News items you may have missed this week include:
The Maybourne Hotel Group is to open its fourth London Hotel this winter – the Emory Hotel in Knightsbridge. It will be an all-suites hotel with 60 across nine floors. It will feature a wellness space set across four floors below ground with a 22-metre pool. The restaurant will be run by acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The Emory will also feature a rooftop space with a 360-degree view of the capital for the exclusive use of hotel guests. Opening date to follow.
The Bay Horse in Wigan has reopened following an extensive refurbishment. The hotel now has 28 bedrooms all with a new décor, furniture and bathrooms. The hotel has two meeting spaces: a marquee to seat up to 80 guests and a front beer garden with new lighting and seating up to 120 guests. The Bay Horse is located in Warrington Road, Wigan.
The Birch brand opens its second hotel at the former Selsdon Park Hotel in Croydon this spring. It follows the opening of the Birch in Cheshunt in 2020.The hotel has been closed for refurbishment since December 2021. The Birch Selsdon Park will have 177 bedrooms and suites, two restaurants, three bars, a lido, a wellness space, a co-working hub, several communal areas, all set within 200 acres of rewilded landscapes.
Hyatt Hotels have just opened SCHLOSS Roxburghe, marking the UK debut of its Destination by Hyatt brand. SCHLOSS Roxburghe is a 102-room resort which has recently completed an extensive transformation, including the addition of 58 new rooms and suites plus 12 cottages. SCHLOSS Roxburghe has two restaurants alongside a tearoom, three bars and two lounges. In addition, the hotel has a spa, infinity pool, saunas plus a Championship Golf Course with practice facilities and Clubhouse. There is a selection of rooms for corporate meetings and events. SCHLOSS Roxburghe is located in the market town of Kelso, around an hour from Edinburgh and Newcastle.
Plans have been approved to convert former warehouse space in central Manchester into a 117-bedroom aparthotel. Located in Oldham Street, the aparthotel will be a mix of two/three and four person apartments with a kitchen facility and luggage store plus a gym, laundry and roof terrace. We will monitor progress.
News from the hotel groups:
Hotel group, Accor has launched a new branding - Handwritten Collection - described as: ‘a global portfolio of charming bespoke hotels that offer an intimate and stylish hospitality experience’. 12 properties have already been secured with the portfolio expected to reach more than 250 hotels by 2030. There are none planned in the UK so far.
Virgin Hotels have joined forces with Virgin Limited Edition – the private global collection of retreats, hotels and exclusive islands with both now trading under a new brand - Virgin Hotels Collection.
Hilton Hotels have just launched ‘Spark’, its 19th brand. Spark is a premium economy brand targeting a more affordable spot in the hotel price range. Spark bedrooms will feature clean design schemes, an in-room refrigerator, bright bathrooms and a workstation. The hotels will offer a simple free breakfast. There will also be a 24-hour market for grab-and-go food options. There are currently more than 100 Spark hotels in various stages of development across the U.S. but none so far in the UK.
Travelodge has completed the first phase of its property-upgrade programme. Sixty-five hotels now sport the brand’s “budget-luxe premium” design. These include the three new-builds which have all opened in the past six months, including two in London — in Docklands and Wimbledon, and one in Hexham, Northumberland.
…and unusual venue news includes:
Oceandiva London is a floating events space opening on the River Thames in London in Spring 2023. It will be the UK’s first CO2-neutral venue. Oceandiva London spans three decks and offers 2625sq-mt of events space for meetings, conferences, receptions, gala dinners, cutting edge product launches and brand activations. Oceandiva London can host events for up to 600 seated or 1,500 guests standing and offers extensive exterior space. Oceandiva London allows guests the unique opportunity to view London’s famous landmarks through its main artery – the River Thames. Oceandiva London is located at Butler’s Wharf on the south bank of the Thames, just east of London's Tower Bridge.