now offers five principal function rooms, each with its own unique character and ambiance. All of the rooms have natural daylight and there is a charming outdoor walled Garden Terrace.

 

Broadway House has launched a brand new meeting space, the Stephenson Room. It can accommodate 56 delegates cabaret style or 40 boardroom style and has air conditioning and natural daylight.

 

A magnificent new high-end 4 Star New Generation Holiday Inn, ideally located in the Winnersh Triangle, within close proximity of the M4, Bracknell & Wokingham is due to open on 2nd June 2010.

 

ExCeL London launched their ICC on 1st May! The centre has undergone an expansion and investment programme worth £165m and the new facailities include a purpose-built auditorium for up to 5,000 guests as well as the Capital Hall able to host receptions for up to 5,000 people.

 

Weetwood Hall, 3 miles from Leeds, achieves the gold accredited standard from the Meetings Industry Association. They are the first venue in Leeds and the North of England to achieve this award.

 

Opening with 20 bedrooms early May and the rest in June, York’s Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa revives the luxury and splendour of the Golden Age of travel. Impressive, sweeping staircases, mosaic-tiled corridors, individually designed rooms, sumptuous bathrooms and a unique vaulted spa provide a cinematic backdrop for a most memorable stay.

 

The Churchill War Rooms has opened new meeting and training rooms. The new air-conditioned spaces are equipped with latest AV equipment and adjacent break-out areas for small groups and private meetings. Existing rooms Switch and Harmsworth have recently been refurbished and can be dressed with war time items including gas masks, billy cans, trunks and sandbags, and waiting staff can be dressed in military and 1940s attire.

 

4th May is the re-opening of the superbly refurbished Mercure Southampton Centre – Dolphin Hotel.

 

International

 

Marriott International’s world-class luxury hotel brand, JW Marriott, plans to open 10 properties in five countries in 2010, bringing the total global portfolio of the brand to 54 hotels and resorts and 24,000 rooms. This unprecedented growth represents an investment exceeding $2 billion by JW Marriott property owners and franchisees.

As part of a global reorganization aimed at accelerating worldwide growth, Marriott International, Inc. plans to double its portfolio in Europe by 2015. Amy McPherson, president and managing director of Marriott International Europe, made the announcement at the International Hotel Investment Forum. Celebrating 35 years in Europe this year, Marriott International is represented with 174 hotels in Europe, and envisions increasing its portfolio from 40,000 rooms to 80,000 rooms by 2015. Seven of Marriott’s 18 brands are represented currently in Europe: Ritz-Carlton, Bvlgari, JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard by Marriott and Marriott Executive Apartments. In addition, the first European Residence Inn, an extended-stay brand, will open in Munich in 2012.

The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire has been awarded the highly coveted Meetings and Incentive Travel (M&IT) Gold Award for Top UK hotel. Gleneagles, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, saw off strong national competition from other top establishments shortlisted, which included The Dorchester, Chewton Glen and The Grove.

 

Opening in May 2010, after a 16 month closure and under new ownership, The Ellington, Leeds, a chic luxury 35 bedroom boutique hotel will become the latest addition to the Bespoke Hotels collection. With new owners and an entirely new team this stylish hotel is nestled in a row of Georgian buildings in the heart of the financial district minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the city, with bar and restaurant spearheaded by chef Nicholas Evans. The Ellington offers a choice of bedrooms, from contemporary to the more classical New Orleans style.

 

The name derived from a tribute to The Duke of Ellington who played at the citys’ 1958 music festival, culminates in an introductory opening rate which will run from 29th April 2010 for two months offering £111 B&B per room per night to celebrate The Duke of Ellington’s birthday who would be 111 on the opening day if still with us. After the two month introductory rate, rates start from £155 for a superior double and from £200 for a junior suite. Enjoying enormous beds, Egyptian cotton linen, fringed lampshades and glass-bead curtains, the jazzy bedroom style is off-set with plenty of 21st century technology – flat screens, Nespresso machines, squared off baths and Hansgrohe fittings all complete the luxury feel. Enjoying a peaceful location away from main roads and disturbance, the hotel is also close to a park, ideal for guests wanting an evening stroll.

 

The Ellington hotel welcomes guests and visitors who can enjoy morning coffee or afternoon tea in the light-filled open plan reception area – perfect also for an evening aperitif or light snack. The restaurant at The Ellington – situated in the basement – continues the jazz theme, with fabulous black and white images of music legends and a menu led by Nick Evans. There is free wired and wireless internet access throughout the hotel and iPods with pre-downloaded music are available to borrow. The Ellington has two meeting rooms, each with natural daylight, accommodating up to 30 people, with a separate entrance to the Boardroom, for private meetings.

 

The Royal Garden Hotel, London’s largest independent five star hotel is proud to announce the opening of the Park Terrace restaurant and bar, which will open at the beginning of May. The launch follows the success of the critically acclaimed restaurant Min Jiang on the tenth floor, opened in September 2008. The Park Terrace restaurant will be located on the ground floor of the hotel, offering stunning views of Kensington Palace Gardens. The restaurant will be divided into three areas: a restaurant serving à la carte British cuisine, with a strong focus on locally sourced ingredients; a lounge area offering a more informal dining option with all day dining and afternoon tea available; and a bar which will provide the focal point of the room, visible from the hotel lobby with an extensive selection of wines, beers, spirits and contemporary and classic cocktails. The executive chef of Park Terrace is Steve Munkley, whose ethos of sourcing as much of his produce as possible locally strongly underpins the restaurant menu. 

 

Munkley has worked closely with local suppliers including Ashlyns farm co-operative in Essex and Mrs Tee’s for wild mushrooms and New Forest venison. Steve’s culinary career spans 30 years, including executive chef positions at London Kensington Hilton, Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square and the Compleat Angler in Marlow. Steve was also chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs and an Honorary Fellow of Thames Valley University, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the hospitality industry. Park Terrace will also offer a traditional afternoon tea featuring sandwiches, cakes and scones from the award winning Park Terrace pastry chef. The bar, headed up by Vilmos Csehi will offer classic cocktails with contemporary British highlights such as the Kensington Martini.

 

The interior of Park Terrace will feature a stylish and warm colour palette of neutral tones, highlighted by light bronze accents and dark wood. The sleek quartzite stone bar, located in the centre of the room, will offer a backdrop against the floor to ceiling views of the neighbouring Kensington Palace Gardens. The restaurant will also offer a spacious private dining room, with space for up to 36 guests. Bespoke menus will be available in consultation with Steve Munkley, starting from £31.00 per person. Offering picturesque views over Kensington Gardens combined with excellent value British cuisine, Park Terrace looks set to be a great addition to the Kensington dining scene.

 

Plans have been unveiled for a new 20m boutique hotel in the heart of Newcastle city centre. The 148-bed, four-star Hotel Indigo is set to open in Fenkle Street, near to The Assembly Rooms, creating more than 80 full and part time jobs. The hotel, developed by Sanguine Hospitality, will open in February 2011 subject to approval by the city’s planners. Hotel Indigo Newcastle will be the developer’s first venture into the North East and only the fourth Hotel Indigo in the UK. Last year, Newcastle and Gateshead attracted 18.77 million visitors, maintaining hotel occupancy levels of 77% despite the recession.

