Hotel Owner May 2019 | Page 7

MONTH IN REVIEW GO ONLINE www.hotelowner.co.uk HOTEL OPENINGS Jurys Inn and Leonardo Hotels to develop 200-room Bristol hotel The Fattal Hotel Group has signed a lease agreement to open a new 200- room hotel in Bristol. The 85,575 sq ft site will be part of the Glassfields development situated on Temple Way, at the gateway to the city’s Temple Quarter business district. The hotel will be managed by Jurys Inn and Leonardo Hotels UK and Ireland, and will mark the group’s first hotel presence in Bristol, which, once complete, will create an estimated 50 jobs. Launched alongside a new mixed- use urban development – Glassfields – the hotel will include office space and shopping outlets aimed at creating a “cosmopolitan hub” for both business and leisure travellers. The property also features “modern and comfortable” bedrooms, each boasting flat screen TVs, tea and coffee refreshment docks, and ensuite bathrooms, a restaurant and bar and meeting facilities. The group recently announced the acquisition of the Grand Harbour Hotel in Southampton, and well as the leases for four Grange Hotels, marking the group’s first entry into the Central London market. This is a truly exciting time as we expand our offering in the UK with this key site in a major city like Bristol. Our group of hotels are well-known for their great facilities and excellent customer service Jason Carruthers, managing director, Jurys Inn and Leonardo Hotels UK and Ireland May 2019 HOTEL INVESTMENT UK hotel market attracting first time MENA investors Middle East and North African (MENA) investors are making their first market investments in the European hotels sector, including cities such as London, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Glasgow, according to Savills. The global real estate services provider firm found Middle Eastern investors have invested £3.45bn into Europe (including the UK) in 2016, £5.39bn in 2017 and £4.84bn in 2018 as the European hotel market is seen as a “safe haven” for investment with real estate offering “steady returns”. Nick Newell, director in the Savills hotels team, said: “On the one hand lower oil prices have impacted some major MENA investors who have typically been the sovereign wealth funds. In addition to this, Brexit uncertainty has had a ‘stalling’ effect on UK market investment recently; their traditional preferred investment location. “However, despite the uncertainty, the fall in the pound due to the Brexit vote in 2016 has countered this and has made sure that the UK remains a viable option, creating an opportunity for a wider international investor pool including more private, high-net-worth individuals and family office investment from the region such as the Select Group and Lu Lu / Twenty14 Holdings investing in the European hotel sector, a trend we expect to continue over the next 12 months.” 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ACQUISITIONS Bespoke Hotels adds Manor Country House to portfolio Bespoke Hotels has added oxfordshire hotel, Manor Country House, to its growing portfolio. The grade II Manor Country House Hotel is a short distance from Oxford and features 32 individual manor bedrooms and suites alongside traditional British dining options. The property also sits within 12 acres of grounds, topiary gardens, tennis court and a seasonal outdoor pool. Boasting a history dating back to the 13th Century, it features ornate feather paneling dating back to 1574, grand fireplaces, and a Victorian façade. Graham Marskell, managing director of operations for Bespoke Hotels, said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome The Manor Country House Hotel to the Bespoke portfolio.It’s a truly stunning property in a fast-growing, vibrant region of the country.” Formed in 2000, Bespoke Hotels has grown to represent over 200 properties worldwide. QUOTE OF THE MONTH “None of this would have been possible without Edward’s leadership and stewardship. We are deeply indebted to him, both as a family and as a business, for his steadfast loyalty and dedication to Hastings Hotels over the past 47 years.” That’s what Dr Howard Hastings, managing director of Hastings Hotels, said after appointing Edward Carson, its longest-serving employee, as chairman after 47 years as financial director www.hotelowner.co.uk 7