Virgin Hotels will open its first London location on 1 August in Shoreditch, marking its eighth global site and the 17th in the Virgin Hotels Collection. This follows recent openings in Edinburgh and New York and an announcement of a new property in Kenya. The London hotel, located at 45 Curtain Road, is part of a long-term agreement with Reuben Brothers. Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group’s founder, expressed excitement about bringing the Virgin experience to London, aiming to extend the unique customer service that Virgin Atlantic passengers enjoy. CEO James Bermingham highlighted this launch ..read more

CBRE Investment Management has completed the development of a new 188-bed Premier Inn hotel in York. Premier Inn has signed a lease agreement for 25 years on the building. CBRE IM’s main contractor, Clegg Construction, constructed the new, highly sustainable, four-storey building on a one-acre plot, formerly the location of a retail warehouse leased by Carpetright. The hotel is in a prime location on Foss Islands Road, close to York’s historic city centre, where attractions such as York Minster and Jorvik Viking Centre are located. The building has been constructed to high sustainability ..read more

Zeal Hotels has announced the appointment of Barnaby Kean as the new general manager of the Voco Zeal Exeter Science Park. Kean joins the group from Klarent Hospitality, where he was a general manager. He has previously worked with the Zeal Hotels team and has extensive experience with IHG brands, including at the Holiday Inn Guildford The four-star, 142-bedroom property, which is currently under construction, is due to open in January 2025. The hotel will be operated by Valor Hospitality and will join IHG’s network as the group’s first ever net zero carbon hotel. The building, which achieved ..read more

North Wales’ The Quay Hotel and Spa, located in Deganwy Marina in Conwy, has revealed a first look at its new 580 sq m destination spa, inspired by the waterside location of the Conwy Estuary.  Following a £1m renovation, the new spa at The Quay Hotel and Spa has opened its doors to welcome both locals and visitors.  Working with Dale Sauna and Pro Build, the spa comprises a wellness thermal area, centred around a large swimming pool and adjoining vitality pool, which is surrounded by day beds and heated seats for guests to lounge on. The lighting in the pool area is low and blue ton ..read more

Virgin Hotels has revealed it will be opening its first London location on 1 August in the centre of Shoreditch, as it continues its global expansion.  London will be the group’s eighth location, and will become the 17th property for the wider Virgin Hotels Collection.  Having just announced a new property in Kenya, the news follows the successful launches of Virgin Hotels Edinburgh and Virgin Hotels New York in 2023.   The 120-bedroom hotel, which will be located at 45 Curtain Road, will also form part of a long-term agreement between Virgin Hotels and Reuben Brothers. Sir ..read more

Ruby Hotels has launched Ruby Molly, a new hotel in Dublin’s historic Oxmantown, featuring 272 rooms across 7,372 square feet near the Temple Bar district. The design, inspired by the site’s history as St. Mary’s Abbey and a marketplace, blends “19th century charm” with modern luxury. The decor juxtaposes urban chic with rustic market elements, using materials like fabrics, marble, glass, leather, tile, and black steel. Amenities include a breakfast area, a coffee bar, snacks, cocktails, and a library showcasing local archaeological finds. The hotel offers five room categories, from compact Ne ..read more

The Principal York has promoted former front of house manager Emmanouela Kostouli to hotel manager ahead of the hotel’s rebrand to The Milner York. With 10 years’ experience in the hotel market, five of which based in York, Kostouli has led The Principal York front of house team for three years, improving service scores by 30%. The hotel said her “proficiency in upselling strategies” has “significantly boosted” monthly revenue streams and will help frame an approach for the sell-in of the new brand to guests. As hotel manager, she will guide The Milner York’s new brand standards and internal ..read more

The Watergate Bay Hotel in Cornwall has announced it is set to launch a pop-up chalet in St Anton, Austria next year. The company has launched a partnership with Kaluma Ski in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Watergate Bay’s “ski resort on the beach” vision. The pop-up has 10 en suite rooms and a series of spacious living areas, including a large living room and bar with open fireplace, dining room, TV snug, private sauna and massage rooms for up to 27 guests. A Watergate Bay Hotel and Kaluma Ski concierge will be based at Chalet Montfort throughout guests’ stays, to help them get the mo ..read more

Novotel, Accor’s founding brand, has announced the launch of an international partnership with WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) that will see Novotel champion the protection and restoration of the ocean through science-based action and conservation projects.  WWF is a global leader in building a sustainable future for people and the planet. Under the three-year agreement, from 2024 to 2027, WWF France will provide technical expertise to Novotel, helping its 580 hotels worldwide to have a positive impact on the ocean, “challenging and guiding” the brand and its properties throughout many a ..read more

CitizenM has announced the launch of its inaugural Founders First programme, a new initiative designed to support the growth of small businesses, with a particular focus on underrepresented communities. The programme particularly aims to support LGBTIQA+ founders, who are known to receive 16% less funding in the US compared with the average founder, despite being responsible for the creation of 36% more jobs, 114% more patents and 44% more exits.  Founders First will offer LGBTIQA+ founders the chance to secure visibility across its global channels through campaign content, consultat ..read more