 

Well Met Conferencing scooped the ‘New Venue’ award for their flagship venue, the Rose Bowl, which has already achieved a ‘Best Development’ and a ‘Design Excellence’ gong from the Yorkshire Property Industry Awards. The Rose Bowl, which has a dedicated conferencing and events space, succeeded strong competition at the event from The Copthorne Hotel, Sheffield and the Aagrah, Leeds/Bradford. Yorkshire Business Insider said: ‘In an industry re-inventing and refreshing itself throughout 2009, nowhere was this more apparent than with the new venues springing up across the region. Judges described the Rose Bowl, Leeds, as a fantastic addition to the city’s venue stock, performing excellently in a short period of time and displaying real versatility.’

 

The state-of-the-art signature glass building offers dedicated space to conferences and events with capacities that make Well Met one of the largest conference venues in the city. The Rose Bowl’s unique structure is the home for Leeds Business School and provides organisers with a choice of 7 lecture theatres which can accommodate for up to 256 delegates as well as breakout facilities for larger conferences. The Rose Bowl also incorporates a number of key environmental features which contributed to the ‘Rose Bowl’ gaining BREEAM excellence, the world’s longest standing and most widely used environmental assessment method for buildings. Now in their third year, Insider’s Yorkshire Business Tourism Awards recognise those organisations and venues that really go that extra mile to bring more business into Yorkshire, celebrating the very best of Yorkshire’s business tourism industry.

 

The second studio which is due to open on 20th April is located in Manchester’s vibrant northern quarter. Featuring nine bright, airy and individual event spaces accommodating from 2 to 180 guests, each with the innovative style and cutting edge technology. Located in the Hive (one of Manchester’s first BREEAM excellent rated buildings) the studio benefits from natural ventilation, individually controlled air-conditioning, sensor lighting and water saving features. There’s even a sedum roof terrace with direct access from the main event suite. In addition to a further 2 outdoor terraces dedicated for the use of studio guests. The proximity to public transport networks including rail and tram services means that you can easily travel to thestudio without it costing the earth, in either sense! thestudio can be found just 6-10 minutes walk from Manchester Piccadilly station and a short distance from the bus and tram terminus at Piccadilly gardens.

 

Redevelopment of the Brighton Centre will not start for at least another 3 years. Work on the convention centre was dues to commence in 2008 but was then postponed until 2010. Now it has been pushed back again. The £400m redevelopment is expected to take 2 years, meaning the new centre will not be ready until 2015. Having the venue empty is predicted to cost hotels, shops and restaurants £4m per year.

 

Jury’s Inn is set to invest £9m in 2010 on updating and expanding existing properties in support of the groups new brand classification – Exceptional Everyday City Hotels.

 

London’s Strand Palace Hotel, has added a new Westminster Suite. Located on the ground floor and featuring contemporary decor, the suite is ideal for private dining up to 40 guests.

 

Rockcliffe Hall, a 19th century mansion in County Durham, has been transformed into a 61 room, 5* hotel. The Hall, has been restored and modernised to include 8 air conditioned meeting rooms with views overlooking the 375-acre estate, and a banqueting suite for up to 250 guests. The development also includes an 18 hole championship golf course and one of the largest spas in the country.

 

Von Essen have launched the 5* ‘Forbury Hotel’ in Reading. Meetings and event spaces include a 30 seat cinema, the Cellar Dining Room for boardroom meetings and private dinners for up to 14 people. The Cerise brasserie, which has a garden and can seat up to 100, and the Library which can be hired as a private meeting room or as a lounge for a drinks reception. The 23 bedroom hotel can also be hired exclusively.

 

Three new contemporary meeting spaces have opened at the Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre on London’s South Bank. The flexible rooms can accommodate from 15-150 people. The new rooms all have high ceilings, integrated AV and original artwork and have been constructed with the environment in mind incorporating solar ventilating chimneys, solar panels to heat water and recycled rain water to flush the toilets.

International

 

 

The Leading Hotels of the World is pleased to announce that it has recently added the following new member hotels:

Scheduled to open early this summer, the Lotte Hotel Moscow is located in the heart of the financial and shopping districts of the city, to the west of the Kremlin and Red Square, and approximately 45 minutes from Sheremetyevo Airport. The newly built hotel will feature 304 guest rooms and suites, with clean-lined contemporary styling, spacious seating areas and generously sized marble bathrooms. Guests of the Club Floor are entitled to additional privileges, such as express check-in and check-out; access to the Club Lounge where they can enjoy buffet breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea; use of a small office with computer stations, free Internet, a scanner and printer; two meeting rooms; and a library. Renowned French chef Pierre Gagnaire oversees the gourmet restaurant Les Menus. The serene Mandara Spa is complemented by an indoor pool, fitness centre and health club. The hotel also has six rooms for conferences and banquets.

History fairly breathes in the walls of the Hotel Monasterio in Cusco, Peru. Created from what a 16th-century monastery was built on ancient Incan foundations, it is today a sophisticated, intimate hotel where guests will find the finest in 21st-century comfort. Set in the main archaeological area of the city, it is just two blocks from the Plaza de Armas, the central square. Guest accommodations are in 126 rooms and suites, with unique architectural features, and period pieces of furniture and artwork. Dining venues include Illariy Restaurant, serving Peruvian and international cuisine; El Tupay, the former refectory, serving buffet breakfast; and the Lobby Bar, for tea cocktails and canapés by the fire. Among the nearby recreation options are horseback riding, paragliding, hang gliding, mountain biking and whitewater rafting.

Located in the residential Malecon de la Reserva section of Lima, Peru, the Miraflores Park Hotel, with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, is distinguished by its subtle elegance and excellent service. Guest accommodations are in 82 rooms and suites, with either city or ocean views. Leisure and business travellers alike will find state-of-the-art facilities that create the perfect environment to serve as a base for exploring the capital city. Dining choices include Mesa 18, offering modern cuisine and Peruvian specialties; The Observatory for buffet breakfast; and Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde Bar. There is a rooftop swimming pool, as well as the Zest Spa, and a gym. Six banquet rooms are available for conferences and social events.

Set in one of the deepest canyon in the world, Las Casitas del Colca is a hidden gem – a luxury hotel and spa, set in the visually stunning Andes Mountains in southern Peru. It comprises 20 private casitas offering supreme luxury and exclusivity. Each casita features a luxurious bedroom, spacious lounge and a large bathroom, a private terrace and a heated plunge pool. The Curina Restaurant serves Andean à la carte cuisine, using fresh herbs and vegetables from the hotel’s farm; while the Curina Bar is the perfect place to relax over wine or cocktails. Situated adjacent to the free-form swimming pool, the Spa Samay offers a unique menu of revitalizing body treatments inspired by herbs and organic products indigenous to the Andes. It also has a sauna, two single treatment rooms, one double treatment room and a treatment suite complete with a soaking tub.

Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge is located within the walls of Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas. As the only hotel located next to the ancient Citadel, it offers the best location for exploring this remarkable city and the surrounding area. Given the ecological and historic sensitivity of its location, the hotel has implemented numerous green practices to protect its local environment. There are two suites and 29 rooms, with amazing views of the mountains, or the interior gardens boasting a variety of local flowers and orchids. Tampu Restaurant serves international and Peruvian cuisines, in warm surroundings of stone and wood; and Tinkuy Restaurant is open for buffet lunch for visitors to Machu Picchu as well as to hotel guests.

