Tag: New Hotel

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Ruby Hotels announces first UK property

Munich-based Ruby Hotels is set to open its first property in the UK in January 2020 with the launch of a hotel in London’s Southbank.

The new 76-room hotel, Ruby Lucy, forms part of the company’s plan to open 11 new properties – including a second in London, in Clerkenwell – by 2022.

Located within walking distance of Waterloo train station, the hotel will feature a “carnival” theme inspired by Southbank’s fairs, markets and theatre scene. It will offer a 24-hour bar, communal work station and a library.

A communal space will serve breakfast without the need for a kitchen or chef, and rather than in-room minibars and room service, the hotel will feature galley kitchens, vending machines and ironing stations.

Guest rooms at Ruby Lucy will range in size from ‘Nest’ rooms (14-15sqm) to ‘Loft’ rooms (21-23sqm) and will be equipped with Ruby Hotels’ signature soundproofing, blackout curtains, linen and extra-long and wide custom mattresses.

They will also feature a Marshall amp, which guests can use with their own guitar or one borrowed from hotel reception, as well as a personal tablet computer pre-loaded with Ruby Hotels’ curated London city guide and social media apps.

According to the company, its hotels offer what it calls ‘lean luxury’, with choice locations and high-quality fittings at affordable prices.

Michael Struck, founder and CEO of Ruby Hotels, commented: “This works because we accommodate luxury in a relatively condensed space, similar to luxury yachts, and we forego unnecessary services. Thanks to proprietary technical innovations, we plan, build and organise ourselves differently from conventional hotels. To be precise, we plan and build in a very modular way and centralise as well as [automate] processes behind the scenes wherever possible. This helps us create a luxurious and unique hotel experience at an affordable price.”

Ruby Hotels currently operates three properties in Vienna, one in Munich (pictured), two in Dusseldorf and one in Hamburg. The company plans to open new locations in Zurich, Helsinki, Cologne, Frankfurt and Shanghai by the end of 2020.

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Radisson Blu hotel to open at London Resort in Kent

Radisson Hotel Group has confirmed plans to open a 430-bedroom Radisson Blu hotel at the London Resort, a 535-acre resort set to open in Kent in 2024.

Created in partnership with American film studio Paramount Picture Corporation it will be one of the biggest themed entertainment resorts in Europe and will include a theme park, water park, cinema, theatre, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets.

Radisson Hotel Group will become a stakeholder in the project as well as opening the upscale branded property, which will feature a bar and restaurant, meeting and event spaces and leisure facilities, including a spa and swimming pool.

Elie Younes, executive vice president and chief development officer, Radisson Hotel Group, said: “We are delighted to be part of such an iconic and unique project that is breaking new ground and bringing together an exciting mix of global brands. We strive to create memorable experiences for our guests, and this is the perfect opportunity to do just that.”

PY Gerbeau, chief executive of London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH), said: “Radisson Hotel Group’s commitment to the resort represents a significant milestone and is testimony to the absolute conviction the team has to deliver this project.”

In the UK, Radisson Hotel Group operates 26 hotels under the Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson RED and Park Inn by Radisson brands. Radisson’s partner Edwardian Hotels London operates 12 hotels, and partner PPHE Hotel Group operates 11 hotels.

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Cardiff City Centre set to get go-ahead for for luxury new hotel

Plans for a new luxury hotel in two of Cardiff’s most historic buildings are set to be given the go-ahead.

The listed old Post office and County Court in Westgate Street, near the Principality Stadium, are set to be transformed into a four-star, 175-bed hotel operated by the Celtic Manor Resort.

Developer Rightacres and the Welsh Rugby Union are behind the plans which are set to be approved by Cardiff council’s Planning Committee next Wednesday (August 14).

Cardiff planning officers have recommended councillors approve the plans.

If plans are approved the vacant post office and county court would be refurbished while a new-build six-storey extension would be built behind the historic building. 

The developers say the new Westgate Hotel would have a “prestigious” entrance hall, one of the largest function rooms in Cardiff capable of seating 350 guests, a new bar and 120-seater restaurant facing Westgate Street and a leisure spa offering views across the city.

The Westgate Hotel would be a joint partnership between the WRU, which owns the county court which has stood since 1904, and Rightacres, which owns Parkgate which hosted the post office and was built in 1896.

Both the interiors and stone facades of the two buildings would be refurbished, while the spiral staircase of Parkgate would be replaced.

A total of 17 people have objected to the plans, while HM Courts and Tribunals Services, which uses the Cardiff Civil and Family Justice Centre next door to the site, has also raised concerns.

HM Courts and Tribunals Services has told the council about “the potential for excessive noise, vibration and dust to be generated during both the demolition and construction phases of the development.

“Mitigation will be required to avoid such matters affecting the Justice Centre operations and potentially damaging the building’s ventilation plant and equipment.”

HM Courts and Tribunals Services has also raised concerns about the development’s impact on traffic to the Justice Centre.

Its letter to the council said: “The access from Westgate Street is used primarily by the judiciary who require unencumbered access, mainly at the start and end of the working day, on foot and by vehicle.

“Security is the main concern in this regard, since members of the judiciary are at risk due to the nature of their work and are, from time to time, the subject of various threats of harm.”

If planning permission is approved the developers would be asked to pay £50,000 towards improving the footpath on Westgate Street.

Find out what other venues are available for meetings and events in Cardiff.

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Pestana Plaza Mayor Madrid Hotel Opens

Pestana Plaza Mayor Madrid is the first hotel in the history of Plaza Mayor, offering 89 rooms and suites, of which almost half face the Plaza Mayor square, offering both elegant and contemporary design.

The hotel features an outdoor pool located at the top of the building, ideal for those Spanish summer days, with views over the historic rooftops of Madrid. The Spa, located on the level below the square, offers an immediate atmosphere of tranquillity with its indoor pool and traditional vaulted brick ceilings, a fully equipped treatment centre, a fitness centre and various other breathtaking surrounding and unique spaces, ideal for holding events.

The hotel’s restaurant offer includes the RIB | Casa de la Carnicería | Beef & Wine, specializing in meat, and the Cafeteria on the Plaza Mayor square, dedicated to tapas and snacks, as well as a cocktail bar, the Coqueteleria evocative of Madrid’s most bohemian years, for pre or post-dinner cocktails and drinks.

Located in Plaza Mayor, in the heart of Madrid’s capital, Pestana Plaza Mayor Madrid encompasses two historic buildings – the 17th century Casa de la Carnicería and an old fire station. This hotel is a true tribute to its original architecture, in which its solid walls, reveal the 400 years of history of the Plaza Mayor, one of the most emblematic of Europe, while its interiors pay homage to the work of the old craftsmen, weavers, carpenters, blacksmiths and potters.

The hotel is only a stone’s throw from the main monuments and highlights of the city, including the Puerta del Sol, the Royal Palace, Catedral de la Almudena, Gran Via, Callao Square, the Debod Temple or the iconic El Rastro market. The Paseo del Arte, where you’ll find large museums such as the Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen, is only 20-minute walk away.