EDGE Venues

More than half of organisers have witnessed an increase in attendance at meetings and events so far this year, according to the latest Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Business Barometer. MPI surveyed a select group of senior level meeting planners from its global membership and found that 55 per cent had experienced increased attendance at their events compared to the previous year. In addition, 68 per cent said that current trading conditions were favourable and 80 per cent predicted conditions to continue to improve, although Europeans reported slightly less favourable conditions than Americans. Other key trends include a gradual recovery in spending per meeting, with 39 per cent reporting a rise compared with the same period a year ago.

Confex Group portfolio director Jonny Sullens has asked international exhibitors to give Confex one more chance following its move to ExCeL next year. He said that past exhibitors who had been disappointed with the show would “find it a completely different proposition.” “It’s about return on investment, we understand that and it is down to us to prove it,” he said. “We know we still need more domestic buyers that place international business and we’re working on that. Next year we may partner Visit Britain or a hotel group for the hosted buyer programme.” Sullens said he was expecting visitor figures to this year’s show, which took place 1-3 March at Earl’s Court, would be down. “We actively discouraged students from attending, limiting it to 250, who could only come on the Student Day,” he said. “The exhibitors have fed back to me that there’s less time wasters on the show floor this year and that’s important. We were disappointed with attendance at the Association Day, but we know what we need to do to make it better.”
He added that exhibitors ‘would be mad’ to not do Confex in 2012 – the year of the Olympic Games. “We’ll be getting a lot of attention,” he said.

London still offers value for money according to two agencies, despite an average hotel room rate hike of 8 per cent. TRI Consulting’s European Chain Hotels Market Review for May 2010 recorded a 7.8 per cent rise in average room rates to €164.74 (£134). Revenue per available room (revpar) grew from May 2009 by 7.6 per cent to €140.83 (£115). Average room occupancy for the month remained static at 85.7 per cent in May 2009 compared with 85.5 per cent in May 2010. Gerry Manser, director of events at destination and event management company Travel Places, believed the increases were a correction for the low rates offered in 2008-09. “Hotels have had two years of chaff with no wheat, so now they are trying to claw back some of their investment,” he said. “To get the return on investment there needed to be a substantial increase year on year and London is a hot destination at the moment, not just for the commercial and corporate sectors but for associations as well.”

OXO2 is a fabulous new events space on the second floor of the iconic Oxo Tower on London’s Southbank. This light and spacious venue offers limitless creative opportunities for events as well as stunning views over the river and the London skyline. This amazing venue is only available for 18 months and is ideal for parties, conferences, product launches, fashion shows and photo shoots. Fabulous party packages are available for both Summer and Christmas, with catering by Create, and the venue is also available for dry hire events with an open catering policy. Capacities are 100 – 180 Dinner, 100 – 500 Reception/Buffet or
60 – 100 Conference.

Wrexham and Shropshire railways has closed, cutting off a direct route from London to The Telford International Centre
 

Akkeron Hotels Group has aquired 10 hotels from Butterfly and Crowne Hotels, the hotels were acquired from administrators and were trading under Best Western, Ramada and Holiday Inn Express brands 

A London entrepreneur plans to open 26 disused tube stations and tunnels, some as conference spaces

 
De Vere venues has added three new venues, The Studio Birmingham and Manchester and Searcys Commonwealth Club in London

 
Chelsea FC has made Marco’s (the Marco Pierre White Restaurant located within the CFC complex) available for meetings and events. It can hold up to 60 for meetings and 150 for receptions

 
15th century Scottish castle, Ackergill Tower, has opened additional conference space following a stables conversion

 
Guoman Hotels’ The Grosvenor at London Victoria is to receive £18m worth of investment including a complete restyle of all bedrooms, public areas, restaurants and bars

During the past 12 months the Thistle Hotel Birmingham has undergone an extensive refurbishment including bedrooms public areas and restaurant bringing a modern and contemporary feel to the hotel

The first stand alone bistro, Bistro du Vin, opens in the East Side of London at the beginning of April. Reflecting the local influence of Smithfield’s market, the bistro will have a Butcher’s room showcasing the finest meats and taking centre stage will be a large open kitchen so diners can be part of the theatre. Two private dining rooms, one for 8 people and the other for 14 people will offer a secret hideaway for meetings over lunch or dinner.

Good news for The Red Carnation Properties – “41” was recently voted the Top Hotel in the UK by TripAdvisor in their 2011 Travellers’ Choice Awards and The Milestone was the only English Hotel to score 100% for service in ‘The Best Places To Stay in the World’ in the Condé Nast Traveller’s Gold List 2011

CCT Venues shines out in Clean City Awards. Organised by the City of London Corporation, this awards scheme encourages good practice in waste management across the Square Mile. One of just 10 top-performing sites in its category, CCT Venues secured a prestigious Platinum Award. Presented by the Lord Mayor of the City of London during a ceremony at the Mansion House, the new award recognises CCT Venues strongly improving track-record. The company won a Gold Award in 2009 and a Merit Award in 2008. Chosen from over 1650 sites across the City of London that range from small shops to large multinational companies, the winners represent best practice in waste minimisation, reuse and recycling initiatives. Awards are based on site visits by inspectors and documentary evidence submitted by the entrants. In addition, the in-depth Platinum Award Application Form probes issues such as staff communications and the reduction of smoking-related litter. Facilities Manager, Marika Dekker says: “Everyone at CCT Venues should be very proud. This is a BIG step up from last year’s Gold Award and two steps up from our Merit Award in 2008. Next year we’re aiming for the ultimate prize – the Chairman’s Cup!”