 

Jurys Cork Hotel has been officially be renamed The River Lee Hotel, as part of the new brand identity of The Doyle Collection. Rebuilt in 2006, the hotel was designed to take full advantage of its location on the River Lee and its proximity to the city centre so it was obvious that the hotel’s relationship with the river and the city would play an integral role in the choosing of the new name. Each of the 11 properties within The Doyle Collection has been given a name that clearly identifies the hotel and its excellent location. The Group’s design-led properties provide chic boltholes for modern day travellers, as well as stylish bars and restaurants for local consumers and this is no more evident than at The River Lee Hotel. The hotel enjoys spectacular views from both the ground floor bistro and bar as well as upper levels. All aspects of the hotel are tailored to suit the needs of both business and leisure guests.

 

The Doyle Collection has created bedrooms to accommodate every need – all 182 air-conditioned bedrooms feature pillow top beds with duckdownduvets, 4-piece suites and under floor heating in all bathrooms. In–room entertainment is cutting edge – 25 inch LCD TV’s with movies on demand, Sky Sports, hi-fi’s and complimentary hi speed internet access. Business guests can avail of a dedicated meeting room floor with eight meeting rooms all equipped with fully integrated audiovisual technology. The first floor also houses a 24-hour business centre with a dedicated co-ordinator available to assist. The Executive Floor offers more exclusivity with stunning penthouse views and a private lounge providing light refreshments throughout the day. The hotels magnificent leisure centre includes a 20m pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi as well as gym and has played host to many top teams visiting Cork including London Irish and Sale Sharks, and most recently the Irish Senior Rugby squad. While more laid back guests can completely unwind and indulge themselves with a range of pampering treatments in the delightful surroundings of The Urban Spa.

 

Opening in the Spring, Rimini’s Palacongressi, is set to become the largest convention centre in Italy, featuring 42 rooms with a total of 9.300 seats and a 4,700 seat auditorium plus 11,000 sqm of exhibition space.

 

Palma will have a new convention centre, due to open in Autumn 2011. The centre will have a 1,978 seat auditorium, another seating 462 and at least 10 other flexible rooms, plus exhibition halls. It will also have a 4*, 268 bedroom hotel on site.

The Brighton Centre has £1m to invest in improving its public areas.

 

 

To help drive non-match day facilities for what could be the largest banquet and conference facility, Sussex CCC has £8m to develop, this will be phased over 2 years.

 

 

The Hilton Brighton Met this year will refurbish all 75 sea-facing bedrooms. The Thistle Brighton has recently been given a facelift.

 

 

Harrogate International Centre’s current expansion plan will add a further 3,400sqm of space across two additional halls, and this should be completed by Autumn of 2011.

 

 

Center Parcs has won the Green Business Awards for Biodiversity Protection. The Green Business Awards 2009 celebrate innovative, ambitious and effective initiatives by UK businesses for achieving environmental sustainability, and implementing smart business practice.

 

 

The Best Western Keavil House Hotel near Dumfermline in Fife has been recognised for its excellent standards by achieving the Best Western International Quality Award.

 

 

Property company Lend Lease has unveiled plans for a 5,200sqm events venue at retail complex Bluewater in Kent. The £60m Bluewater Events Venue is being hailed as “the next milestone in the evolution of Bluewater”. It aims to complement the existing offer with specialist consumer events housed in a purpose-built venue to provide a year-round, consumer-orientated leisure experience for the 28 million people who visit the site each year. Construction of the project will commence in Spring 2010 with the first events taking place in late 2011.

 

 

Restoration of the Northumberland, a venue that has not been used for the last 70 years, has now been completed. The stunning Grade II listed building has two event spaces perfect for conferences, dinners, awards and product launches.

 

 

Work has got underway on Tate Modern’s £215m re-development. The extension will add a further 5,000m² of gallery space to the iconic London venue, doubling the size of the existing building and boosting its available event space. The £215m project is expected to be completed in time for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Five million people a year currently visit Tate Modern. The venue’s restaurant, East Room and Members Room are all popular spaces with corporate event organisers.

 

 

In January 2010 – Brook Hotels LTD acquired the management contract for the following three hotels suited for both the business and leisure traveller.  The hotels are as follows: Queensferry Hotel – Queensferry, Edinburgh, Tewkesbury Park Golf & Country Club – Tewkesbury, Madison Hotel – Swindon. They form part of Brook Hotels which has now grown to 19 hotels throughout the United Kingdom, all of which offer great value for money and quality accommodation. With over 1000 rooms in the UK provincial market, Brook Hotels now command a strong presence in both commercial and leisure market.

 

 

Engineers’ House in Bristol has just completed works to expand their facility with the addition of the Clifton Suite. The 170 seat suite boasts the latest in video projection and audio equipment, with in-room multi-media systems to minimise on potential equipment incompatibilities. To ensure that these increased capacities don’t create bottlenecks in the restaurant, Venue Leader Martyn Bowen also increased the seating capacity of the venues restaurant by expanding into areas previously underutilised.

 

 

The Sheraton Grand in Edinburgh is refurbishing all its bedrooms and suites, increasing the number of rooms to 268 and creating an opulent Grand Suite and exclusive ‘club’ floor. The first phase of the work is to be completed by April, with all rooms to be completed by July.

 

 

The first phase of a major refurbishment at the Runneymede-on-Thames Hotel has seen the lobby, restaurant and meeting and event spaces completely transformed. Phase two will add a new pool and tennis courts during 2010.

 

 

The new Mercure Newcastle George Washington Hotel Golf and Spa brings the total number of Mercure hotels in the UK to 32, the hotel is situated on the outskirts of Newcastle Upon Tyne. The property has 2 large function rooms catering for groups of up to 180 delegates and there are seven syndicate rooms for smaller groups.

 

 

Sundial Group has been named No1 performing brand in the BDRC VenueVerdict Awards for customer service at UK hotels and meeting venues. The residential conference centre brand achieved an overall score of 80.8% across its portfolio during 2009. Park Plaza Cardiff was awarded No1 Hotel with an outstanding 90.3% and Maple House in Birmingham claimed the No1 Conference Centre Award. ETC Venues won the VenueVerdict Gold Standard Brand Award for the group with the greatest number of venues achieving the newly launched VenueVerdict Gold Award. 

 

 

The Congress Centre, London has just completed a £4.2m refurbishment.

 

 

Newly formed Akkeron Hotels has acquired eight properties from Folio Hotels which went into administration in 2008. The company hopes to build a port Folio of up to 150 regional hotels across the UK.

 

 

Portugese hotel group Pestana Hotels and Resorts will launch its first hotel in the UK in March. The 4* property in London will offer over 216 bedrooms and 1,500sqm of banqueting and meeting space over 2 levels.

 

 

The Ebury, located close to London’s Sloane Square, has just opened its first floor event’s space.  A stunning room with high ceilings, natural light and walnut wood decor.  It can seat up to 50 guests for dinner or accommodate 100 for a reception.

