EDGE Venues

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.

The Royal Society is delighted to introduce a new venue due to open in summer 2010. Chicheley Hall is a unique and historically significant Grade I Georgian Country house set within 75 acres of glorious gardens and grounds. Located just outside Milton Keynes, it is only 30 minutes from London by train and hour and a half by car.  An extensive refurbishment project is underway to develop Chicheley Hall from a country manor house to a centre of scientific excellence which will be available for residential conferences and events. In addition to the refurbishment of the main house, the Royal Society is renovating the Grade II listed North and South Wings for bedrooms and the Grade II listed Coach House for lecture theatres.

 

Jurys Inn Aberdeen is situated in the heart of the city, the hotel will offer 203 bedrooms and 4 dedicated meeting rooms.

 

On Wednesday 9 September 2009, the 416-bedroom Royal Lancaster Hotel will change its name to the Lancaster London to reflect its location in the centre of London.

 

3 Albion Place is a unique venue in the centre of Leeds. Built as a private residence in 1820, it was converted in 1849 into ‘The Leeds Club’, a place where the city’s leaders could meet. Today it houses a selection of period style meeting and banqueting suites all equipped with the latest audio visual technology. They open an additional range of lower ground floor meeting and training rooms at the end of September. This comprises a main room to seat up to 50 theatre style and three small syndicate /training rooms seating 4-6 delegates in each. The main room has natural daylight and the complex is fully air-conditioned and equipped.

 

The Light, the 42 unit boutique ApartHotel has just opened in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. There is a selection of one and two bedroom apartments each with a fully equipped living area and kitchen. There are also two penthouse apartments, one with a private terrace and hot tub. In addition to its accommodation, The Light also offers meeting space for up to 12 delegates with a selection of three dedicated meeting areas in a live/work apartment, including a meeting suite with boardroom. By September 2009 it will also have a 24-hour reception and concierge, a bar and restaurant and a gymnasium. The Light is located within minutes of Manchester’s main rail stations and is less than 10 miles from Manchester International airport. It is within walking distance from the city’s business district and Manchester Central Convention Complex.

 

Four new hotels have just joined Best Western, the largest group of independently owned hotels in the UK. They include:

 

The Best Western Ship Hotel, Weybridge: Located a short distance from central London, it was once a coaching inn and is now an 85-bedroom modern hotel with a restaurant and bar overlooking a central courtyard. The hotel has three meetings rooms accommodating from 10 to 110 delegates.

 

Best Western Philipburn Country House Hotel, Selkirk: Situated on the outskirts of Selkirk in the Scottish Borders, the 12-bedroom, five-lodge hotel includes a fine dining restaurant, Charlie’s Bistro and Bar, as well as extensive gardens. There is a small amount of meeting space at the moment although the hotel is currently in the process of building a leisure centre with a pool and gym as well as a new conference room.

 

Best Western Marston Farm, Sutton Coldfield: An original 17th century farmhouse, this 37-bedroom hotel is situated in nine acres of countryside close to Birmingham and the M6. There is a lounge bar and a Courtyard Restaurant plus a range of meeting rooms.

 

Best Western Livermead Cliff Hotel, Torquay: This is a 67-bedroom hotel with direct access to the beach and sea and a short walk from the town centre. The hotel has a range of conference and meeting facilities which include the brand new Riviera Suite.

 

The Lensbury at Teddington Lock is currently undergoing refurbishment of their largest conference facilities, due to be completed by 5th October 2009. The other half of the conference centre is due to be completed next year.
TLSee – Tea, London & Sightseeing – the new afternoon tea concept at the Swissotel The Howard, London will be launching on 10th September with a special offer of £28 per person including a glass of Alain Thienot Champagne.

 

The Village Hotel in Solihull is a new build 128 bedroomed hotel scheduled to open mid October 2009.

 

The Hilton in Liverpool is a new contemporary style 215 bedroomed 4 star deluxe hotel opening in October. The Grace Suite is the main conference room seating 250 guests for a dinner and 450 theatre style. There are 8 smaller meeting rooms and an executive boardroom. All rooms have natural daylight and air conditioning.

 

Radisson Blu in Bristol is a new 176 bedroomed 4 star hotel opening on the Quayside in early October. There is a dedicated meetings and conference floor with 5 rooms, the largest holds 95 theatre style. All have natural daylight, climate control and wireless access.

 

Blythswood Square is a new 100 bedroomed 5 star hotel opening in September 2009 in the centre of Glasgow. There are 4 event rooms which form one to hold 70 theatre style and 50 for dinner.  There is also a state of the art screening room seating up to 50 people.
Day delegate rates as quoted by hotels and conference centres have fallen by 17 per cent across the UK in the last year, according to BDRC’s Meetings Benchmark Tracker programme. The results, which coincided with the launch of the 2009 UK Meetings Market Survey 2009, show the average DDR fell from £54.41 in July 2008 to £45.70 in July 2009. When asked about business in 2010, 53 per cent of agents predicted there would be no change in the number of events they organise, while 58 per cent believed budgets would be lower.

