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Published: 15 January 2026

We start the New Year with a brief look at some of the recent new hotel developments plus a few details about what to expect from around the UK in the not too distant future. We start in London and then head northward.  

In London:

 27–28 Clements Lane is the site of a Grade II-listed Victorian-built office block in the heart of the City of London. Formerly an office block, the building is set to become a luxury 180-bedroom hotel with a lounge, restaurant, café and bar at ground level. Further details to follow in due course. Redevelopment work is scheduled to start on-site summer 2026, with the hotel expected to open in early 2028. More details in due course

The Shepherd Mayfair is a new boutique hotel set to open in 2026 in London’s Shepherd Market, in the heart of Mayfair. The six-storey hotel will have 82 bedrooms and suites and will be a member of the Elegant Hotel Collection.  Whilst The Shepherd Mayfair will offer small meeting spaces its sister property, 1 Hotel Mayfair - a 10-minute walk away - is equipped for more formal business meetings with a range of fully equipped rooms for events up to 70 people.

The former Seraphine Kensington in London’s Kensington is set to reopen in mid-January as The Kensington Hideaway Hotel on Kensington High Street - following completion of a major renovation project. Now a boutique-styled hotel, it will feature 59-bedrooms inspired by authors like Agatha Christie and T.S. Eliot plus a restaurant and bar.

In the South of England:

Down Hall Hotel, Spa & Estate located on the Hertfordshire/Essex border near Bishop’s Stortford.  Down Hall has reported major growth in its conference and meetings business with conference revenues rising 75% between 2022 and 2024.  A new landscaped outdoor extension designed for special events is set to open in Spring 2026 with space for 180 delegates. The hotel is also investing in its leisure activities menu.

Wyboston Lakes Resort Meeting Point has opened three flexible fully equipped meeting rooms plus a break-out area located within the Drift Inn. The largest room will seat up 40 delegates. The Resort is located between Milton Keynes and Cambridge, close to the A1.

In Cornwall:

Polurrian Hotel located on Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall has temporarily closed for a major expansion of its facilities. It is planned to reopen at the end of March with a new meeting and events suite - with a capacity for 120 delegates plus 10 new bedrooms. The hotel currently has 40 bedrooms, all recently refurbished and with ocean views.

Staying in Cornwall, The Great Western Hotel, the oldest hotel in Newquay, will be undergoing a major refurbishment in three phases this year. The hotel currently has 66 bedrooms, a sun terrace and a restaurant overlooking the beach plus one meeting room accommodating up to 100 delegates.

In the Cotswolds:

House of George is a new boutique hotel and fine-dining restaurant. It opened at the end of 2025  in the village of Broadway in the Cotswolds. It is a ten-bedroom hotel set within a restored, historic limestone building on the High Street. The restoration is the brainchild of George Davies, founder of Next and George at ASDA – hence the name of the hotel.

In Birmingham:

Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham is about to undergo a major ground redevelopment project which will include a new 146-bedroom Radisson Red Hotel with extensive meeting and banqueting facilities including a rooftop terrace and pitch-view rooms with balconies. Building work is expected to start this September with an scheduled opening date at the start of the cricket season in 2027.

Brightstar Hospitality opened a new Garner branded hotel in the Acocks Green area of Birmingham last autumn. Formerly Bridge House Hotel, the property has 51 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar plus flexible meeting spaces for up to 100 delegates. It has undergone a recent extensive refurbishment of the bedrooms and public areas. The hotel is around 15 minutes from the centre of Birmingham and its location, on the south side of the city, means it offers good access to Birmingham Airport and the NEC.

Hopefully, 2026 will see the opening of the Dean Hotel in Birmingham. Located in Corporation Street in the city centre, the new hotel  will take over the city’s Grade II listed Central Methodist Hall. It will have 155 bedrooms and suites plus a rooftop restaurant. More details to follow.

In Manchester:

Probably the major new development of the year in Manchester will be the development of Manchester City FC’s  Etihad Stadium into a major entertainment and conference centre including a new 400-bedroom Radisson Blu hotel on the campus. Late 2026 is the anticipated opening date.

