Latest News Update: August 2026
Group news:
Forte Hotels: Brown’s Hotel: in London has partnered with designer Paul Smith to unveil a new suite this month. Created in collaboration with Sir Paul Smith and Olga Polizzi, Director of Design at Rocco Forte Hotels, the new three-bedroom residence-style suite features Smith’s ‘unmistakable sense of curiosity, colour and individuality’.Holiday Inn Bristol Filton: following a multi-million-pound refurbishment, the Academy Conference Centre has been transformed into a hub for hybrid working, awards ceremonies and large conferences with both indoor and outdoor spaces.
Holiday Inn Oxford: have unveiled a £1 million refurbishment which has transformed its public spaces and showcases a new Open Lobby concept on the ground floor.
Marriott Hotels: The former ibis Styles Birmingham NEC and Airport has been transformation and is now the AC Hotel by Marriott Birmingham NEC and Airport.
Aloft by Marriott Manchester City Centre: opened its UK flagship property in Manchester in June. Aloft by Marriott Manchester City Centre is located on Deansgate. It is the largest Aloft propery in Europe with 358 bedrooms, restaurants and bars, plus a 24-hour fitness centre and featuring a meeting room for up to 25 delegates alongside a ‘semi-private’ railway arch bar for up to 100 guests.
Selected Marriott Hotels in London have introduced ‘day use rooms’, giving guests access to a hotel room during the day without booking an overnight stay.
Marriott UK is joining with the charity ‘Room to Reward’ pledging an unsold room per year at 20 of its hotels across the UK as a reward for exceptional charity volunteers. Participating hotels include the Sheraton Grand Edinburgh, JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Sheraton Grand London Park Lane and Marriott Hotel London Grosvenor Square.
Hyatt Hotels: Hyatt Hotels have opened the Hyatt Regency London Olympia, the group’s fifth hotel in London. It has 204 bedrooms and suites, restaurants and bars and over 900 sq-ft of conference and meeting space.
Dalata Hotels: Clayton Hotel St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh acquired by the group in 2023 should complete its total refurbishment autumn 2026. It will have 172 bedrooms and suites, a bar, restaurant, dry gym and two meeting and events suites as well as occupying a key site in central Edinburgh.
Dalata are extending the Clayton Hotel Manchester Airport, adding a 216-bedroom extension to the existing 365 bedroom hotel. Opening anticipated in early 2027.
Hometels: The group with three former room2 branded hotels has changed its name to ‘Second Nature’ hotels. The hotels are located in Chiswick London, Southampton and Belfast.
Elegant Hotels: Formerly branded as the Elegant Hotel Collection, the group has now rebranded to Elegant Hotels of the World and added Asia Pacific properties to its portfolio.
Accor Hotels: The group’s Handwritten Collection, launched by Accor in 2023, has just opened its 50th address, with the brand now present in 20 countries and a further 50+ hotels in development. The Handwritten Collection aims to ‘attract hoteliers who share a passion for storytelling, design, and heartfelt hospitality.’
Radisson Hotels: Radisson Hotel Group continues its growth strategy signing and opening 160 hotels worldwide in the first half of 2026.
Hilton Hotels: Originally built in 1865 and recognised as one of Plymouth’s oldest hotels, New Continental Plymouth Hotel is set to join Hilton’s Tapestry Collection following a franchise agreement with Elevate Hotels Plymouth Ltd. The hotel, scheduled to reopen spring 2027, will include 120 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar, a fitness centre plus a range of conference and meeting rooms.
Hilton London Bankside has added 76 newly designed rooms and suites to its portfolio. The hotel now has 368 bedrooms and suites plus 11 flexible meeting and events spaces including the main Bankside Ballroom seating up to 400 delegates theatre style.
Meininger Hotels: German-based Meininger hotels will open its first UK hotel on Edinburgh’s Haymarket in August. It will be located in a converted office building with 157 bedrooms. The hotel will feature a guest kitchen, bar, lounge areas, breakfast area and outdoor terrace. The hotel is aiming to attract a broad range of guests, from families and student groups to backpackers, festival-goers as well as business and conference travellers.
PIG Hotels: THE PIG has announced plans to open its tenth hotel - THE PIG-on the Farm - in late summer 2027. It will be located in a restored Grade II listed farmhouse and historic farm buildings five miles from Stratford on Avon. It will feature 35 individually designed bedrooms in the farmhouse and surrounding buildings plus a PIG bar and a pair of Shepherd's Hut treatment rooms overlooking wildflower meadows.
Best Western Hotels: The Kings Court Hotel has joined the Signature Collection by Best Western. It is a 16th-century Tudor farmhouse property in Kings Coughton, Alcester, Warwickshire with 62 bedrooms, a Garden Dining Room and bar plus four meeting and conference rooms with the largest seating up to 120 delegates theatre style.
Apex Hotels: The Vineyard in Newbury. Berkshire was acquired in July 2024 by Apex Hotels. They closed the hotel in January this year for an extensive multi-million-pound renovation. The first phase is set to reopen in November with 41 new-look bedrooms and suites plus a signature gastronomic restaurant, brasserie, bar and terrace.
Classic British Hotels has expanded following a new partnership agreement with Crest Hotels. The agreement brings nine Crest Hotels with 674 bedrooms into its collection.
Other news:
St. James’ Court Hotel in London has just completed a major refurbishment project including an upgrading of its events facilities. The hotel, close to Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Park, has 329 bedrooms and suites, restaurants and bars plus 12 meeting rooms with the largest seating up to 180 delegates theatre style.
The Shepherd Mayfair is a new 82-room boutique hotel opening in London’s Shepherd Market on 1st September. It is located on the site of the former Park Lane Mews Hotel. It will include 82 bedrooms and suites, a ground floor brasserie restaurant, a lounge and bar.
Hyde & Seek Hotel - a Tribute Portfolio Hotel - is set to open this September following a £42m redevelopment and rebranding of the former Corus Hotel Hyde Park in central London. It will include 309 bedrooms and suites, two food and beverage concepts, three meeting and events spaces plus a gym and studio.
Daresbury Park Hotel in Warrington has reopened following a multi-million-pound refurbishment. Located just off Junction 11 of the M56 motorway, the hotel now has 228 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant, bar and health club plus 21 meeting and events suites with the largest seating up to 400 delegates.
Rudding Park Harrogate has invested £1m in a new immersive golf experience, set to open next month. The investment sees the launch The Great Yorkshire Golf Adventure, a new F&B space plus enhancements to the Golf Academy. The hotel currently has 90 bedrooms and suites, luxury lodges and cottages, a spa, three restaurants, a kitchen garden, private cinema, two golf courses plus conference and events space – all set in 300 acres of landscaped gardens and woodland.
Mount Royal Hotel Edinburgh on Princes Street in the city centre has completed a full refurbishment. The hotel has 169 bedrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar and six meeting and events suites with the largest seating up to 145 delegates.
The Kitmore has opened in St Andrews following a £7.5 million transformation of the former Ardgowan Hotel, with 44 bedrooms, a bar and all-day casual dining. The hotel is a stone’s-throw from The Old Course at St Andrews.
Finally, hotels with air-conditioning and pools have reported a surge in bookings this summer with guests aiming to escape the effects of the current heatwave. Meeting planners apparently are favouring venues that can demonstrate reliable cooling systems and indoor comfort
We will be back with our next hotels and venues update the end of August.