 

 

International

 

 

Courtyard Basel, with direct access to the most varied water park and spa in Switzerland, “aquabasilea”, welcomes guests beginning March 1, 2010. Located only 15 minutes from the city center of Basel, this is an ideal location for any business or private event. Direct access to “aquabasilea” with 13’000 sqm.  175 spacious and productive guest rooms. All six meeting rooms, with a surface area of 415 sq. m. are well equipped and provide daylight, free Internet access and pre-function areas. Gastronomy at its best is the trademark of the max-restaurant, bar & lounge. Business lounge, lobby great room, Courtyard GoBoard and The 24/7 Market Free shuttle service between hotel and train station Pratteln SBB.

 

 

Hotel Arts in Barcelona has unveiled a modern new meeting space with panoramic views of the city and the sea. Arts 41 offers six separate meeting spaces accommodating up to 200 people.

 

 

The Courtyard by Marriott Stockholm is a new upscale hotel offering 278 bedrooms and 12 state-of-the-art meeting rooms. The spacious bedrooms are amongst the largest in the city and include complimentary high speed internet and free access to the hotel’s fitness centre. The hotel is located in the Kungsholmen neighborhood of Stockholm, within walking distance of the city centre and next door to one of the city’s main metro stations. It is the smart lodging choice whether you are in town for business or visiting one of Stockholm’s many attractions. Access from both Stockholm Arlanda International Airport and Stockholm Bromma Airport is easy and uncomplicated. The hotel’s Björk Bar and Grill offers a casual dining experience centered around well-prepared quality fresh ingredients in a comfortable setting. For meetings and events, the Courtyard by Marriott Stockholm is equipped with 1,000 m2 of Conferencing space consisting of a 380 m2 divisible ballroom, multiple break-out rooms, and ample networking space.

 

The Tivoli Congress Centre is a new central venue in downtown Copenhagen due to open in October 2010. Tivoli Congress Center is located in the heart of Copenhagen within walking distance of Tivoli Gardens, Town Hall Square, the pedestrian shopping streets and the waterfront. Dramatic in architecture and excellently located Tivoli Congress Center is the obvious choice in Copenhagen for conferences, meetings, training courses, AGMs, exhibitions and hospitality events. Measuring over 1,500 m² in area the Congress Hall is a vast expanse with capacity to accommodate 2,500 people.

 

Sol Melia is pleased to announce an agreement to manage the brand new Melia Braga in Portugal, opening its doors in June 2010.

 

The Chedi Milan Hotel is to be re-branded as Radisson Blu Hotel, Milan. Dating from 2007, the property has 250 rooms and is located north of the city centre, close to Milan’s two trade fairs. The conference facilities measure 800sqm and there is a spa and indoor swimming pool.

 

 

The ICC Berlin has been voted the World’s Leading Conference and Convention Centre in the World Travel Awards for the 6th time.

Ricoh Arena has announced plans for a multi-million pound expansion of its events centre in 2010. The £3m expansion will begin in January and is due to be complete before June. Included in the investment is the addition of three halls at the Coventry venue. A 650-seat auditorium and 2,500sqm of events space will be added to the existing 6,000sqm Jaguar Exhibition Hall. The Jaguar Exhibition Hall will also be enhanced by a new entrance, boosting its capacity to 10,000 visitors. Ricoh Arena chief executive Daniel Gidney said the development would allow individual events held at the venue to be self-contained.

 

A hotel company has unveiled plans to build Cumbria’s largest convention centre on the banks of Lake Winderemere. English Lakes Hotels already obtained planning permission in 2004 for a 600 seat venue at its Low Wood property, but is now seeking permission for a new marine-influenced eco design. The £4m Winderemere Convention Centre would have a 750sqm conference hall. The design contains numerous enviromental features, including an innovative heating system that would use ground source heat pumps to extract thermal energy from the lake. The new venue is due for completion in 2012 and will create five full time and 30 part time jobs.

 

Following an investment by Sodexo Prestige of £250,000, HMS Belfast is undergoing an intensive restoration and refurbishment programme and welcomed its first guests in the new catering surroundings just before the New Year. The Admiral’s Quarters are now an exclusive private dining room and conference space, which offers views over the Thames.

 

Jurys Inns is hoping to be named the UK’s greenest hotel group after 29 UK and Ireland hotels have been awarded either a gold or silver from the Green Tourism Business Scheme. The group has just received its 14th Gold award from the GTBS and the remaining 11 hotels to be assessed will all be completed with the aim to achieve gold in all of them.

 

Gary Rhodes has launched a new bar and private dining room at Rhodes W1 in London’s Cumberland Hotel.  The new look art deco Rhodes W1 private dining room is able to cater for 40 for dinners or boardroom lunches. The Ambassador of Slovenia declared the new facility open and introduced many wines from his country.

 

Following the refurbishment of the west wing of its impressive town house location, The King’s Fund is now offering a further nine rooms for hire. The venue is situated in a Grade II Georgian town house overlooking Cavendish Square in the heart of London’s West End. Each room in the refurbished wing maintains its Georgian period features, including decorative fireplaces and cornicing, adding a historic charm and elegance. Large windows mean that all rooms are light and airy while many include stunning views across Cavendish Square. With room capacities ranging from 4 up to 40 theatre style, they are suitable for a wide range of events, from small meetings and product launches to receptions and sit-down dinners. With a total of 29 rooms available, ranging from classic to contemporary styling.

 

 

This Spring, Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa is aspiring to become York’s first five-star hotel. This £20m project revives one of the city’s most iconic buildings – the prestigious railway headquarters – and will set new standards of service and style in one of the UK’s most popular business tourism destinations.

 

 

Anise Restaurant at The Felbridge Hotel and Spa was crowned ‘Best Eating Experience in Sussex’ at a glamorous Sussex Food & Drink Awards 2009/10 dinner on January 28. Over 9000 people voted for more than 300 top quality Sussex food and drink businesses in this fourth year of the Sussex Food & Drink Awards, which is run by Natural PR with A Taste of Sussex to promote and reward the best Sussex producers and the outlets which support them.

 

 

The Apex International (Edinburgh) is one of just 17 properties nationwide to qualify for the VenueVerdict Gold Standard Award, a new quality mark designed to signify the highest standards of service for meetings and events. The hotel has achieved in excess of 80 points in the Overall Performance Index in 2009.

 

 

imago, the leading conference and events business based at Loughborough University, has announced that it has acquired the Compass Hotel Loughborough on New Ashby Road (formerly the Quality Hotel) and its land, approximately four acres. imago is expected to officially be in possession of the hotel on 29th January, as the contract completes.
Under imago’s ownership, the hotel will be refurbished and renamed The Link Hotel, Loughborough. It joins the other venues within imago’s portfolio, including Burleigh Court, the first-class international conference centre; Holywell Park, the versatile day conference centre; plus the extensive conference and sports facilities at Loughborough University.

 

International

 

Dubai’s Burj Khalifa tower was opened officially on 4th January and will soon become the location of the world’s first Giorgio Armani hotel. At the launch of the world’s tallest tower, it was announced that the building’s Armani Hotel is scheduled to open on 18 March. The Armani Hotel, a £925m partnership between Armani and Emaar Properties, will occupy 37 floors of the 160-storey landmark, and will offer facilities including designer shops, spa and lounge. Online booking for the property is due to become available later this month. Armani is also reported to be planning a resort in Marrakech, a villa development in Egypt and further properties in New York, Tokyo, Shanghai and London.