IHG's new Manchester Deansgate Hotel located in the city’s Beetham Tower is the former Hilton Manchester Deansgate, which transitioned to IHG in August 2025. There are plans to rebrand it as an InterContinental Hotel by 2027 following completion of renovations which will include offering panoramic city views from its central location. 

On Merseyside:

A late 2026/early 2027 is the anticipated opening date for the new Southport Marina Lake Events Centre. It will be located on the site of the previous Southport Theatre and Convention Centre and will feature a 1500 capacity flexible theatre auditorium, an Exhibition Hall which can be subdivided into 3 smaller halls, plus meeting rooms, a restaurant and café. We will monitor developments.

In Leeds:

The Met Hotel Leeds has re-opened following a major refurbishment. The Grade-II listed building which opened in 1899 has retained its historic links. The hotel has 125 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar, a gym and nine meeting and events suites including the Met Ballroom seating up to 250 delegates theatre style. It is located in King Street in the centre of Leeds, a short walk from Leeds Station.

In Edinburgh:

The Social Hub encompasses hotel rooms, student housing, coworking spaces, meeting rooms, gyms, and restaurants. It opened its first site in Glasgow last year and is now planning a second in Edinburgh on a plot of land at the former Fountain Brewery site in Fountainbridge – a site which has been vacant for around 20 years. We will monitor progress.

We will be back at the start of February with further updates. In the meantime, we wish all our readers a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Details

Published: 30 November 2025

Latest hotel and venue news as follows:

The former Grange Lancaster hotel in London’s Bloomsbury has been fully refurbished and restyled and is set to open January 2026 as Bertrand’s Townhouse – a luxury townhouse with 43 bedrooms plus Ottie’s Salon, serving fresh pastries and coffees in the morning and an all-day dining menu.

The new Hyatt Regency London Olympia is set to open in spring 2026. It will be located within Emberton House, which was previously one of Europe’s largest five-storey car parks. The five-star hotel will have 204 bedrooms and suites, two food and beverage outlets, a fitness centre and three events suites. The hotel is part of the wider £1.3 billion Olympia regeneration project.

The former K West Hotel is set to reopen in February 2026 following a major refurbishment as: Hotel Indigo London K West Shepherd Bush. The hotel, now part of the IHG Hotels portfolio, has 231 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar, meeting and events facilities plus an urban spa.

The Derby London City, Curio Collection by Hilton has an anticipated February 2026 opening. It will be housed in a former office building on Great Tower Street with 234 contemporary guest rooms, including 13 suites, an all-day restaurant, fitness centre and two meeting rooms with the largest at 56 sq-mt

Plans have just been approved to create a new hotel in Cardiff. The new hotel will be located above a range of retail outlets in Queen Street in the city cente. Plans outline a 158-bedroom hotel with a roof-top pavilion, sky-bar, gymnasium, lobby and reception area. We will check its progress through the planning process.

Brownsover Hall Hotel in Warwickshire is set to reopen 6^th December following a major refurbishment.  Brownsover Hall is a luxury hotel set in a Grade II listed building in Rugby, on a 7-acre estate of parklands and gardens. It has 28 bedrooms and a brasserie restaurant and bar plus three meeting and events suites.

New World Hospitality has purchased the 105-bedroom BLOC Hotel Birmingham from Arora Group.  It now joins the 245-bedroom BLOC Hotel Gatwick in the group.

It is not scheduled to open until 2031 - yet there has recently been a groundbreaking ceremony on the site of what will become Nobu Hotel Manchester. The project will deliver 160 hotel rooms, 452 residences and premium amenities including Nobu dining, spa, swimming pool, podium garden and a gym. The restaurant will occupy the ground floor and will be set within restored Grade‑II listed Victorian viaduct arches.

Mollie’s Manchester is due to open on 8 December 2025 in the Old Granada Studios building on Quay Street. The hotel will have 128 bedrooms and suites, restaurants, private dining facilities and bars, a gym plus four meeting and events spaces.

Duke Street Boutique Hotel in Liverpool has just reopened following its purchase by new owners - Golding Group. The hotel described as ‘a chic, modern and purpose-designed hotel’ is perfectly situated in Liverpool city centre.  It has 30 bedrooms plus a breakfast restaurant and a bar.