Developer Brayford Hotels has officially unveiled the designs for the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, which is currently being built on Brayford Wharf North in Lincoln and plans to welcome guests towards the end of 2011. In the meantime, the developers are keen to share their vision for what will be the region’s premier upscale, full-service hotel establishment. The new DoubleTree by Hilton Lincoln has been envisioned by developers to become an outstanding social gathering place for the community. Highlighted by a scenic rooftop bar and contemporary restaurant, which visitors will be able to access via a panoramic glass lift, the stylish hotel also will offer more than 500m² of flexible, contemporary meeting and events space including a ballroom with a capacity of up to 300 guests, theatre style. Of the 115 modern and well-appointed guest rooms at the DoubleTree by Hilton Lincoln, 17 have been designed as spacious studio suites, each with a balcony and views of either the Brayford Pool or the Lincoln Cathedral.

A leading Newcastle hotel badly damaged by fire is entering the final stages of a £3.5m investment with the creation of around 100 jobs. The former Imperial Hotel in Jesmond has now become The Holiday Inn and is coming to the end of a two year refurbishment to turn it into a state-of-the-art, modern hotel. The 116 bedroom site, which is operated by the Cairn Hotel Group, now includes a stylish bar and Fratello’s, a 75 cover Italian restaurant.

Liverpool’s landmark Arena and Convention Centre is to benefit from the addition of a new 8,100m² exhibition and events complex open for business in September 2014.  Costing £40m, the new venue will consist of 8,100m2 of space which will be sub-dividable into three interlinked pillar-free exhibition halls, each 2,700m² in size. The development; with its progressive technology, production equipment and individually adjustable ceiling heights, will ensure that Liverpool continues to increase its momentum as one of Europe’s leading destinations for large-scale conferences, standing concerts, sporting events and exhibitions. The extension to the existing ACC Liverpool (comprising Echo Arena and BT Convention Centre) will also see the development of an on-site upscale 200-bedroom hotel.  The new facilities will be connected with a sky bridge directly in to ACC Liverpool making it the only interconnected arena, convention centre and exhibition facility in Europe. 

A stylish four-star, 83 bedroom hotel in the heart of Paddington in London has opened under the Mercure hotel brand. The new Mercure London Paddington Hotel opened on 18th March, offering guests a comfortable base in the heart of the capital. London Paddington is the 44th hotel to join the Mercure UK network, following a franchise agreement with London Town Hotels. The refurbishment has included a full revamp of the reception, bar, restaurant and other public areas.

Leading Cheshire hotel, conference, events and wedding venue, Peckforton Castle has joined forces with the De Vere Academy of Hospitality in Wychwood Park, Crewe to offer local 16-24 year olds not in education, employment or training the chance to work in the hotel and catering industry by offering work placements in Customer Service and Professional Cookery. The Academy, a joint venture between De Vere and The National Apprenticeship Service, is the first of its kind in the UK – a unique training initiative for any young person with aspirations for a career in hospitality. The Wychwood Park Academy opened its doors to the first group of apprentices in September 2010 with support from Cheshire East Council’s Economic Recovery Task Group. Thanks to huge success, January saw the third intake of young apprentices begin their exclusive training.

Drayton Manor Theme Park is opening a brand new 150 bedroom Hotel at Drayton Manor Park in Staffordshire in early August. The Hotel is actually on the Drayton Manor Theme Park site and a fantastic facility for conferences but also team building, banqueting & meetings up to 400 delegates with additional elements such as the out of the box option of holding a team build in the Park or Zoo or a bespoke drinks reception on the lake, or a presentation in the unique self contained 4D cinema!

International

Conrad Algarve, Quinta do Lago, in the south of Portugal will open on the 5th of July 2011, and this is the 2nd property in Portugal. The hotel will have 164 luxury and contemporary rooms, a 300 sqm panoramic view ballroom, 6 meeting rooms equipped with state-of-art technology, outside catering areas for up to 300 people in gardens, terraces and pool area. 6 restaurants & bars, 3 shops, golf courses, 1000 sqm spa, tennis courts and fitness centre. The Conrad Algarve will be located at Quinta do Lago, one of the world’s favourite luxury destinations, with its 2,000 acres of idyllic landscape, which are an integral part of the Ria Formosa Natural Park.

One of the newest hotel brands of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR), the Autograph Collection, is coming to Europe with the addition of four new hotels in Spain, the company announced at the International Hotel Investment Forum.  Last year in the United States, Marriott launched the Autograph Collection, a portfolio of distinct, independent hotels and resorts representing upper-upscale and luxury properties with distinctive personalities.

The first four Autograph Collection hotels in Europe are:

• AC Santo Mauro, Madrid, Spain

• AC Palacio del Retiro, Madrid, Spain

• AC Palacio de Santa Paula, Granada, Spain

• AC Baqueira Hotel & Spa, Baqueira, Spain

By May 2011, these four hotels will join the company’s Autograph Collection due to their rich history and unique style as part of a recently announced joint venture with AC Hotels and its portfolio of 9,100 hotel rooms in Europe. The joint venture also includes the launch of a new brand, AC Hotels by Marriott, which will initially be comprised of up to 86 rebranded AC Hotels in Spain, Italy and Portugal, plus the four hotels joining the Autograph Collection. With the addition of these Autograph Collection properties, the AC Hotels by Marriott portfolio, and a strong pipeline in Europe, Marriott is over a quarter of the way to doubling the number of rooms open or signed in Europe by 2015, a goal announced last year.

In the South of France, the Palais Des Congres in Antibes is undergoing renovation. Work started at the end of 2010 and will be completed by 2012. More than £46m is being spent, which will create a 6,500m2 purpose built event space for up to 500 delegates

 
The Palacongressi Di Rimini will open this year, although the exact date is still to be confirmed. The venue will be able to accommodate up to 9,300 delegates in 42 rooms. Its amphitheatre will seat 1,600 while the main conference hall will seat up to 4,700.

 
The Harpa-Rejkjavik Conference and Concert Centre in Iceland will open on 4th May. The venue will have 4 main conference rooms for up to 1,600 delegates.

