Birmingham Hotels Thread

[ShavenHeaden]

Why is that William Hill banner there? No-one would be able to see it from the street due to the canopy - bizarre.

Speaking of hotels, the Thistle has a planning app in for new signage, so can assume it's not going anywhere for sure. Sorry don't have the number and it's not working for me now. They seem to plan to call it 'Thistle: The Royal Angus'.

[morestoreysplease]

I quite like the old Thistle Hagley Road which has reverted back to the Strathallan Hotel now - the signage is nice and simple too. The hotel chain is Menzies (is that Mingies??)

[Mr Glide]

Originally Posted by ShavenHeaden

Why is that William Hill banner there? No-one would be able to see it from the street due to the canopy - bizarre.

Speaking of hotels, the Thistle has a planning app in for new signage, so can assume it's not going anywhere for sure. Sorry don't have the number and it's not working for me now. They seem to plan to call it 'Thistle: The Royal Angus'.

Used to be called the Royal Angus anyway. It appears this and the Strathallan are geting their names back, but locals have always known them by these names. Just 'Thistle' sounded a bit bland.
Still interested to know what happens to the restuarant when Kennedy Tower gets flattened.

[CityGent]

The Holloway Head hotel will be a Ramada Encore. Plans are: C/03107/07/FUL.

Construction site looking towards Park Central:

[feltip]

Yep, here is image

[Brummyboy92]

What star will that hotel be? I reckon 3 however I could be wrong

[Joe Brody]

The Thistle with the new signage is the hotel by St Chads I hope. I wondered why it was taking them so long to mend their melted sign. It annoys me every time I see it.

[ShavenHeaden]

The planning app is C/07741/07/ADV. I think they're over-branding it (basically everywhere there's current a logo, there will be a new sign, and I think there are already too many - they can reduce the amount and it wouldn't affect the visibility of the building)

Can this hotel really be that profitable? I would've thought the owners could've made a handsome sum from selling the site. Though perhaps it's development is limited because of St Chads?

I'd hope the signs are the first step of a Crowne Plaza type makeover, but I fear the worst.

[Mr Glide]

The Angus has been there donkeys - certainly from the late sixties I reckon. It's a bit shabby inside too, and from my first rendezvous there nearly 20 years ago for a Xmas works shindig, to last week for a day course, I can cheerfully report that the quality of the food is still shite.

[woodhousen]

i would have thought the hotel at holloway head would have required larger cranes that that!

[Biosonic]

They are Park Central or nearby cranes

[morestoreysplease]

I went to a BBC party at the Angus Hotel yonks ago and through the haziness of it all I ended up copping off with the newsreader for the local Northern Ireland tv news! God knows what happened to her lol! But I bet she knows what I'm doing!!

[feltip]

Definitely room for more hotels in Brum.

Record visitor numbers for UK
Wednesday, 23 Jan 2008 15:56
There were a record number of tourist and business visits to the UK in 2006, according to a report released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This quote is from the ONS report

Almost a half of visits to the UK (15.6 million) involved an
overnight stay in London. Edinburgh (1.3 million overnight
visits), Manchester (0.9 million) and Birmingham (0.8
million) were the next most-visited cities.

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/ttds0108.pdf

The full ONS Report titbits

London was by far the most visited city in 2006, with a total of 15.6
million visits by overseas residents. In total there were 101 million
nights stayed in the capital, with a spend of £7.8 billion.
The four cities visited next most in 2006 were Edinburgh, Manchester,
Birmingham and Glasgow

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloa...Trends2006.pdf

Plus some interesting tables on how long people stay, from where, how much they spend etc.





http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloa...Trends2006.pdf

[ShavenHeaden]

Would this include the NEC and the airport hotels I wonder.

[Brum X]

I know this is old news now, but it is great that Starwood hotels are opening a five star hotel in brum, this will be a great addition to the city centre and be a touch of class. This is also not Birminghams first five star hotel becouse the Marriott at five ways used to be a five star, but is now 4 star. Its also great that Birmingham is going up in the world and with the news today that the four big northern cities of Manchester, liverpool, leeds and sheffield dont have a single michelin star in the latest guide which has just been published. Only London, Birmingham, some in Wales and some in Scotland have mitchelin stars.
COME ON BIRMINGHAM, lets get some more "five" star hotels and some more "mitchelin" restaurants and the VTP 200

[feltip]

Here are few articles on the news:

From Property Week

Birmingham to get first 5-star hotel
09:24 | 24.01.08

US hotel operator Starwood Hotels & Resorts has confirmed it will open Birmingham’s first 5-star hotel.

By Laura Chesters

It has entered into an agreement to open a 198 bedroom Westin Hotel &Spa at Ballymore’s Snowhill scheme.

The Westin Birmingham, which is due to open in early 2010, will form part of phase three of the development, as revealed in Property Week (4/01/08).