CODE The Court is a boutique hotel built in a former courthouse and police station dating from 1845. It is located in the centre of Edinburgh overlooking the city’s historic Parliament Square. A multi-million-pound transformation has created a new floor of signature luxury en-suite rooms upgrading the property to one designed to appeal to ‘discerning travelers’.

The Arthouse Glasgow will be the first hotel to open in the UK from Oberland Group. It is planned to open in Bath Street central Glasgow in April 2026. It will be housed in a 19th century townhouse with 76 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar.

Group News:

New World Hospitality has purchased the 105-bedroom BLOC Hotel Birmingham from Arora Group.  It now joins the 245-bedroom BLOC Hotel Gatwick in the group.

Novotel has become the first hospitality brand to join ‘Seafood Task Force’ - expanding its commitment to focus on sustainable tuna and farmed shrimp sourcing across Southeast Asia.

citizenM hotels group is to change its name to ‘Another Star’.  Another Star will continue to operate all current citizenM hotels in Europe and the United States through a long-term franchise agreements with Marriott International.

Boutique Hotelier magazine is reporting that Apex Hospitality Group has just launched a new brand of luxury countryside hotels- the Monogram Collective. The new group comprises three properties, Pine Trees in Perthshire plus Meldrum House and The Vineyard in Newbury.

Radisson Hotels is steadily advancing its transformation towards becoming one of the world’s most prominent hotel companies – with more than 210 signings and new openings secured this year.

The first Hoxton-branded hotel has just opened in Ireland. The Hoxton Dublin has 129 bedrooms, a range of restaurants and bars, a late-night music venue plus private meeting and events space. It is located in Exchequer Street in the Irish capital.

And finally, the world's tallest hotel has just opened, where else but in Dubai. Ciel Dubai Marina by IHG is 377 metres high with1,004 bedrooms and suites over 82 floors. It features one of the world's highest infinity pools, with views across Dubai's coastline.

We will be back in the New Year with the latest hotel and venue news – provided we survive the Christmas celebrations and high spirits.  In the meantime, we wish all our readers a very happy Christmas and New Year.

Details

Published: 31 October 2025

Our latest hotel and conference venue news update in the UK starts as usual in London before heading north.

Spring 2026 will see the opening of the new Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch on The Mall in London opposite Buckingham Palace. This luxury hotel, originally due to open in 2022, will comprise 100 bedrooms, plus restaurants and bars and a 320-cover ballroom and reception on the lower ground floor. 

The St. Regis London is expected to open in mid-2026 following the complete redevelopment and transformation of the former Westbury Mayfair Hotel. It will feature 195 bedrooms, including 64 suites, a 90-seat signature restaurant plus a private dining room for up to 18 guests, a jazz bar and a library. Leisure facilities include two spa suites and a fully equipped gym.

In London plans have been approved by Wandsworth Council to convert the former Morleys department store in Mitcham Road into a 92-bedroom Zedwell Tooting Hotel. A spring 2027 opening is anticipated. Further details to follow in due course.

Six Senses London Hotel is set to open in London’s Bayswater in early 2026. It is located in the former Whiteleys department store and will include 109 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar and a luxury wellness suite.

2026 will see the opening of The Derby London City, Curio Collection by Hilton. The hotel is taking bookings from May. It will include 34 contemporary designed rooms and suites with panoramic views of the City skyline. The hotel includes an all-day restaurant, bar and coffeehouse, a fitness centre and a boardroom to seat up to 20 delegates.

Advance notice - The Accor Hotels owned Ennismore Group is planning to launch its first Delano lifestyle hotel in London towards the end of 2026. The hotel, close to Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, will have 67 bedrooms, a restaurant and lounge plus meeting spaces. Further details to follow.

Mad Swans is a new countryside hotel in the Mendip Hills between Bristol and Bath. It is described as ‘redefining modern hospitality’ complete with eco-cabin stays. It features ‘The Potting Shed’ its main restaurant, 12-hole golf, padel and pickleball, a driving range, putt patch and darts. The hotel currently has eight eco cabins but more are planned to open in the near future.

The Hide is a new 25-bedroom affordable hotel which has just opened on the edge of the Chatsworth Estate, in Baslow, Derbyshire. The hotel is targeted at families and groups and incorporates The Hide Grill and Pizzeria. 