 
Construction of a new congress centre is under way in Alicante. The venue will offer auditorium seating for 2,421 people.

 
The launch of Madrid’s International Convention Centre, CICCM has been put back to 2013.

A Convention Centre is being planned in Goa, India. The venue will have the capacity to seat 2,000.

 
Andermatt Swiss Alps is to open six hotels in Lucerne and central Switzerland; these will total 844 rooms over the 4 & 5 star sector. The first hotel is set to open in 2013.

 
The St Regis Bangkok will open in Thailand’s capital next month. It includes 176 rooms, 51 suites, 53 residences and uninterrupted city views. Other facilities include 8 meeting rooms, 5 restaurants and bars, the first Elemis Spa in Thailand and an outdoor infinity pool bar.

The Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre has been officially launched with a gala event welcoming more than 1,000 event industry professionals – including a number of UK buyers. Located right in the centre of the city, the Congress Centre and the adjacent Radission Blu Waterfront Hotel now offer one of Scandinavia’s largest facilities for meetings and events. The venue boasts 14,000 sqm of floor space and can accommodate up to 3,000 in an auditorium and 2,000 for a banqueting event.

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London is to open in March with 245 rooms. The original Midland Grand Hotel, designed by eminent Victorian Sir George Gilbert Scott, was opened in 1873 and a celebration is planned on May 5 to mark its 138th anniversary. It is a monument to the dramatic High Victorian Gothic style of architecture and was only saved from demolition in the 1960s by Sir John Betjeman. The main features of the design have been preserved during its £150m transformation into a hotel with modern facilities.

 
Virgin Trains is launching a new range of bespoke chartered services for live events and corporate meetings including branding, themes, in-carriage entertainment and fine dining

 
No. 11 Cavendish Square is a short walk from Oxford Circus. It has just completed a refurbishment of its conservatory area and courtyard garden, with new exotic plants and brass sculptures. Capacity is 100 seated of 200 for a standing reception

 
London’s Glaziers Hall has been selected to become the House of Switzerland during the 2012 Olympic Games – the interior and exterior of the property will be transformed with Swiss colours

 
A new farm and eco events centre has opened in Ardeley, Hertfordshire. Church Farm can host a range of events for up to 100 delegates including meetings, conferences and teambuilding.

 
Guoman Charing Cross Hotel will complete a £2.5m refurbishment of its Buckingham Wing next month, it will be an exclusive area within the deluxe hotel

 
The Lensbury Conference Centre has recently upgraded 24 of its conference rooms equipping them with 8 hour delegate chairs and wall mounted LCD TV’s

 
The new academic building at Goldsmiths, University of London, includes lecture theatres for 120 and 250, plus another nine event spaces

 
The University of Glamorgan has started a £20m scheme to provide an additional 476 en suite bedrooms plus shared kitchen facilities for use by conference delegates in a wooded environment at the heart of the Pontypridd campus

 
Conference and meeting venues across London were prepared to slash their  usual fees for last minute events towards the end of 2010 by up to two thirds in a bid to secure bookings

Venuemasters has signed up two new members, The University of Limerick and The University of Bath

According to analysis by PwC, there could be a 27% increase in luxury rooms in London by 2012 with around 2,400 rooms in 18 hotels reported under construction or planned in London. In the quest for higher profits, it’s also interesting to note that a higher suite to room ratio is emerging in some properties. The Four Seasons on Park Lane has recently re-opened with fewer bedrooms and more suites – with a suite to room ratio of around 31% (around 192 bedrooms including 45 suites).

Richmond Creative Event Catering has re-launched Blakemore House in Little Wymondley in Hertfordshire as a corporate and private events venue.  After taking over the property in mid 2010, Richmond has co-ordinated its refurbishment and is now responsible for managing the venue hire, marketing, and catering operations which adds to their portfolio of exclusive venues in and around London. Built in 1911, Blakemore House has recently been refurbished and is now a beautiful venue for conferences, meetings, wedding receptions and private entertaining. The house has six separate rooms each named after different herbs, and accommodates up to 600 guests throughout the venue. Four of these rooms open out onto the picturesque gardens where there is also space for a marquee for up to 500 guests.

The Macdonald Inchyra Hotel & Spa is set to open the doors to its newly refurbished spa, following a £2.3million investment in the hotel’s leisure facilities. The new spa is part of an overarching £4million redevelopment, further cementing its position as one of central Scotland’s premier 4 star hotels. A fully equipped techno gym fitness suite, eight luxurious treatment rooms, a calming relaxation room and a new Spa café lounge will open to hotel guests and members next month, followed by a 20 metre pool, aroma steam room, rock sauna, ice fountain and experience massage shower in May. The new spa will not only offer a wide range of treatments using renowned spa brands Carita and Décleor, but a Spa Butler has also been appointed to ensure that guests have an unforgettable spa experience at Inchyra.

Liverpool could soon be launching itself into the luxury hotel market if an ambitious scheme to convert a historic city centre building is a success. Developers Castlewood Property Management have put in an application to create a 138-bed five-star hotel on the site of the former Martins Bank building in Water Street. The Grade II*-listed building has not been fully occupied since Barclays bank moved out a few years ago. The £40m development will include a 12,500 sq ft “urban spa” as well as two restaurants – including one for fine dining – and conference and banqueting facilities. The hotel will be operated by an as yet un-named international brand five-star hotel chain, although speculation that it could be the Waldorf Astoria have been discounted.

The London Borough of Islington has granted consent for Frogmore to develop a 72,000 sq ft, 80-bedroom, boutique hotel in EC3, designed by Allies and Morrison. The hotel will be occupied and run by London based restaurant and hotel specialist D&D London. South Place Hotel will contain 80 luxury bedrooms and suites, private dining and conference facilities, restaurants and bars. These will include a brasserie and bar on the ground floor and a 7th floor rooftop restaurant with an outdoor terrace, overlooking the City skyline. Located at 3 & 4 South Place, near Liverpool Street station, the consented plan absorbs the site’s irregular geometries and creates a very simple, U shaped building that completes the city block.