The Holiday Inn Kings Cross/Bloomsbury will soon have a new name, Crowne Plaza London Kings Cross/St Pancras along with a full refurbishment programme.  The new facilities will include 405 luxury bedrooms, 6 meeting rooms and a conference room to seat 220, 4 syndicate rooms, restaurant and lounge bar.

 

 

Heythrop Park Resort announces the new development of Oxfordshire’s only Crowne Plaza Hotel and the first to be built outside of a city centre or airport location.  The hotel will sit alongside the existing 17th Century Heythrop Park Hotel.

 

 

The Vineyard Group announce the new management of 7 UK hotels:
The Barns Hotel, Bedford, Etrop Grange, Manchester, Hall Garth Hotel, Golf & Country Club, Darlington, Harpenden House, Brownsover Hall Hotel, Rugby, The Maids Head, Norwich, The Charlecote Pheasant Hotel, Stratford Upon Avon. Until 2nd December the hotels were managed by Mulbourn Ltd (trading as Folia Hotels) but Sonoma Ltd have decided to take advantage of the expertise & financial footing of the Vineyard Group by installing them as Managers.

 

 

Conference & Event group Imago has won gold, silver & bronze awards at the 2009 East Midlands Tourism Enjoy England Excellence Awards. The agency won gold in the Access for All, silver in the Large Hotel and bronze in the Sustainable Tourism categories.

 

 

The University of Leeds has renamed its on-campus 459-room accommodation, which opens to delegates in June 2011, the Storm Jameson Court after the former student and author of more than 50 literary works, Margaret Storm Jameson.

 

 

The Felbridge Hotel in East Grinstead has been given a quality rating of 86% in the 2010 AA Hotel Guide, making it the highest rating 4 star hotel in the South East of England. 

 

 

Elite Hotels are offering 1 in 5 complimentary delegates on day delegate and residential packages until December 2010.

 

 

Harrogate International Centre has received £13m in funding to construct two new exhibition and event halls totalling 3,400m2 and due for completion in 2011.

 

 

Regus has reopened the former Lehman Brothers conference centre. It has invested £100k in revamping the London venue which now includes a 200 seat conference room and seven meeting rooms.

 

 

Aberdeen has a new 203 guestroom Jurys Inn. The £175m hotel is integrated within Hammerson’s £275m Union Square Development, the newest and largest retail and leisure complex in Scotland.

 

 

The University of Edinburgh has spent £9m on its John McIntyre Centre. New amenities include a 350 seat conference suite, two boardrooms, lounge area and four breakout areas for up to 250. A stylish new restaurant that can seat up to 650, with an adjoining bar and lounge. An open air terrace offers dramatic views of the natural landmark Arthur’s Seat.

 

 

‘Dynamic Earth’ and ‘Winton House’ in Edinburgh have both joined the Green Tourism Business Scheme to help develop their environmental practices.

 

 

Audleys Wood Hotel in Basingstoke, Hampshire has completed a multi-million pound makeover. It now offers 72 refurbished bedrooms and suites. A new garden pavilion, with capacity for 200 people for a dinner and five meeting rooms accommodating up to 50 people.

 

 

London’s largest independently owned hotel, the Royal Garden, has opened its new Palace Suite. The space is 4,935 sq feet and has capacity for 550 people, is divisible in two areas and has a dedicated pre-function area and breakout rooms close by.

 

 

Kilworth House has received the top prize in the East Midlands Annual Regional Awards for the third time in five years. The Hotel will now go forward to the National finals held in London in the Spring, to compete with all the other regional winners in the same category.

 

 

New Openings

 

 

Hilton Liverpool – situated in the heart of the newly remodelled city centre, Liverpool One. The hotel has 215 guestrooms with views over the city or the Albert Docks, 8 meeting rooms and a ballroom (Grace Suite) with a pre-function area and bar, catering for up to 400 guests.

 

 

Doubletree by Hilton Milton Keynes (Dons Football Club stadium) – There are 127 guestrooms, a Ballroom (Clydesdale Bank) for up to 1,200 for a reception and 800 for a banquet and offers complimentary parking.

 

 

In the historic Syon Park there is a new development for the Waldorf Astoria Collection. Located across the River Thames from Kew Gardens, this 200 acre park is the official home of the Duke of Northumberland and has been for the last 400 years. There are 170 guestrooms, conference suite and spa.

 

 

Doubletree by Hilton Bristol – located minutes from the M5 motorway, Bristol Airport and City Centre. There are 72 bedrooms, 12 meeting rooms, 3 restaurants and 3 bars and a spa.

 

 

Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro – set within 10 acres of private landscaped grounds, this Victorian style hotel offers breathtaking views of the Trossachs and Campsie Falls. There are 200 guestrooms, 8 meeting rooms, Restaurant and swimming pool, sauna and steam room.

 

 

The Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel is due to open in March 2010, situated along the River Thames, Chelsea Bridge, opposite Battersea Park.  The hotel will have 217 rooms and 1,500 m2 of banqueting and meeting room space.

 

 

International

 

 

The Hilton Giardini Di Naxos, on the east coast of the Island of Sicily is due to open early 2010. They have 11 meeting rooms, event capacity for up to 960 guests and 296 bedrooms.

 

 

The Hilton Garden Inn in Krakow will be opening in June 2010. The hotel is the first Hilton garden Inn in Poland. It will be located in the heart of Krakow, the oldest city in Poland. There will be 4 meeting rooms and 154 guest rooms.

 

 

The Hilton Garden Inn Kutahya in Turkey will also open in June 2010. The hotel is located in the heart of the business district. Facilities include 7 meeting rooms ands 121 guest rooms.

 

 

The Hilton at Frankfurt Airport will be opening in June 2010. The hotel is directly connected to the airport terminals. Facilities include a ballroom for up to 320 guests, 8 Hilton meeting rooms and 249 guest rooms and 15 suites.  The Hilton Garden Inn at Frankfurt Airport is also opening during the same time. This hotel has smaller meeting facilities for up to 25 guests and 334 guest rooms.

 

 

The Radisson Blu in Hamburg has re-opened after a 48m euro renovation. It is the largest and highest hotel in the city and has 556 guestrooms, an extensive conference area with a new ballroom and two additional new event spaces –one of which is located on the top floor of the hotel with spectacular views over Hamburg. There are 4 new boardrooms with exclusive furnishings. A 2,122m2 conference floor with 12 multi functional rooms as well as a divisible ballroom and foyer area.

 

 

Hilton Worldwide has signed a franchise agreement with Venezia Capitol to open a Hilton Garden Inn Hotel in Venice, scheduled for summer 2010.

 

 

The RAI, Amsterdam’s conference complex, has grown even bigger with the addition of the new Elicium facility. This will be a 6 year, 110m euro investment programme. The building also embodies the most modern environment technology. It has a climate facade and thermal storage 187 metres below ground.