Radisson Hotels Group has signed the New Bath Hotel and Spa in Matlock, Derbyshire. The hotel with 54 bedrooms, a restaurant, bar, spa facilities and two meeting and events suites is set to join the Radisson Individuals portfolio in December 2025.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Spa in Chester is planning a major ‘railway-inspired’ refurbishment of 139 bedrooms. The revamp includes bedroom upgrades plus improved lighting and in-room technology. This follows a previous refurbishment of 80 bedrooms plus a new-look reception, lounge and lobby areas. The hotel has nine meeting and events suites with the largest seating up to 300 delegates theatre style.

The Municipal Hotel & Spa Liverpool has just been awarded the city’s first and only AA 5-star rating. The hotel in Dale Street, central Liverpool, includes 179 bedrooms, a restaurant, an afternoon tearoom, a bar and a Thermae Spa. The hotel has six meeting and events suites with the largest seating up to 60 delegates.

The site of a former banana warehouse in York, now reduced to rubble, will become home to a 168-bed Marriott Hotel. Construction has started on-site and opening is anticipated in 2027.

Malmaison Newcastle has now completed its redesign and refurbishment of all 122 bedrooms and suites. The hotel is housed in a Grade II listed former Co-Operative Society warehouse located on the Quayside. The hotel includes a restaurant and bar, four meeting and events suites with the largest seating up to 80 delegates.

Group news:

IHG Hotels and Resorts have revealed plans to launch a new premium collection hotel brand “in the coming months.” The new collection is said to complement their premium conversion brand, voco, which now has over 200 hotels in more than 30 countries. We will monitor developments.

Pub and bar operator Mitchells & Butlers have published plans to open a new hotel under its Innkeeper’s Collection brand above one of its Leeds city centre venues. The upper floors of its Nation of Shopkeepers pub – a 19th-century Grade II-listed building – will house a 42-bedroom hotel above a new reception area on the first floor. The 19th-century Grade II-listed building originally housed offices, shops and a warehouse. It is located at the corner of Cookridge Street and Great George Street.

Finally, Manchester Airport hotels and venues offer a range of facilities for both national and international meetings and events plus ease of access via the airport and the M56 motorway nearby. Hotels include Radisson Blu Hotel Manchester Airport with 360 bedrooms and 27 flexible event spaces; Clayton Hotel Manchester Airport with 365 bedrooms and flexible meeting spaces; Crowne Plaza Manchester Airport features 299 bedrooms and eight meeting rooms for up to 70 delegates - the hotel also has 320 parking spaces and a free airport shuttle – and Concorde Conference Centre accommodating up to 600 delegates for an event.

Details

Published: 30 December 2025

We look ahead at the new hotel developments planned for the year ahead starting in London:

The BoTree London, Curio Collection by Hilton has just joined Hilton’s Curio Collection. The hotel has 200 bedrooms and suites, a range of restaurants and bars, a screening room plus private events space. It is located at the junction of Marylebone, Mayfair and Soho in central London.

The former K West Hotel is set to reopen as Hotel Indigo London K West Shepherd’s Bush, part of IHG Hotels, in February 2026. The hotel, housed in what was once BBC’s Kensington House recording studios, will include 231 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant with an open kitchen, a bar plus an urban spa. 

The former Grange Lancaster hotel in London has been converted into a luxury boutique hotel. It re-opened as Bertrand’s Townhouse in mid-December with 43 bedrooms, an all-day restaurant, bar and an outdoor terrace. It is located in Bedford Place in the heart of Bloomsbury.

Germany-based Amano Hotels are planning to build eight new hotels by 2028. The majority will be based in Germany with just one in London – a seventy-bedroom hotel planned in Covent Garden. More details to follow.

Point A Hotel Shoreditch is a ‘budget’ hotel close to the O2 Arena in London. It has begun a full refurbishment programme transforming all 181 bedrooms as well as refreshing the hotel lobby, lounge, and breakfast area.

Hilton London Bankside is adding 76 new bedrooms and suites, taking the total number of rooms to 368 – new rooms available from 1st February 2026.