One Drummond Gate is the latest addition to etc.venues, located near to Pimlico and Victoria stations at the junction of Drummond Gate and Vauxhall Bridge Road, this dedicated conference meeting and event space will open in May 2011. This venue will offer a large, flexible conference suite holding 250 theatre style or 100 cabaret style and nine further rooms ideal for a range of events.  The venue will also have a private, tranquil garden area with plenty of space for a range of events from networking to drinks receptions, lunches, barbeques or teambuilding.

Users of Wyboston Lakes, Waterfront Conference Centre are now benefiting from the recent completion of more than £300,000 worth of improvements. In launching the enhanced facilities, Wyboston Lakes has decided to rename the Centre to encompass its established conference centre activity and its increasingly popular hotel services. The conference, meeting and training facilities at the centre will from now formally be called ‘The Waterfront Conference Suites at Wyboston Lakes Hotel’, which will be abbreviated for conference customers to ‘The Waterfront Conference Suites’. The Suites offer a total of 28 air-conditioned meeting and syndicate rooms with the largest room having a capacity for up to 130 delegates seated theatre style, with integrated audio-visual equipment, onsite technical support and site-wide internet access. The two thrusts of the latest investment have been to create a more compact and convenient experience for delegates using its conference suites; and to create a state-of-the-art reception area for all guests, which is both more welcoming and efficient.

More than 30 UK hotels have entered administration since the start of the year, with both regional and city centre properties across the country feeling the effects of the economic climate. The 297-room Radisson Blu Hotel in Liverpool and the 279-room Manchester Hilton Deansgate, both owned by Beetham Hotels, collapsed last week due to a dispute with the bank and administrators KPMG have been appointed in the hope of selling the properties as a going concern. The hotels, which employ 420 staff, remain open. In central London Crowne Hotels Group Limited, which has four budget hotels including Mabledon Court Hotel in Bloomsbury, has appointed administrators Begbies Traynor. Zolfo Cooper has been appointed as administrator of Cube Hotels Limited, which owns the Best Western Salford Hall Hotel in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Best Western West Grange Hotel near Newbury and Best Western Leicestershire North Hotel & Conference Centre in Melton Mowbray. Earlier this month Butterfly Hotels Limited, which has 12 hotels including six Ramada flag properties, three Holiday Inn Expresses and two Best Westerns, went into administration but was rescued by Akkeron Hotels Group.

Independent hotels which have netered administration since Christmas include the 103-bedroom Olde Barn Hotel and Conference Centre in Grantham, Lincolnshire, which can hold meetings for up to 300 delegates, and luxury boutique property Dorset Square Hotel in London’s West End.

International

Hilton has opened its third hotel in Krakow in Poland. The Garden Inn is set on the banks of the Vistula river, just a short walk from the old town centre and offers views over Wawel Castle. The property has 154 guest rooms and 300 sqm of meeting space which can be divided into four separate rooms.

Hyatt Regency has opened in the heart of the trendy Media Harbour Area in Dusseldorf. The 303 room hotel is located in one of two newly built 19 storey towers. It offers more than 850 sqm of event space, including a 445 sqm divisable ballroom. The hotel also has a five room spa.

Wyndham Hotel Group has announced the opening of Tryp Berlin, this is to be managed by Sol Melia. Located in the heart of Berlins’s trendy Mitte district and have 229 bedrooms and 138 sqm of meeting and event space that can accommodate 130 people. This four star hotel plans to expand its meeting space this summer to accommodate up to 250 people. 

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts have launched its first property in Europe, the Shangri-La Hotel Paris. The hotel has four event spaces and can host up to 350 guests and 81 rooms including 27 suites.

A 12,000 sqm extension at Davos Congress Centre in Switzerland means the resort can now host conferences for up to 5.000 delegates. The facilities will be further improved later in the year when Hilton opens its new hotel directly opposite the Congress Centre.

No 4 Hamilton Place is delighted to announce it will be Japan House, home of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), during the Olympic Games in 2012.

The Churchill will commence a multi-million-pound soft refurbishment of all guestrooms and the Regency and Regency Executive suites on the 7th, 8th and 9th floors from 2 February to mid-May 2011. The hotel will remain fully operational during this time. The Regency Club Lounge® on the 8th floor will also be refurbished and extended to either side of the 8th floor lobby, creating an additional area for guests to relax when staying on the club floor and in the hotel’s suites.  Following the refurbishment, the 7th floor will also become a Regency Club floor (in addition to the 8th and 9thfloors) and the hotel will become a 434 bedroom hotel. Furthermore, six new suites, the Regency Studio Suites will be created. 

Guests will be welcomed from the lift lobbies to corridors lined in silvery taupe punctuated with black- and-white photography of London’s Royal parks. A taupe and chocolate cut-pile velvet carpet with an organic floral design will offer an urban garden feel.  Each guestroom will also feature new entry doors with a contemporary take on a traditional panelled door, with a high gloss finish in taupe. In order to minimise any disruption to the hotel’s guests, all three floors will be completed in phases and reopened as the work is completed.  All banqueting and conference facilities will continue to be fully operational throughout this time and The Montagu and Locanda Locatelli will also remain open and unaffected. The refurbishment programme will enhance Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill, ensuring that it remains in line with the select Hyatt Regency brand worldwide.  It is being carried out in time for 2012, when the eyes of the world will be focused on London during the Diamond Jubilee Year and the 2012 Olympics.

The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel companies worldwide, announces the Park Inn London ExCeL. The brand new property at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre in London will feature 223 rooms and is scheduled to open in Q2 2013. The Park Inn which will be constructed by Galliford Try will be located a mere 200 metres west of the main entrance, and, soaring 20 stories above the skyline, will soon emerge as a local landmark. Other facilities will include a restaurant and bar, several meeting rooms, and a fitness room.