The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (QEIICC) could be expanded to become central London’s main International Conference Centre (ICC). Despite London Mayor Boris Johnson recently pledging his support for making Docklands-based ExCeL London the capital’s ICC, the Conservative Party has said there is still a need for a second, more centrally located, centre. However, this week Johnson’s chief of staff, Sir Simon Milton, has stated that there is no site in central London suitable for such a development, meaning that the ICC would have to be created from an existing venue. Meanwhile commercial property consultant Driver Jonas has delivered a report to the government on the sale potential of the QEIICC.

 

The contents will not be officially announced until the pre-budget report next month, but QEIICC’s chief executive, Ernest Vincent, said it would probably conclude that there was no other use for the venue beside meetings and events. “The report was to look at options to look at the best value for the tax payer but planning controls mean it’s unlikely to have any other use,” he said. “Compared to other conference centres the QEIICC is hugely successful. It’s performing extremely well because of its location and I’ve been given instructions to take bookings up to 2013 and beyond.” Vincent believes planning permission could be obtained in order to expand the venue’s capacity – currently 2,500. “Everything is possible in the course of time,” he said, adding that the centre has doubled its end of year profit forecast since reviewing positive half year results. The sale of the QEIICC was announced in July, but Vincent said that no serious offers had yet been received. He was unable to confirm if there were restrictions governing who could buy the venue due to the building’s special security features. The QEII was purpose-built in 1986 as a ‘secure’ conference centre for government and is rumoured to have seven subterranean levels and a tunnel connecting with the Houses of Parliament, although no one at the centre would confirm this.

 

Luxury car-makers Audi have fine-tuned the top two floors of the new seven-storey West London Audi into new events space the Audi quattro rooms. Based at the top of the new Audi centre, near Chiswick, the venue incorporates board rooms, meeting rooms and the ‘Audi Lounge’ private screening room, which can accommodate between four and 40 delegates. The venue is also available for exclusive hire and can entertain up to 300 guests over its two integrated floors. Designed by Miguel Beleza, the quattro rooms echo Audi’s brand values, incorporating touch screen technology, Bang & Olufsen Beovision screens, complimentary Wi-Fi and high speed video conferencing. The Audi quattro rooms’ lower floor will also display a collection of the latest Audi models and up to nine perfectly preserved historic cars.

 

Loughborough University conference brand Imago is to invest over £200K in upgrading the Holywell Park site. Stage 1 will be completed in January 2010 and will see a retractable seating system installed in the Stephenson lecture theatre.  Capacity will increase by over 25%.

 

Cambridge’s Moller Centre has completed the refurbishment of its Study Centre, extending facilities for training and conferences.

 

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has unveiled plans to open a new 254-bedroom hotel in Westminster in London. The new InterContinental London Westminster Hotel is scheduled to open in late 2011 at an estimated cost of £100million. It will occupy the former Queen Anne’s Chambers building – a 120,000sq ft office and retail site near New Scotland Yard. Proposed facilities include 218 guest rooms, 23 studios, 12 suites plus a presidential suite. It will include a restaurant and bar, a gym and a club lounge. Conference and banqueting facilities have not been published. IHG has secured a 20-year management deal with Splendid Hotel Group to operate the property. The InterContinental London Westminster Hotel will be the second InterContinental Hotel in the capital. It will join the existing 447-bedroom InterContinental London Hotel at Hyde Park Corner.

 

 

The Barbican in London, Europe’s largest combined arts and conference centre, has made a number of significant changes to its technical facilities to reduce the centre’s environmental impact. Changes to the lighting technology as well as re-wiring to meet the latest industry standards, will save around 64,000kwh plus cost savings in excess of £5,000 per year for the Barbican Theatre space alone. Other improvements during recent months have included the addition of a centre aisle in the Barbican Theatre, making the space more accessible for conferences and commercial usage. Sound and video infrastructure, emergency lighting, disabled access and signage have also been upgraded in recent months. Barbican, head of corporate sales, Anthony Hyde: “To remain commercially sustainable, particularly during difficult trading times it is vital that venues maintain their facilities and re-invest according to client needs and changing markets. However, such changes cannot be at the expense of the key infrastructure and hidden facilities that ultimately ensure successful client events. Our balanced approach has ensured our ongoing growth and success.”

 

The Moran Hotel Group has been granted planning permission for an extension to the Chiswick Moran Hotel in London. The extension will see the addition of 81 new bedrooms bringing the total up to 200, an extra 16 meeting rooms, a banqueting facility which will cater for up to 300 people, support areas and an additional underground parking facility for 90 cars. The projected investment is estimated at £20million. Owner of the Moran Hotel Group, Tom Moran, is looking forward to getting started on the project: “We’re delighted to be able to announce good news and a much needed boost to the local economy. With the London Olympics just around the corner, we’ll be well prepared for it with a great extension that is going to be every bit as stylish and contemporary as the rest of the Chiswick Moran Hotel.”

The architects for the project will be Project Orange, the same architects who designed the 4 star hotel for its opening in 2006. The Chiswick Moran Hotel is situated in Chiswick High Road just off the Chiswick Roundabout in West London. Gunnersbury tube station (District Line) is 400m from the hotel. The Moran Hotel Group is an Irish family-owned hotel group with two properties in London: The Crown Moran Hotel in North London and the Chiswick Moran Hotel in West London. In March 2008, the group took ownership of the six Bewley’s Hotels including two in the UK at Manchester Airport and in Leeds City Centre.

 

The Royal Garden Hotel in London has started the next phase of its refurbishment programme which will be due for completion in March 2010. The refurbishment will result in a new-look lobby, a new restaurant and further bedroom refurbishments. The Lobby will be closed from 23rd November and will reopen18th January. During this period the reception and concierge desks will be relocated to the lower ground floor. Berties Bar will be closed from 6th December through to 17th January. The Park Terrace will close 13th December and the new restaurant and bar will reopen 22nd March. During this period guests will have the choice of breakfast via room service or in Min Jiang located on the tenth floor of the hotel. 94 bedrooms on the 5th & 6th floor bedrooms will be restyled starting 23rd November with completion scheduled for April 2010. The work is part of a larger investment plan which will see all areas of the hotel redesigned and updated by spring 2012.

 

Holiday Inn London-Kensington Forum, the largest Holiday Inn in the world with 906 bedrooms is celebrating the completion of its one-year refurbishment programme. This includes 18,000 m2 of carpet replaced – the equivalent of nearly three Wembley Stadium football pitches; 800 new beds and 4,800 new pillows.

 

The United States Government has agreed to sell its embassy building in Grosvenor Square in London to a Qatari sovereign wealth-backed developer, reports Times Online. The investment group has not yet given full details of its plans for the site, but it is thought to be planning a luxury hotel and residential apartments. The Chancery building, which was granted Grade II listed status last month, has been home to the US Embassy in Britain for almost half a century. The building has 600 rooms on nine floors. There is currently a Marriott and a Millennium Hotel in Grosvenor Square. Hotel companies who are thought to be interested in this prime Mayfair location are likely to include Hyatt, InterContinental, Taj Hotels, Jumeirah, Hilton and Starwood. The US Government is planning a new £500million London Embassy on a five acre site in the Nine Elms regeneration area, a site which also includes Battersea Power Station. Wandsworth Council has granted outline consent for the new scheme which is not due for completion before 2017. The US Embassy will remain in Grosvenor Square until its new building is completed.