Zedwell Underground Park Lane, is the second underground hotel to open in London.  It is now open and located between Mayfair, Marble Arch and Hyde Park in the heart of central London. It has 133 “cocoon” styled bedrooms with no windows plus co-working space overlooking Hyde Park. It joins Zedwell Underground Tottenham Court Road in the group.

The former Kensington hotel in London is being relaunched as The Kensington Hideaway in January following a multi-million-pound renovation. It is located on Kensington High Street close to Kensington Palace.

Property developer, Dominus, has submitted plans to convert the Grade II-listed vacant office block Ibex House in the City of London into a 382-bedrom hotel. The building is located between Fenchurch Street and Tower Hill. The group has also gained approval for plans to convert an existing telephone exchange at 3 Judd Street, Kings Cross into a 240-bedroom hotel. We will monitor both developments and report progress.

Some new London hotels scheduled to open in 2026:

Cambridge House, Auberge Resorts Collection Auberge Resorts Collection will make its London debut with the opening of Cambridge House, part of Auberge Resorts Collection. It is set to open in London’s Mayfair. The hotel will include 102 bedrooms and suites, restaurants and bars plus events spaces, including a Georgian-style ballroom. Leisure facilities will include two heated swimming pools and seven treatment rooms. It is set to open Spring 2026.

Waldorf Astoria Admiralty Arch, London. The existing hotel is transforming into the five-star Waldorf Astoria hotel with 100 rooms and suites, a ballroom, a spa, a rooftop terrace, bars and restaurants from world-renowned chefs. It is set to open in May 2026.

The Other House, Covent Garden This promises to be a luxury aparthotel. It will have 146 signature bedrooms and Club Flats plus an all-day dining brasserie restaurant. Fitness facilities will include a subterranean vitality pool, sound bath, treatment rooms and a gym. It is set to open early 2026.

Six Senses London is set to open in the Whiteleys building - Britain’s first ever department store, located in Conduit Street. It will have 14 branded residences and 109 bedrooms and suites, an all-day restaurant, events space and a wellness club and spa. It is set to open early 2026.

St. Regis London will be located in the former Westbury Mayfair hotel  which is currently undergoing a £90 million redevelopment including the addition of an extra floor. It will have 196 bedrooms and suites, plus a signature restaurant, speakeasy jazz bar, fitness centre and spa. It is set to open mid-2026.

Hyatt Regency London Olympia  The new 196-room Hyatt Regency London Olympia will be directly connected to Olympia Convention Centre. A five-star hotel - it will open with 204 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant, lounge and bar plus three meeting and events suites and a gym. The hotel forms part of an overall planned transformation of London Olympia Events Centre. It is set to open in May 2026.

The Derby London City, Curio Collection by Hilton is a new hotel set to open in a former office block in London’s  Square Mile. It will have 234 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar, a 24-hour state-of-the-art gym, meeting and events rooms plus private dining facilities. It is set to open in February 2026

The Newman The hotel is set to open in Fitzrovia and will feature 81 bedrooms and suites plus  a rooftop floor signature suite with a private terrace. Facilities will include a brasserie restaurant and bar plus two private events spaces. Leisure facilities include a hydrotherapy pool, treatment rooms, a meditation studio and a gym. It is set to open February 2026

Imperial Hotel Bloomsbury A completely refurbished Imperial Hotel in Bloomsbury will have 357 bedrooms, a lounge and various dining spaces plus a rooftop bar. It is set to open in 2026.

Hotel Group news:

Hilton are planning to open another of their premium-economy brand, Spark by Hilton, in Spring 2026 - Spark by Hilton London Chiswick. The hotel, in restored Victorian townhouses, will have 105 bedrooms, a casual dining area and meeting space. The hotel will also feature a 24/7 retail market on-site. Rumour has it that the hotel will be a conversion of the Best Western Chiswick Palace Hotel located on Chiswick High Road.

Radisson has added the New Bath Hotel and Spa to its Radissons Individual portfolio. Located in Matlock on the edge of the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, it is primarily known for its natural spring-fed outdoor lido, thermal suite, and outdoor hot tub. In addition, it also has 54 bedrooms and suites, restaurants and bars and two meeting and events suites with the largest seating up to 150 delegates theatre style.