Holiday Inn Manchester West today announced that it is to complete its rebranding this month as part of the biggest relaunch in the hospitality industry with a £650 million investment across more than 3,200 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels worldwide. The Holiday Inn relaunch means guests can expect a consistently good experience at all Holiday Inn hotels. The hotel now has a new look and feel with new features including an upgraded lobby with a decluttered front desk, a choice of soft or firm pillows, a new shower experience and new lighting and signage. Holiday Inn Manchester West has 82 guest rooms, the Okra Restaurant and lounge bar, 24-hour room service and conference space for up to 60 people theatre style.

Accor, the world’s leading hotel operator and market leader in Europe, has announced it has signed a franchise agreement with Focus Hotels, adding ten hotels to its UK network in the first quarter of 2011. This forms part of Accor’s aggressive expansion strategy to increase its UK network to 300 hotels by 2015. Focus Hotels is a collection of quality midscale hotels with a wide variety of styles at a range of excellent locations throughout England.  The group has systematically upgraded its product over the past few years, investing heavily in refurbishment and training with a view to identifying suitable franchising partners.  The partnership with Mercure hotels will allow the ten hotels to retain their individuality and style whilst enabling them to reach an international market. The franchise agreement means that 763 rooms will be added to the Mercure network. This expansion represents a major step in the development of the Mercure network in the UK, increasing its existing footprint from 33 to 43 hotels.

Chelsea Football Club has announced its fine dining Marco Pierre White restaurant, Marco, is available for meetings and events for the first time. Marco’s will be available for day time hire and exclusive evening hire for up to 60 delegates for meetings, 90 for dinner and 150 for receptions including the use of outdoor space. It will offer delegates restaurant quality food and beverage from Marco’s renowned chef Roger Pizey. The restaurant, famed for its excellent catering and sophisticated setting, is in addition to Stamford Bridge’s extensive meetings and events facilities which comprise of 21 meeting rooms, 60 syndicate rooms, the Great Hall with over 1,400m2 of load bearing floor space, two hotels and a health club.

Von Essen Hotels is delighted to announce the launch, on 11 October 2010, of The Spa at The Mount Somerset, the third of five spas to be completed this year following an extensive multi-million pound investment across the collection to enhance von Essen hotels’ luxury lifestyle offering. This opening will mark the final phase of a comprehensive refurbishment of the hotel, the first ever property in the von Essen collection, acquired in 1994. The brand new spa, set in the stunning grounds of the hotel and designed as a traditional bathhouse, will provide an exclusive and intimate haven, guaranteeing the perfect therapy to well being. Spa facilities include state-of-the-art hydrotherapy pool, thermal suite with sauna and steam room, relaxing foot spas, experience showers, beautifully appointed treatment rooms offering first class, bespoke [ comfort zone ] treatments, fitness suite with Technogym equipment, stunning spa terrace and a retail area.

Meeting and event venue Altitude London will open a new screening room next month (February) in conjunction with Curzon Cinemas. Situated on the ground floor of the Millbank Tower, close to the Houses of Parliament in London, Curzon Millbank cinema will house 300-seats, a fully digital screen, plus a licensed café-bar with free WiFi. The cinema will screen a wide range of independent and world cinema films and is open to the public, as well as available for private screenings and premieres.

Waldorf Astoria will open London Syon Park next month (February), located near Kew Gardens on the edge of the two hundred acre Syon House estate. The hotel’s 137 rooms will blend the contemporary and the classical with sculptural chandeliers and marble and limestone bathrooms featuring integrated TVs and illuminated rain showers. Events space includes the 450 capacity The Grand Syon Ballroom, ‘The Deck’ a rooftop lounge with breathtaking views and private-hire wing ‘The Clubhouse’. Other attractions are the hotel’s butterfly house, The Capability restaurant, wine room, smoking terrace and herb garden and the Kallima spa.

Radisson Edwardian Manchester has unveiled its new Walters Suite, which is named after Edward Walters who designed the Free Trade Hall building in which the hotel is based. The self-contained Walters Suite features floor to ceiling windows and measures 110sqms. It can comfortably accommodate 70 guests theatre-style and 56 guests cabaret style. It also boasts a private bar, breakout area, high definition audio-visual presentation technology and complimentary WiFi. The suite can be used for dinner parties for up to 80 guests, with restaurant-standard British cuisine on offer.

etc.venues will open a ninth venue in March in London’s Paddington Waterside Development. The venue, which is a few minutes walk from Paddington Station will offer the etc.venues hallmarks of light, bright meeting space with high ceilings, high spec AV and contemporary restaurant and breakout space served by a dedicated kitchen. The venue, which is next door to Marks & Spencer’s new Paddington HQ, will have a capacity for 500 delegates with the largest of ten meeting rooms seating 200. It follows the opening etc.venues’ Moorgate venue in September.

The founders of events company MotivAction have started their own farm and eco events venue in Ardeley, Hertfordshire. Church Farm can host meetings, conferences, and lunches as well as family fun days, team-building, learning experiences and CSR projects. The Education & Events Centre is a high quality, well equipped venue with audio-visual and computer-aided presentation facilities and can cater for up to 100 delegates. Rustic accommodation is also available in the form of log cabins, tipis, yurts and gypsy caravans. Meanwhile, neighbouring 17th century inn, Jolly Waggoner, provides a venue for home grown farm feasts and local ale.

The Holiday Inn Manchester-MediaCityUK has opened next door to the BBC’s new production centre in Salford Quays, Manchester. The 218-bedroom, glass-fronted, hotel is the newest venue to join the Quays Partnership. It features a naturally lit mezzanine-level meeting room with space for up to 50 delegates. The Green Room Restaurant and Hub Bar offers views over MediaCityUK, while many bedrooms look over the Manchester Ship Canal. The property also boasts a gym and complimentary wireless Internet. It is located just two miles from Manchester Central convention complex.