 

A 218-bedroom Holiday Inn is planned for the new Media City UK complex in Manchester. Peel Leisure has signed a franchise agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group for the hotel which is planned to open autumn 2011.The hotel will feature a restaurant and bar, meeting rooms and leisure facilities.

 

Hilton Garden Inn Luton Airport is a new 250 bedroom hotel which is planned at the airport. Property company, The Ability Group, is to develop the hotel on a site on Kimpton Road, next to Luton Parkway station and close to London Luton Airport. Building is expected to start later this year with an opening scheduled for 2011. This will be the second Garden Inn property in Luton. Hilton Garden Inn Luton North opened last year.

 

Following last year’s opening of the H10 Roma Città hotel in the Italian capital, the company is proud to announce the upcoming opening of its first hotel in the United Kingdom, the H10 London Waterloo. Located in well-known Waterloo Road, it is only a few minutes away from Waterloo Station and conveniently located and easily connected to any destination in central London. The Hotel will offer 177 rooms (many with fantastic views over some of the city’s landmarks such as the London Eye or the Gherkin building), 4 meeting rooms with availability up to 80 people, a Restaurant with Mediterranean Cuisine and a Health & Beauty Area on the 8th floor with excellent views over the city as well.

QHotels is celebrating their recognition at the 2009 Caterer & Hotelkeeper ‘Best Places to Work in Hospitality’ awards after receiving the ‘Excellence in Training’ accreditation.

 

Pontin’s Blackpool officially ceased trading on October 2, forcing the closure of on-site venue The Dunes Conference Complex. Ocean Parcs has opted not to renew the current lease on the land, citing an 8% drop in visitor numbers to the Blackpool Park.

 

The phase two development at ExCeL London has been named as the official International Conference Centre (ICC) for London, with the support of Mayor Boris Johnson.

 

Radisson Edwardian – One in every ten spaces on the daily or 24-hour delegate rate packages is now complimentary until April 2010. Due to popular demand, this offer now applies to all bookings arriving up to and including April 19, 2010 when booked and contracted by 31 December, and there is no limit to the number of delegates attending.

 

Firoka Group is investing £50m in developing Heythrop Park into an international standard conference venue and hotel.  They aim to have the first two phases of the project completed by the end of Autumn, including a 7,156 yard golf course.  Phase two will bring six meeting rooms and adjoining syndicates.  A Crowne Plaza hotel will be built with a function room for 450 guests, and a further 197 four-star bedrooms.  The existing conference theatre will also undergo a makeover.

 

The Connaught Mayfair Hotel has been renovated as part of a £70m programme.  The hotel has a number of new event spaces which was completed on 18th October.  There is a Ballroom with sprung parquet floor offering dining for 100 guests.

 

Qhotels is celebrating the news that all its 21 properties in the UK were accredited with at least a bronze accreditation with the ‘Green Tourism Business Scheme,’ with nine receiving a silver award.  Another scheme award was given to the Radisson SAS Hotel Stansted Airport, which won gold.

 

The Corinthia Hotel is set to open late 2010 in London with 300 rooms, 3 restaurants, ballroom and conference facilities.

 

London is set to receive a boost of 20,000 new rooms.  Opening properties in time for the Olympic Games are Hilton, Starwood, Park Plaza, Corinthia and Shangri La.

 

The Rendezvous Hotel in Skipton, North Yorkshire, has completed a £1.5m refurbishment.  It has nine function rooms to accommodate up to 400 people, 80 bedrooms, restaurant and leisure club.

 

The New Hall Hotel & Spa in Sutton Coldfield, part of the Hand Picked Hotel group, has completed a £1.3m renovation. This 800-year old, fine country house now boasts 21st century fabrics, design and technology blended with its antiques and medieval heritage.

 

A new conference space has opened at the Porsche Experience Centre, near the Silverstone race circuit, which can seat up to 150 theatre style.  Facilities at the centre include a boardroom for 30, a 19 seat cinema and an atrium seating 150.  The roof terrace can accommodate up to 100 people for a reception and offers great views of the circuit.

 

 

Blythswood Square will open in Glasgow city centre on the 26th October 2009. The Monte Carlo Suite includes a bespoke designed oak table which seats 52 people for a meeting or dinner to remember! There is also a private screening room and The Rally Bar, which is perfect for pre and post event drinks. The hotel will have 100 bedrooms.
   

 

The Auditorium at One Bishops Square in London is now available for corporate hire. The Auditorium can be found in the Allen and Overy offices, designed by Sir Norman Foster and located in Spitalfields in the City of London. The Auditorium is on the lower-ground floor accessed by escalator from the foyer. It will seat a maximum of 320 delegates theatre style, or can be used as three separate rooms with the plenary seating 170 delegates plus two breakout areas seating up to 60. The lobby area features specially commissioned works of electronic art. It is an ultra-modern, sophisticated space equipped with the latest communication and AV technology.

 

 

The Legacy Cardiff International Hotel opens in Cardiff on 2nd November. Formerly the Quality Cardiff Hotel, it has 95 three-star standard bedrooms – 54 of which will have been fully refurbished in time for the relaunch, with the balance completed shortly afterwards. All rooms are equipped with a satellite television, hospitality tray and internet connection. The hotel has a full restaurant, bar and extensive meeting and exhibition facilities. Legacy Hotels took up the management contract on the hotel in June. It is their second property in Cardiff and their seventh hotel in Wales. The Legacy Cardiff International is located just off the M4 Motorway at junction 32, within 10 minutes of central Cardiff.

 

 

Rafayel on the Left Bank is a new 65-bedroom 5 star hotel opening on Battersea’s new bohemian Left Bank in London. It is set to be one of the world’s first ‘green’ hotels. Officially opening in December 2009, this 5-star hotel is part of the pioneering Falcon Wharf Development, and aims to be a blueprint for future hotels. The hotel will showcase the latest technological advances in LED lightings, air-conditioning and VDA efficiencies. Rafayel aims to minimise impact on the environment by reducing each guest’s carbon footprint dramatically as well as significantly reducing electricity usage and cost. The hotel’s curved design will allow 360 degree views of London from the roof terrace. All rooms will have floor to ceiling windows with views of the river and the city. The hotel will feature two restaurants, offering formal and casual dining, breakfast, morning brunches, and traditional afternoon tea, with indoor and outdoor dining. There is a spa, gym and pool. Meeting room and conference facilities will accommodate up to 150 delegates.

 

 

Events booked to take place at The Savoy this autumn are being rehoused at venues across London as the hotel’s reopening is pushed back yet again. The hotel was due to relaunch in May, with the date then moving to autumn. That has now been delayed to spring 2010 due to ‘challenges’ with the iconic building’s restoration, which included removal of deadly asbestos. A spokeswoman for Fairmont Hotels, which manages the property, said of the £100m development: “The scale of the project is huge, particularly with an infrastructure that has not been touched in 120 years. With an iconic property such as The Savoy, it’s important not to rush the process and to be sensitive to its history whilst making it relevant to today’s market.” However, fearful that the delays would permanently put off organisers who use the hotel for annual events, the events team has been working with clients to offer alternatives.
International

 

International

 

Brazil is set to invest £9.5bn in infrastructure ahead of hosting the Fifa World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Olympic Games. The country expects to see a rise in the number of congresses and corporate events in the run up to these sporting events and a 15% increase in overall visitor figures. Rio de Janeiro was announced as the 2016 Olympic Games host city last Friday, seeing off bids from Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo.