Accor Hotels Group is to introduce Mövenpick hotel brand to the UK with Landmark Countryside Resort in Hampshire expected to open in late 2027. The resort, situated in 300 acres in the Hampshire countryside, will have 194 bedrooms and suites, 2,500sqm of meeting and events space, a ballroom, four restaurants plus a wellness centre with a new spa plus a championship-level golf course.

Hotel news from the rest of the country travelling from south to north

Hotel Indigo Torquay has just opened on the South Devon coast with 153 bedrooms and suites, two restaurants and a rooftop bar plus a fitness centre overlooking the bay.

Spa group Champneys has acquired the UK spa Buxton Crescent. Following a £32 million investment, Buxton Crescent now has 81 bedrooms, a thermal pool, rooftop indoor-outdoor pool, restored Victorian baths, saunas, steam rooms and fitness studios. It also has seven function rooms, including the Assembly Room for meetings and events for up to 186 delegates.

King Street Townhouse in Manchester is planning to refurbish 10 of its bedrooms and two of its event spaces this coming Spring. King Street Townhouse has 40 bedrooms plus an all-day dining restaurant, a gym and a spa. The hotel is located in a Grade-II listed building in central Manchester.

Plans have been published to expand the Stock Exchange Hotel in the centre of Manchester by converting a building across the road into a five-storey extension -adding 95 additional bedrooms to the complex. We will monitor developments

A New Year refurbishment is planned at Daresbury Park Hotel in Cheshire. All 228 bedrooms, meeting and events facilities plus the hotel restaurant and bar are to be upgraded with a new decor and furnishings. Completion is expected late spring/early summer.

The newly built Courtyard by Marriott Sheffield has just opened with 150 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar, a fitness centre and a boardroom seating up to 12 delegates. It is located at the entrance to the city’s manufacturing hub and close to the M1 at Junction 33.

The Nether Abbey Hotel in North Berwick, East Lothian is set to close in mid-January for a major redevelopment transforming the site into a modern pub and restaurant plus 12 boutique-styled bedrooms - and reopening late 2026.

Major expansion plans have been submitted by the owners of Killeavy Castle Hotel in Co. Armagh. These include 40 new bedrooms plus new meeting and events space in a new standalone building. We will monitor developments.

The AA Hotels of the year 2025:

 St Brides Spa Hotel, Saudersfoot in Pembrokeshire has been crowned Hotel of the Year for Wales at the prestigious AA Hospitality Awards and becomes the first venue in Wales to win the coveted accolade for a second time. It has 40 bedrooms and suites

The Cavendish Hotel, Baslow, Derbyshire - Redesigned and relaunched on the Chatsworth Estate; the seat of the Duke of Devonshire, has 26 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar plus conference and events facilities. It has been named Hotel of the Year for England

W Edinburgh has been named Scottish Hotel of the Year, receiving praise for how it has "redefined modern luxury" in the capital by "offering a unique blend of bold design, vibrant experiences and world-class hospitality with charming professionalism."

Finally, news of Birmingham City Football Club’s new stadium should also be good news for the city’s conference and meetings market if the experience at the two Manchester football stadiums is any guidance. In short, owners of Birmingham City are planning a 62,000-seater stadium on a 48-acre site in east Birmingham - a site formerly known as Birmingham Wheels - plus a 48-acre site alongside.  A link is planned between the new stadium and the east of the city, where the airport and HS2 Interchange are located. The club is said to be looking to create something similar to Manchester City FC’s plans at the Etihad Campus where Radisson Hotel Group is set to open a 401-bedroom hotel with a wide range of conference and meeting options in late 2026. In short, a 2029 target date has been set for completion of the Birmingham City project - we will monitor progress and report back. In the meantime, all ‘The Blues’ fans must hope and pray for is a rapid return of their team to the Premiership.

Details

Published: 16 November 2025

Hotel news starting in London and the South-East and then moving north:

The new St Regis London is scheduled to open in Mayfair in mid-2026. It will include 195 bedrooms and 64 suites, a signature restaurant, a jazz bar and library plus a private dining room for up to 18 guests with butler service. Leisure facilities will include a gym and two spa suites with plunge pools plus saunas. The hotel will be located at the corner of Conduit Street and New Bond Street.