The new Park Inn by Radisson Aberdeen Hotel, is situated just off the main shopping thoroughfare, Union Street. It has 185 bedrooms and suites, a bar, restaurant, resident-only gym and eight modern meeting rooms, with capacities ranging from 12 to 200 people. The meeting facilities include a large conference room which can be divided into three smaller rooms and five boardrooms with floor to ceiling windows. All have wireless internet access and the latest audio-visual equipment. Each of the meeting rooms is named after pop and rock stars, including The Lennox, The Bruce, The Stewart, The Angus, The Presley and The Beatles.

Based in the heart of the capital, No.11 Cavendish Square will unveil a new look at the start of next year. Planned refurbishment of the 200 capacity conservatory (due to be complemented by 4 January) will see the event space transformed into an 18th Century inspired scented ‘Orangery’. Architects based No.11’s conservatory on Belton House, a National Trust venue in Lincolnshire. Brass sconces will decorate the Orangery which will house 16 mandarin orange trees, as well as olive and kumquat trees.

The Room Boom, 12 years after launching in New York, W finally comes to London. The W Leicester Square opens on 14th February 2011.

Royal Armouries International PLC is the first organisation in the region of its size to be awarded the gold award in Green Tourism.

The Home of British Motor Racing will open its new paddock area in May 2011, including a conference complex for 5,500 delegates. The futuristic ‘fin’ will include extensive corporate hospitality areas covering 8.200m2.

International

Warsaw Marriott Hotel, with an already rich Polish history, experienced another enhancement to its legendary status as the place to hold meetings, conventions, corporate and social events, with over €2.6 million in renovations over the last four years. The hotel’s 2,600 sq m of meeting and banquet space went through a total transformation and was revamped with a sleek new look in chic shades that are visible throughout the entire second and third floors, including the pre-function areas.

Renaissance Paris Le Parc Trocadero in Paris, France will re-open on March 14 after a full refurbishment.

Scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2011, the Conrad Dubai will be located on Sheikh Zayed Road, opposite the Emirates Tower and World Trade Centre. This will be the first Conrad in the UAE. It will have 559 rooms and suites, three restaurants, a spa and health club with an outdoor pool. Event space will include 14 meeting rooms and two ballrooms with a capacity for 1,100 and 800 delegates.

Akkeron Hotels Group Limited (“Akkeron” or “the Group”) is pleased to announce that, through a subsidiary, it has completed the acquisition of Forestdale Hotels Limited (“Forestdale”), which owns 18 hotels across England. This transaction will increase the number of Akkeron’s hotels to 26 and will make it one of the largest regional hotel operators in the UK by number of hotels. Forestdale is a privately-owned collection of three star hotels spread across England. The hotels are located in both key business destinations, such as Cambridge, Bristol, Southampton and Winchester, and attractive leisure destinations including the New Forest, Bath and the Cotswolds. Akkeron will invest in all the Forestdale hotels to improve the quality of their offerings to customers and the Group will make significant investment in a number of the hotels in particular to reposition them in their local markets. Akkeron will also make large investments in people, training and systems to ensure that the Group is well-placed to provide its customers with a first-class service.

Gatwick Airport will see a new 192 room Hampton by Hilton property in time for the 2012 Olympics. As well as bedrooms it will have event and conference facilities

Planning permission for the redevelopment of Earls Court is on course for submission in the second quarter of 2011.

The Hurlingham Club in London has come top of the Eventia Awards 2010 for being the best venue with a capacity of 751 or more.

Property developer Peel Group, has launched a new 25,000sqm events space in a former Argos warehouse near to The Trafford Centre in Manchester.

IHG plans to open 37 new hotels in Britain over the next two years with the intention of creating 3,000 jobs from the £500m expansion. Ten of the openings will be in London including a five star property in Westminster.

Norton House Hotel and Spa in Edinburgh has won the four red star hotel rating award in the AA’s recognition scheme for exceptional levels of accommodation quality.

Holiday Inn London Heathrow M4J4 has reopened as part of the two year investment that has rebranded all 57 Holiday Inn’s.

The Institute of Travel and Meetings raised more than £9,000 for the charity Meetings Industry Meeting Needs at its annual conference.

The University of Nottingham has announced plans to develop a 200-bed, 4 star equivalent hotel on its main University Park campus. The eco-friendly hotel will be sited next to the East Midlands Conference Centre and will feature at least 50 executive-style rooms, four boardrooms and a gym as well as a restaurant and bar which will be open to the public. Building work is expected to commence in 2011, with completion due autumn 2012.  Funded by The University of Nottingham, the new hotel will complement the existing facilities provided by the EMCC, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2010. It will also provide a much needed resource for visitors to the University.

A four-star 109-bedroom hotel, based in the historic quarter of Bloomsbury, opened under the Mercure banner following an extensive refurbishment. The new Mercure London Bloomsbury opened on 20th December, offering guests a comfortable retreat in the heart of the city for business trips or simply for a break away with friends or family. The extensive refurbishment has included the replacement of all carpets, furnishings and decorations throughout the building whilst staying faithful to its character. Each Mercure bedroom has been designed to allow guests to relax, with natural materials and warm tones used in the décor.  The hotel corridors have been refurbished and reception completely redesigned to offer guests distinctly modern surroundings. A new bar has been created and the restaurant and kitchen’s revamp will be completed by March 2011.

