Hotels, Venues & Event news
Planning permission has been given for a 150 bedroom Hilton Garden Inn hotel at Royal Windsor Racecourse. The four-storey hotel will have a bar and restaurant open for breakfast and dinner, and a fitness suite, all open to non-residents.
The Royal Lancaster London relaunched in September, following an £83 million renovation. The extensive refurbishment has resulted in a new entrance facade and reception lobby, and the re-design of all 411 guest rooms and suites in the 18-storey tower, which overlooks Hyde Park. The hotel has also reinstated its original name of ‘Royal Lancaster London’ in time for the property’s 50th anniversary. Sally Beck, General Manager of Lancaster London, explains.
When did the renovation begin?
The renovations started in 2013 as a planned £40 million project. Most of our guests didn’t know anything about it as it was all back-of-house. It has since grown into an £83 million refurbishment. The hotel deserves the investment and our owner has done it properly. We’ve stayed open through-out and I believe that was the best decision as we’ve kept all our amazing staff. It was logistically challenging and it has taken us longer because we didn’t close. But I believe, it was better for the long-term future of our business.
Is there anything still left to do?
The public areas and the lobby, along with the completion of all meetings areas and all 411 rooms will be finished by the end of this year. We then start renovating the Lounge and our Park restau-rant in January. Once that is finished, we will be a completely new hotel from the inside out, which will be fit for purpose for the next 50 years.
What can business and event guests now expect from the Royal Lancaster London?
I want our guests to feel special and receive an emotionally intelligent service from the whole of our team. That means using a customer’s name when appropriate, instead of three times in one sentence for example. I want us to genuinely make our visitors happy and to deliver beyond expectations.
What’s the staff culture like?
We’ve just taken on 100 new members of staff and they have to feel part of our family quickly so that they can deliver the type of emotionally intelligent service that we’re looking for. I want to run the happiest hotel in London. We’re currently 72nd in The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Places to Work. We managed that during our renovation period, which is a great achievement. I want to be top 20. There’s 172 questions and the newspaper surveys all of our staff. The bit we can control is making sure that they fill it in but I can’t control what they say. When we get back the results, you get a genuine feel to the organisation and the happiness and engagement of our staff.
What’s your message to those event planners who have stuck with the hotel during the past few years?
Our message to our loyal customer base is thank-you for staying with us. Our future is very bright and we care deeply about loyalty. I believe our long-term pricing is fair and we are focused on developing long-term relationships.
I understand planners no longer need to book bedrooms as part of their event?
That’s right. We’ve changed our strategy from asking for a fixed number of room bookings from event organisers. I don’t think we need it anymore. The bedrooms now stand on their own two feet and the events space creates a separate demand that we can now cater for. Organisers book further in advance than transient business so if event planners need bedrooms, I believe we’ll be able to supply what’s required.
Finally, tell us why the Royal has returned to the hotel’s name?
The hotel opened as the Royal Lancaster in 1967. We have royal heritage and we’re located next to a royal park. There was a time in our history when it was felt that the word ‘Royal’ was dated and that we needed ‘London’ in our name. In 2009 therefore, we dropped the ‘Royal’ from our title. Five years later, I reviewed the decision and found that there was substantial confusion in London as there are other Lancaster-named hotels. Our staff wanted the ‘Royal’ back and when I presented our owner with the results of my research, it was the easiest yes I have ever had. We decided that the Royal should return as part of the refurbishment. I am very proud that we’re now back as the Royal Lancaster London.
The hotel will have 221 bedrooms, an all day dining restaurant, fitness centre and meeting space.
Celtic Football Club have received planning permission in principle to build a hotel and museum at Celtic Park. The hotel, is expected to have 175 to 200 bedrooms and up to five storeys. The plans also include a museum, a retail store for club merchandise and a new ticket office – at an estimated cost of £18m.
The first phase includes the launch of 95 new and luxurious guest rooms and suites in the Knightsbridge wing, the hotel’s classic entrance, notable main lobby and reception lounge have been redesigned to maximise natural daylight, and the building’s iconic facade has been renovated.
Our account manager for Thwaites Hotels recently came to visit us to showcase their portfolio of properties across the UK. On their visit they shared 5 little-known facts about some of their venues…
Our account manager for Thwaites Hotels recently came to visit us to showcase their portfolio of properties across the UK. On their visit they shared 5 little-known facts about some of their venues…
The 189-room Mondrian Park Avenue has opened in New York City’s NoMad neighbourhood. Owners SBE initially conceived the property as an SLS hotel; the project evolved following SBE’s late 2016 acquisition of the Morgans Hotel Group, which owned the Mondrian brand.
The new hotel is in a former office building erected in 1918. The property offers 7,000 square feet of meeting space, as well as the 120-seat Cleo restaurant, which offers a modern twist on the ingredients and cultures of the eastern and southern Mediterranean. Two happening evening spots are on-site: Fifteen Stories, a rooftop lounge and adjacent outdoor terrace, will feature music and other activities nightly, serving drinks and light bites from a central bar; and Yours Truly, a subterranean nightclub, takes the fun underground.
The 189-room Mondrian Park Avenue has opened in New York City’s NoMad neighbourhood. Owners SBE initially conceived the property as an SLS hotel; the project evolved following SBE’s late 2016 acquisition of the Morgans Hotel Group, which owned the Mondrian brand.
The new hotel is in a former office building erected in 1918. The property offers 7,000 square feet of meeting space, as well as the 120-seat Cleo restaurant, which offers a modern twist on the ingredients and cultures of the eastern and southern Mediterranean. Two happening evening spots are on-site: Fifteen Stories, a rooftop lounge and adjacent outdoor terrace, will feature music and other activities nightly, serving drinks and light bites from a central bar; and Yours Truly, a subterranean nightclub, takes the fun underground.
CitizenM, the very ‘connected’ hotel chain, has just opened its third establishment in Paris, not far from the bustling Gare de Lyon.
After opening a hotel in June in La Défense and near Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport, the hotel chain has cleverly applied the same striking features of its innovative concept to its brand new hotel: a casual and arty atmosphere, affordable luxury amenities, welcoming, well-being, and an uncommon combination of business and pleasure.
For business clients, citizenM offers the cloudM concept on the 15th floor. This chic and intimate Parisian apartment has a meeting room and a sky bar with stunning panoramic views of Paris, available for private hire (100 people) until 6pm. If you prefer to keep your feet on the ground, the societyM ground floor space offers 3 meeting rooms. In total, 4 meeting rooms for up to 10 people each, with boards, office supplies, coffee and free Wi-Fi.
The 338 guest rooms, mix technology with comfort. Rooms have a king- size bed, Wi-Fi, free movies, a digital ‘Mood Pad’ tablet so that guests can customise and create the atmosphere of their choice (lighting, curtains, temperature, TV), as well as a large bay window to enjoy the view.