 

International

 

Jurys Inn Prague will open in September and be centrally located in the heart of Prague just 5 minutes from the old town. Offering 214 bedrooms, 2 dedicated meeting rooms plus restaurant and bar. Special opening rates from just 69.00 per night.

The University of Edinburgh plans to extend its main conference facilities by September.  The £9m refurbishment of the John McIntyre Centre will see the addition of the new Pentland Conference Suite for up to 350 theatre style. EICC has submitted a proposal for an £85m expansion, including additional function space, to the City of Edinburgh Council.

 

Media City – South Tower, the first phase of Manchester’s MediaCityUK development has just been ‘topped-out’ in a special ceremony. It covers 36 acres and will be completed in 2011. It will house BBC offices, apartments and a hotel for which an as yet unnamed operator has been secured.

 

The 4* Apex Temple Court Hotel is set to open in Winter 2010 with 170 bedrooms, restaurant, bar and conference facilities.

 

Lancashire CCC is set to open ‘The Point’ in Autumn 2010, a new £12m conference and event suite, it will be able to cater for up to 1000 people.

 

Turnberry Hotel has reopened following a £30million overhaul, completed just in time for the 2009 British Open golf championship in Ayrshire. The hotel, now a Starwood Luxury Collection Resort, says the refurbishment is designed to open up space particularly on the ground floor of the hotel so the public areas and restaurant will gain the full advantage of these views. The first phase of the development has seen all the public areas refurbished and 40 of its 211 bedrooms overhauled with air-conditioning installed.

 

Drayton Manor theme park has been given approval to build a new hotel in surrounding parkland near Tamworth in Staffordshire. The 150-bedroom hotel will comprise a 90-cover restaurant and a 60-cover brasserie, as well as a café and extensive conference and banqueting facilities. Construction of the £14million hotel is likely to start in spring 2010 with completion expected by summer 2011.

 

The Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Group is planning to open a third hotel in London in Heron Tower in the City of London. The Heron International Group has agreed terms with the hotel chain to develop a hotel as part of its Heron Plaza development. Heron Tower, 46-storey office skyscraper, is currently under construction in Bishopsgate with a completion scheduled for first quarter 2011. It will include retail and public space. It is thought that Heron will submit a revised application by the end of the year with plans to include the new Four Seasons Hotel.

 

Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express have been announced as the ‘Official HH Services Provider to London 2012.

 

Imago in Loughborough will play host to the 600 strong Japanese Olympic 2010 team. The win includes 1,700 room nights this year and a further 3,500 each year until July 2012.

 

ETC Venues is to open a new event space next to its existing London Bridge venue in August. ‘Illuminate’ will have capacity for up to 300 people following a £600k investment.

 

Principal Hayley rescues New Connaught Rooms from administration. The London venue is to undergo a £7m refurbishment in July & August and is set to open in September.

 

The 210-room Hilton Reading officially launched on 2 July. The property is situated about 10 minutes from Reading’s town centre in an area that is being redeveloped. A ballroom with capacity for 800 is among the property’s event spaces.

 

Kings Fund in London has refurbished 14 of its conference and meeting rooms. It also now offers a brand new 225 seated theatre.

 

BMA has recently completed a major refurbishment to create stunning new event spaces alongside purpose built meeting rooms.

 

The Blue Fin Building located behind the Tate Modern has been hosting internal events since opening. It has recently been made available to external clients. It includes a glass wintergarden, a state of the art 96 seat theatre.  Spectacular views of London including the River Thames, Tate Modern and St. Pauls Cathedral.

 

Lensbury Conference Centre is pleased to announce that on the 7th July 2009 they closed down half of the conference centre for a major £2.5m upgrade. This investment will ensure that the Lensbury will have some of the best conference facilities in the London area and hopefully show you their ongoing commitment to improving their product.

 

Glasgow is boosting its C&I offering with £500m of major infrastructure developments ahead of hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The spend will include 2,400 new hotel rooms, many of which will be five-star with adjoining conference facilities, set to open over the next two years.
The Glasgow Central Hotel will re-open in February 2010 as the newly re-named ‘Grand Central Hotel’, once again firmly on the map as Glasgow’s leading 4-star conference and leisure hotel. This will also be added to the Principal Hayley portfolio of venues.

 

International

 

Istanbul has been chosen as the 2010 European Capital of Culture

 

The Dublin Convention Centre has been accredited as the 1st carbon neutral international convention centre due to the use of low carbon cement and carbon off setting.