Luxury hotel brand, Dorchester Collection is set to open a new 45 room hotel, to be called 45 Park Lane, in the heart of London’s Mayfair. The hotel, which will open in summer 2011, will be the ninth hotel in the Collection. The current portfolio of iconic hotels includes The Dorchester in London, The Beverly Hills Hotel and Hotel Bel-Air in LA, Le Meurice and Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris, the Hotel Principe di Savoia in Milan, The New York Palace in New York, and Coworth Park which opened September 2010. 45 Park Lane will have 45 rooms and a Pent House suite as well as an all-day dining restaurant. Only yards away from its sister hotel, The Dorchester, 45 Park Lane will be more contemporary in style with world-renowned designer, Thierry Despont appointed to work on the project. Externally, the concrete-clad façade will be revamped to incorporate specialist eco-friendly ‘fins’ which will diminish solar gain to the building thereby significantly reducing the power required to run the air-conditioning system.

Kings Place has been awarded London Business Venue of the Year at the BT Visit London Awards, which celebrates and recognises the people, places and experiences that make London such an outstanding destination. Kings Place beat fierce competition from other, major London venues including ExCel London, Barbican, Cavendish Court Venues, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, and Science Museum.

In February 2011, W London – Leicester Square will open its coveted doors to the public. The story sees W Hotels Worldwide – industry innovator in pursuit of the world’s most intriguing destinations – premiering the new flagship hotel, W London – Leicester Square to a global audience of jetsetters and local tastemakers. The building stands 10-storeys tall, veiled in translucent glass, which will change colour according to the time of day, the ambience of the area, or happenings in the hotel or the city. The hotel will include a modern Screening Room with seating for 38 and W Studio Spaces dynamic enough to host a cocktail reception, board meeting or cosy dinner, 192 guest rooms, including 17 suites, 3 WOW suites and 1 Extreme WOW suite.

Accor has opened the doors of a newly refurbished, 139-room hotel, The All Seasons London Leyton. As part of the new international brand of economy hotels, the second All Seasons hotel to open in the UK will appeal to both business and leisure customers visiting the city, offering fantastic value-for-money services with en-suite rooms from just £45 a night. Previously known as the Sleeping Beauty Motel, the All Seasons London Leyton is located less than five miles from the Olympic Stadium for 2012, in the heart of vibrant East London.

Accor UK and Ireland has ambitious expansion plans over the coming years and has just announced the forthcoming opening of two new establishments in central London: Novotel London Blackfriars and Ibis London Blackfriars. These two openings are perfectly timed to be ready for the much-awaited 2012 Olympic Games, a major business and tourism event for the UK.  The hotels’ central London addresses in the Southbank area are just a stone’s throw from some London’s key attractions, including Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern and Hayward art galleries, the National Theatre and Royal Festival Hall. The hotels will add close to 500 new rooms to Accor’s London portfolio. Novotel London Blackfriars, a four star establishment, will feature 12 business suites, six conference rooms, a swimming pool and a wide range of upscale facilities. Ibis London Blackfriars will offer nearly 300 rooms, bar and restaurant facilities and a 24 hour snack and drinks service.

International

Officials in Rome have imposed a tax on the nine million people who visit the city each year. The Contributo di Soggiorno levy will apply at a rate of €3 per night  for four and five-star hotels and €2 for all other accommodation, except youth hostels. The levy will boost under-strain city finances, but could ultimately harm tourism. It is understood five per cent of the income generated by the tax will be used to improve tourist facilities in the Eternal City, although further details have not been released. Councillor Federico Guidi, from Rome City Council, said: “In order for the city of Rome not to tax Romans, we have decided to tax the tourists.”  The European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) has criticised the levy, likening it to ‘being on a plane and then being charged to leave.’ The fee would normally be paid at check-out by the person staying at the hotel, although many guests will probably end up paying through their tour operator. The maximum number of nights taxable per stay is ten.

Langham Hotels is set to open Langham Place in Doha, Qatar in late 2012.

 
Movenpick Hotels is opening the Royal Amwaj Resort & Spa in summer 2011 on the Crescent of the Palm in Dubai. This five star hotel will have 293 bedrooms, four meeting rooms and a ballroom for 300 people

London’s hotels are on track to smash occupancy levels next year, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ UK hotels forecast. The firm expects occupancy growth of 4.1% in the city in 2011, taking occupancy up to 85%.

Users of Wyboston Lakes’ Waterfront Conference Centre are now benefiting from the recent completion of more than £300,000 worth of improvements. Wyboston was the only specialist conference centre in the whole of the East of England region to reach the finals of the recent Enjoy England awards 2010 run by East of England Tourism.

ETC Venues has announced that the Paddington Waterside Development will join its portfolio of venues when it opens March 2011. The venue has capacity for 500 guests and will be situated next door to Marks & Spencer’s Paddington headquarters.

The Plough & Harrow Hotel in Edgbaston, Birmingham is undergoing a £500 000 facelift. Work has already commenced on the refurbishment of this landmark hotel on the Hagley Rd, in the centre of Birmingham. Acquired at the end of February 2010 by TTM Partnership the program is being lead by Robert Smith a former Director of privately owned group Paten Hotels and now managing director of Complete Hotels Services. The initial work has seen investment in the main bedroom block of 36 rooms, including the addition of free internet, LCD TV’s, beds and soft furnishings, and the public areas while the second stage will concentrate on the 6 conference rooms, restaurant and the 8 bedroom in the main building.

Von Essen Hotels acquired The Llangoed Hall Hotel in Brecon – this 23-bedroom hotel, 4 star deluxe hotel fits perfectly into the von Essen collection.

Regus has teamed up with PR expert Lynne Franks to open a series of meeting spaces for women. The B.hive flagship has opened in Covent Garden. A further 3 will open in Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester.

The third and final phase of Manchester Central Convention Complex’s £30m redevelopment has been completed ahead of schedule. The new extension includes 2000 sqm of flexible space for up to 800 delegates.

Macdonald Hotels & Resorts has unveiled the Macdonald Windsor Hotel. The contemporary townhouse in central Windsor boasts 120 luxury bedrooms and has the capacity to host large conferences and events for up to 150 delegates in the Castle Suite, and up to 70 in the St Georges Suite. Two executive boardrooms and two syndicate rooms are also available.