Jonathan Haigh, Ballymore director, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with a world-class operator of Starwood’s calibre to create a new five star hotel and spa at Snowhill. Their experience and track record in the luxury end of the market is exceptional and this project will further add to Birmingham’s growing status as a global city.’


Michael Wale, senior vice president, director of operations, North West Europe, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, said: ‘Birmingham has become one of the UK’s key cities for corporate, meetings and incentive business and there is strong demand for a brand like Westin to establish a presence in the region.’

The Westin Birmingham is the first Westin hotel in England and second in the UK joining the Westin Turnberry Resort in Ayrshire, Scotland.

The property is the 10th hotel in the UK for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, joining sister properties under the Sheraton, Le Méridien, St Regis and Luxury Collection brands in London, Heathrow, Edinburgh and Ayrshire.

DTZ advised Ballymore on the hotel.

http://www.propertyweek.com/story.as...de=3104554&c=1

And from Travel Mole

Westin to make UK city debut in Birmingham


Birmingham is to gain its first five-star hotel with the opening of the second Westin property in the UK.

The 198-room new build property will form part of a major mixed use development for the city when it opens in 2010.

The luxury hotel will be located at Snow Hill, a one million sq ft mixed use development in central Birmingham, adjacent to Snow Hill train station.

In addition to the hotel and spa, the Snow Hill mixed use development will also comprise two 12 storey office blocks, a 44 storey residential tower with 336 apartments and a retail space.

The hotel will provide Birmingham city centre with an additional meeting and convention space, including a ballroom and four meeting rooms. The hotel will also feature a gym including a swimming pool, a spa, two restaurants, a bar and lobby lounge, presidential suite and business centre.

The Westin Birmingham will be the second hotel for the UK, joining the Westin Turnberry Resort in Ayrshire, venue for the British Open in 2009, and the 10th hotel in the UK for Starwood.

Westin has 150 hotels and resorts in more than 31 countries

Michael Wale, senior vice president, director of operations, North West Europe, for Westin parent Starwood Hotels & Resorts, said; "We are thrilled to be opening the first Westin property for England in Birmingham.

"The city has become one of the UK's key cities for corporate, meetings and incentive business and there is strong demand for a brand like Westin to establish a presence in the region."

by Phil Davies

http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1125835.php

[Erebus555]

Originally Posted by Brum X

I know this is old news now, but it is great that Starwood hotels are opening a five star hotel in brum, this will be a great addition to the city centre and be a touch of class. This is also not Birminghams first five star hotel becouse the Marriott at five ways used to be a five star, but is now 4 star. Its also great that Birmingham is going up in the world and with the news today that the four big northern cities of Manchester, liverpool, leeds and sheffield dont have a single michelin star in the latest guide which has just been published. Only London, Birmingham, some in Wales and some in Scotland have mitchelin stars.
COME ON BIRMINGHAM, lets get some more "five" star hotels and some more "mitchelin" restaurants and the VTP 200

I thought the Marriott aimed for five star but could not get it. I wasn't aware that had actually become a five star hotel and then lost it...

[Victorian]

Originally Posted by Brum X

I know this is old news now, but it is great that Starwood hotels are opening a five star hotel in brum, this will be a great addition to the city centre and be a touch of class. This is also not Birminghams first five star hotel becouse the Marriott at five ways used to be a five star, but is now 4 star. Its also great that Birmingham is going up in the world and with the news today that the four big northern cities of Manchester, liverpool, leeds and sheffield dont have a single michelin star in the latest guide which has just been published. Only London, Birmingham, some in Wales and some in Scotland have mitchelin stars.
COME ON BIRMINGHAM, lets get some more "five" star hotels and some more "mitchelin" restaurants and the VTP 200

I obviously don't understand the hotel star system. I always thought that, like Michelin stars for restaurants, hotels were graded by an anonymous, independent team of inspectors (AA, RAC, Michelin, Good Hotel Guide, Egon Ronay etc.). So how can a hotel clasify itself as 'five star' before it is even built? Wishful thinking perhaps? A goal to be aimed for? Incidentally, how many stars does the Hyatt have? I can never find it mentioned in the standard guide books.

[hammerb24]

Hyatt is a 4 star hotel, the Mariott was indeed a 5 star once upon a time but no longer.

[feltip]

Originally Posted by Victorian

I obviously don't understand the hotel star system. I always thought that, like Michelin stars for restaurants, hotels were graded by an anonymous, independent team of inspectors (AA, RAC, Michelin, Good Hotel Guide, Egon Ronay etc.). So how can a hotel clasify itself as 'five star' before it is even built? Wishful thinking perhaps? A goal to be aimed for? Incidentally, how many stars does the Hyatt have? I can never find it mentioned in the standard guide books.

Well whereas you judge food quality on the actual experience and that might change with chef with a hotel you can create a grading scheme whereby swimmingpool = 1 star, car park = another star etc.
Edit: A bit like office space which is graded from A to C.

I'm sure someone can explain it better.