The former Corus Hotel Hyde Park which closed in September 2025 for a major £42m renovation is set to reopen in late autumn 2026 as Hyde & Seek Hotel. It is now part of the Tribute Portfolio, one of Marriott Bonvoy hotels portfolio. The hotel with 209 bedrooms and suites will include an all-day food and drink concept, gym and fitness studio plus a range of meeting and events suites.  It is located at 1 Lancaster Gate, directly opposite Hyde Park in central London.

Strand Palace Hotel has just unveiled a £2 million meetings & events renovation – including 12 new meeting and events spaces, bringing the total on-site events spaces to 16. The programme marks the next phase of the hotel's overall £55 million refurbishment programme. The hotel is located on the Strand, in the heart of London near Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square.

The Zetter Bloomsbury is set to open in February 2026 in central London. It is housed in a row of Georgian townhouses close to the British Museum - with 68 bedrooms, a restaurant, bar and a gym. The hotel will have two meeting and events suites.

Sofitel London St James in central London has unveiled six redesigned signature suites by Paris-based interior architecture studio Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR). Four ‘Prestige Suites’ are now open with the final two ‘Flagship Suites’ launching in January 2026. The result is ‘a stunning collection of suites that embody both French sophistication and British eccentricity’.

Drey is a new hotel concept set to open close to London’s Earls Court station later this year. It will be a 125-bedroom hotel with minimum staffing so guests check-in online, enter via keyless access and manage their stay through a dedicated app. Vending machines replace the traditional lobby bar and restaurant. The concept is designed to reduce the guests’ hotel bill.

London Beckenham Travelodge has just opened with 72 bedrooms on Beckenham High Street close to train, tram and bus connections into central London. There are now over 80 Travelodge hotels across London.

Great Hallingbury Manor Hotel in Bishop’s Stortford has reopened following a refurbishment. The new-look hotel includes 50 bedrooms and suites, a new restaurant, bar and lounge plus dining and private events spaces.

A restored 17th Century limestone building in the centre of the Cotswold town of Broadway has just reopened as the ten-bedroom boutique-styled House of George hotel complete with a fine-dining restaurant.

Visitor attraction, Drayton Manor located near Tamworth in Staffordshire has announced a major investment in its conferencing facilities.  It has refurbished its largest meeting room: the Tower as well as the conference facilities in the Hamilton Suite. The Tower Suite will accommodate up to 450 delegates for conferences, exhibitions or award ceremonies. The Hamilton Suite will accommodate up to 180 delegates for a meeting with breakout space available in the Victoria Lounge. Drayton Manor Hotel has 150 bedrooms plus an on-site restaurant and bar.

The Bear gastropub in Tattenhall, Cheshire is opening eight boutique hotel bedrooms in December following a major refurbishment.

The Hampton Hotel is a Georgian townhouse pub-restaurant opposite Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. The new owners have plans to reopen the venue as a ‘whisky experience’ hotel with six bedrooms.

Group News:

SmartRental Group is about to launch Malacuna – a new hostel which ‘redefines the traditional hostel experience for the modern urban traveller’. The branding is already well established across Spain and Portugal. The group is planning openings in Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham.

Malacuna Manchester will be located the city’s Northern Quarter with 37 rooms and 132 beds plus a restaurant and bar.

Malacuna Liverpool opens in the city centre with 90 bedrooms and 362 beds plus a restaurant, bar and events space.

Malacuna Birmingham opens close to Snowhill Station in the city centre with 39 bedrooms and 126 beds plus a restaurant and bar.

All three are expected to open in the New Year. Dates to be advised.

Accor has launched its new Emblems Collection in the UK - their flagship property will be: Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa Emblems Collection.  ‘Each hotel in the Emblems Collection celebrates unique, character-rich properties that reflect the soul of their destination, from grand heritage mansions to contemporary architectural icons and serene nature retreats’ – claim the group

CHS, meeting and events industry professionals are planning to combine their existing Birmingham and Leeds events to create one super-show in Manchester next year. The new event will see visitors and exhibitors from both shows arrive in Manchester on the 30 September.