 

The Marriott Miami Airport Campus will next week unveil a £44m renovation project, which includes the upgrade of 430sqm of meeting space. The campus, which comprises three hotels within a mile of Miami International Airport, officially reopened on 5 October. Courtyard Miami Airport South will offer 270sqm of meeting space spread over six rooms, while the Miami Airport Marriott boasts a newly-renovated lobby and 158sqm of meeting space.

 

Fairmont Bab Al Bahr opened on 1st October in Abu Dhabi featuring a Marco Pierre White restaurant. The property is located 15 miles from Abu Dhabi International Airport and offers 396 rooms, eight restaurants and bars including the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse & Grill. Fairmont Bab Al Bahr will open more than 2,500sqm of meeting space early next year, including a 1,070sqm ballroom and six meeting rooms ranging in size from 22sqm to 186sqm. The property’s Willow Stream Spa is also set to open in 2010, offering men’s and women’s treatment rooms, salons and pools.

 

Fairmont Nile City also opened on 1st October in Cairo with 567 rooms, Nile views and Art Deco furnishings.

 

UK based Firmdale Hotels opened its first US property in September, the Crosby Street Hotel. In the heart of Soho, it features 86 rooms with high ceilings and full length warehouse style windows. A bar, guest lounge, private courtyard garden, gym, 3 meeting spaces and a 99 seat screening room.

 

 

Four Points by Sheraton has made its Indian debut in September.  151 rooms, bar, all day dining restaurant, 24 hour fitness centre and swimming pool, nine meeting spaces, the largest of which holds 500 delegates.  The Jaipur City Square is also due to open this month.

Sundial’s continuing commitment to offer an outstanding level of service was again recognised by BDRC’s “Venue Verdict”. Sundial’s 2009 ‘year-to-date’ overall score is 82%, nearly two percentage points higher than the second placed brand. In addition to Sundial remaining top of the groups, Barnett Hill in Surrey was the highest placed individual venue in the country for ‘Overall Satisfaction’ for the reporting period June – August 2009. This is the second consecutive period in which it has achieved this position.  BDRC is the leading supplier of marketing research insight to the meetings sector, with a team of research professionals dedicated to this important part of the hospitality industry. Their VenueVerdict survey features the top UK Conference Centre groups, as well as internationally renowned hotel chains.

 

Having stormed the Insider Business Tourism Awards earlier this year, City Hall Sheffield could be in line for further award success, as the venue has been shortlisted in the category for Business Tourism of the Year for the White Rose Awards 2009. The team has already celebrated some award success this year, winning the Insider Business Tourism Award 2009 for Large Venue of the Year and then taking home the Grand Prix Prize as the overall winner. The venue was also named in The Independent’s Top 10 desirable conference destinations alongside Regency Hotel, London and Aston Villa Football Club.

 

The Royal College of Physicians has achieved a unique double in the Visit London Annual Awards for 2009. It’s the only venue to have been shortlisted for both the ‘Business Venue of the Year’ and ‘Outstanding Customer Service of the Year’ awards. The awards acknowledge the huge importance of the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions sectors of the tourism industry. In the ‘Business Venue of the Year’ category, judges pay special attention to innovative business tourism products reaching new market segments, as well as the upgrading of or creation of new facilities. The ‘Outstanding Customer Service’ category looks for individuals or teams who have shown exceptional commitment to customer care and service in all aspects of hospitality and contact with guests, and it is the whole of the RCP’s events team that is being considered.

 

London hotels bed stock is said to grow by 20,000 rooms by 2012.

 

Grade 2 listed Trinity Square is to be converted into a 131- room hotel and apartments in a £150m project, the neighbouring Mariner Building will open as a 600 room City inn in 2011.

 

The Radisson Edwardian Hotel Group has been awarded a Gold Award by the London Green 500 organisation for environmental initiatives.

 

The May Fair Hotel in London has introduced 3D technology in its 201 seat private screening room.

 

The Tree Gallery is the latest addition to the event space at London’s Natural History Museum. The Gallery can accommodate up to 50 for a seated dinner and 60 for a reception. It is available 7 days a week and bookings are made within a six week period.

 

Northumberland House State Rooms, just south of Trafalger Square in the heart of London will launch a new venue early next year. The Trafalger Ballroom can seat up to 500 people. There are 2 other large rooms and 10 smaller rooms.

 

Manor of Groves Ltd is pleased to announce the purchase of the elegant Shendish Manor Hotel.

 

 

International Hotel Investments has plans for the Metropole building in Whitehall.  The property will be developed into a 280-room luxury property, due to open in 2011.  Originally built as a hotel in the 1880’s, it was used for government business from 1936, but is now to be restored to its former glory.

 

Apex Hotels is investing £60m in transforming one of the City’s Inns of Court into a four-star contemporary hotel, set to open in Winter 2010. Situated just off Fleet Street, the property will offer 170 bedrooms, a restaurant, bar and conference facilities. Apex is also investing £35m in another hotel in the City, the Apex Wall, due to open in November 2009.

 

New meeting facilities will be available at West London Audi car distributors on the Great West Road in Middlesex from 19th October. A £30million plus investment has resulted in the world’s largest Audi Centre – a five-storey curved glass and steel building complete with extensive conference, exhibition and museum space. West London Audi is the group’s second hub with meeting facilities. The first of these – Glasgow Audi – opened in Braehead in 2004.

 

Hampton by Hilton Liverpool John Lennon Airport is a new 160-bedroom hotel opening on 28th September 2009. Bedrooms are air-conditioned with complimentary wi-fi and broadband access. All room rates include a complimentary hot buffet breakfast and complimentary use of the in-house fitness facilities. A supper menu is available with light snacks available throughout the day.
The hotel has three meeting rooms the largest of which will seat up to twenty delegates boardroom style – all three rooms have natural daylight, air-conditioning and complimentary wi-fi. This will be the second Hampton by Hilton property to open in the UK. The first opened in Corby earlier this year. Other Hampton by Hilton will be opening in future in Derby and Leeds city centre and at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. Three previous Purple Hotels, in Birmingham, Shrewsbury and Braintree, will also be refurbished and rebranded as Hampton by Hilton properties in the near future.

 

International

 

EPIC, a new 411 – room waterfront hotel has opened in downtown Miami. The hotel features more than 11,000 sq ft of indoor event space, as well as a private Marina and waterfront lawn.

 

Opening in December, the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas will be a stylish non-gaming hotel with 392 rooms and 227 residences and more than 12,000 sq ft of function space, including a 600 capacity ballroom.

 

Swissotel, Chicago has opened a new meeting and convention centre comprising of more than 38,000 sq ft of function space including a state of the art 14,000 sq ft ballroom.

 

A new Waldorf Astoria will launch in Orlando in October. It will offer 28,000 sq ft of meeting space.