Leicester hotel and restaurant Maiyango has teamed up with new Christian community centre St Martin’s House to launch a conferencing facility. The centre, which is within the former Leicester Grammar School building next to Leicester Cathedral, will offer high quality conferencing and events space for up to 150 guests when it opens in January.

Dorchester Collection has opened Coworth Park, a five star country house hotel and spa, bordering on Windsor Great Park, near Ascot.  The luxury 70 room hotel is set in 240 acres of Royal Berkshire parkland. There are 30 bedrooms and suites in The Mansion House and a further 28 in the renovated stable block.

The Maiden’s Tower is a new self-contained event venue at historic Leeds Castle in Kent. The 16th century tower, set on the castle island and surrounded by a moat, has been fully refurbished. It now offers a peaceful and private setting for meetings in its two conference rooms, the Gallery and the Tudor Hall, able to accommodate up to 100 delegates theatre style. There are 40 bedrooms on-site.

Blue Fin Venue is a new event space on London’s South Bank, next to the Tate Modern. The striking building, managed by Sodexo Prestige, is clad in 2000 aluminium fins and has views across the Thames. The venue has 9 meeting rooms accommodating up to 40 people, a lecture theatre for up to 96 guests and a wine tasting room. Other spaces available include a double storey glass reception space, known as the Wintergarden, the landscaped Roof Garden terrace, which can accommodate up to 250 people and the Blue Sky Lounge, which overlooks St Paul’s Cathedral and can host up to 150 people.

Leeds United FC has opened its new Centenary Pavilion at Elland Road, which is now the largest conference and exhibition space in the city. The Pavilion offers pillar-free space for up to 1600 people theatre style and 1250 for a dinner.

Excel London as added an additional £8m to upgrade phase one of its development plan. They have already installed LED lighting, digital signage and refurbished the waterfront cafe’s. The additional £8m will be spent on standardising the event space across the board – adding a fire alarm, PA voice activation system, a building management system and CCTV.

 
A 200 bed conference facility and improvements to the existing facilities will be key parts of the University of Birmingham’s £300m plan for construction and refurbishment works at its Victorian Campus in Edgbaston. Plans are in the early stages and if they get the go ahead work should be completed over the next 5 to 10 years.

 
Q hotels have invested a further £935,000 into its portfolio following on from the £1m investment earlier this year. Earlier investments have included the refurbishment of 22 bedrooms at The Oxford Belfry and a £750,000 refurbishment of The Petersfield Suite at The Midland in Manchester.
 

Sol Melia has acquired a building in Holborn, near Trafalgar square. The Spanish chain plans to open its second London hotel in 2012 offering 173 bedrooms and 730sqm of event space.

An extensive front of house renovation has helped The Brighton Centre secure the 2012 Liberal Democrat autumn party conference. The event is expected to bring 8000 delegates and £10m to the local economy.

Southport Conferences offers a dedicated delegate bike loan scheme, aimed at reducing the number of business visitors using cars.

International

The first European Forum on Sustainability in the Events Industry (ESFMI) was held in Bruges this June. The key message to come out of the forum was that sustainability and corporate social responsibility is here to stay. Development of a new online Global Sustainability Management system has been designed for meeting planners to measure, report and benchmark.

Barcelona’s international airport has been named Europe’s Best Airport amongst the continent’s top facilities handling at last 25 million passengers. The Airport Council International (ACI), which represents 400 airports, announced the results during the 20th ACI Assembly held in Milan earlier this summer. Barcelona won the ‘over 25 million passengers’ category for its magnificent new facilities, officially opened last year. One of the reasons for Barcelona’s top position was the quality of its service for disability groups, says Spanish airports operator AENA. Other aspects that were highly valued at Barcelona Airport were the security systems, the shopping and leisure offer, and 100 million Euro environmental measures like its solar energy plan –which includes the installation of 696 solar panels.

Next Spring Barcelona’s trade fair plans to open two new halls with a total of 40,000 m2 at its Gran Via facilities to make a total of 240,000 m2, on ground located between Barcelona and Hospitalet, close to the city airport. Barcelona is the second largest trade fair in Europe and the new halls (numbered 5 and 7) will ensure Barcelona’s place at the world’s top table of trade fairs.

A multi-functional theatre and event hall will open in Budapest’s 13th district next March. An unusual feature of RaM Colosseum will be the variable height of the theatre’s auditorium, which enables the facility to hold performances, conferences and gala dinners. The theatre can host up to 630 people and there is a restaurant for 200, a grill terrace for 100 and an underground garage.

The Tivoli Congress Centre has opened in the heart of Copenhagen, adjacent to the new 402 room Tivoli Hotel. The centre has a congress hall accommodating up to 2500 delegates, two tiered seating auditoriums with capacity of 200 & 400 respectively. There are also 20 conference and meeting rooms for groups of 6 – 180.

 
Hampton by Hilton has opened its first hotel in continental Europe. The Hampton by Hilton Berlin City West is located in the heart of western Berlin and offers 214 bedrooms and four meeting rooms.

 
The nhow hotel (NH Hoteles) is opening this month in the centre of Berlin. It has 304 rooms and a conference centre, comprising of 7 function rooms, the largest of which holds 600 people in theatre style.

 
The Conrad Quinta Do Lago, with 158 rooms, extensive meeting space and a spa is due to open soon just outside Lagos in the Algarve, Portugal.

 
Shangri-La Hotel in Paris is due to open on the 17th December 2010. The luxury hotel and restored property will offer 81 bedrooms of which 40% will have unobstructed views over The Eiffel Tower. Other facilities include a restaurant, pool, fitness area and 900m2 of event space.

Sol Melia has invested in its Melia Colbert Boutique Hotel in Paris. Upgrades have been made to all 39 bedrooms and to The Grand Suite which has views over Notre Dame.