And finally:  Britannia Hotels have been named the UK's worst hotel chain for the past 12 consecutive years. It was ranked last out of 52 hotel chains by consumer group ‘Which’. Yet the group appears to go from strength to strength. It currently operates 64 hotels throughout the UK with 10,000+ bedrooms, a wide range of conference and meeting facilities and an extensive refurbishment programme in operation.

Details

Published: 15 October 2025

The latest news:

A&O Hostels has acquired the former DoubleTree by Hilton, Docklands Riverside, for its first London property. It will be rebranded as a&o London Docklands Riverside and is scheduled to open in November 2025 with 500 bedrooms.

The Germany-based boutique hotel group - AMANO, has acquired Waterman House on London’s Kingsway. The former office building is to be converted into a new boutique hotel with 70 bedrooms with a new ground-floor food retail concept. Further details to follow. The new hotel will be located a short walk away from the group’s other London property:  Hotel AMANO Covent Garden.

The Sloane Club, the private members club in London’s Chelsea, has reopened following a two-year, £20 million upgrade. The Club now includes a co-working hub, flexible meeting areas and a private screening room for pitches and presentations - plus 56 bedrooms and 10 suites available for members and their guests.

Crafted at Powermills is a new ‘lifestyle’ brand hotel, set to open in Battle in Sussex this November. Built overlooking a 7-acre private lake and woodland, the hotel will include 55 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar, a member’s club and two three-bedroomed cottages.

The Francis Hotel Bath is planning to unveil its £14million refurbishment this November. The refurbishment has included all 98 bedrooms and suites, the hotel lobby, a new restaurant plus the addition of a dedicated spa. The refurbishment will mark the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth in the city.

New owners of The Mount Somerset which closed earlier this year, are planning an extensive renovation of the Grade-2 listed building. They plan to rename the manor house which dates from the early 19^th century back to its original name, Henlade House, prior to relaunching as an events venue.

The Hobson Cambridge by Adina is a new hotel opening in St Andrew’s Street in Cambridge on 10 November. It is an apartment-styled hotel with 56 units and it will be the first opening of the Australian owned hotel group in the UK.

Construction work has just begun on a new Hampton by Hilton in Wigan. Opening is planned for winter 2027. The 6-storey hotel will have 144 bedrooms and suites, meeting facilities, restaurant and bar and a gym.

The Dunblane Hydro in Scotland has joined the Apex portfolio. The hotel, with over 200 bedrooms, was  once a Victorian health spa resort. Apex are planning a major refurbishment of the hotel which includes conference spaces to accommodate up to 500 delegates.

Group News:

IHG Hotels who launched their Garner branded hotels in the UK earlier this year now operate five Garner properties in Preston, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Birmingham and Reading. A sixth hotel in central London - Garner Hotel London Paddington – is scheduled to open next year.

Hilton is set to launch its 25^th hotel brand this November - Outset Collection by Hilton. It joins the group’s ‘lifestyle’ portfolio. The first opening will be in Chicago. Hilton anticipates a future 500 Outset Collection hotels across the United States and Canada.

Radisson Hotel Group has opened its 100^th Radisson Individuals branded property. The world-wide branding was launched in 2020.

The Pride of Britain hotels group has added two hotels to its portfolio – The Headland  in Newquay, Cornwall and The Atlantic Hotel in Jersey.

Travelodge has acquired two hotels in Burton-upon-Trent and Glasgow Cumbernauld. Burton-upon-Trent Travelodge has 68 bedrooms and is located in the town centre, next to the railway station.  Glasgow Cumbernauld Travelodge has 57 bedrooms and is situated close to the M80,

English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues with a range of venues in the Lake District and North Lancashire are now accepting Bitcoin payments for rooms and leisure services in all its venues.

….and finally, The Country Dog Hotel in Bridgwater, Somerset offers bespoke luxury boarding for dogs while their owners are away. The hotel claims to have a fully trained team of professionals and specialists working 24 hours a day to ensure their doggy guests are safe and happy. The dogs can sleep with one of the staff on a human bed, a dog bed, a sofa or the hotel will emulate the dog’s sleeping routine at home. A luxury door-to-door collection and delivery is part of the VIPs package.  Now the hotel has added a spa to its facilities.