Amazing - Paragon Hotel (was Rowton House)

[Guilbert53]

My wife has to go to a conference tomorrow in the Paragon Hotel.

Never heard of it, so looked it up and found it was in Alcester St, Birmingham, near Digbeth. Next to Highgate Park.

Then I saw the building and I was staggered that a building like this was tucked away amongst all the factories in that area.

Seems it was built in 1903 and used to be called Rowton House and was built by Lord Rowton for mainly Irish people who came over here but had little money. It gave them somewhere cheap and fairly decent to live.

Grade 2 listed.

Picture here

http://www.tankslap.co.uk/gallery/al...on_hotel~0.jpg

History here

http://www.theparagonhotel.co.uk/history
.

[Route 435]

Yeah it's bizarre isn't it, next to Highgate Park but also loads of Digbeth factories and not exactly the poshest estates! Actually looks quite a nice hotel, not sure what the standard is like inside.

[sefton66]

It's also up for sale

A LANDMARK Birmingham hotel is up for sale with a £6 million price tag.

The Grade II-listed Paragon Hotel in Digbeth – originally built as a hostel for Irish migrants – has already attracted interest from five hotel operators and other suitors.

It went on the market after its owner Dhillon Hotels called in administrators last October.

Gavin Wright, director of sale agent Christie and Co, said: “We have had an awful lot of interest – the majority of which is for existing use – from hotel operators and wealthy individuals.



“It is an iconic building. It has got a lot of function rooms – 13 in total – with the largest having a capacity of 600.

“There are also 250 bedrooms, of which 207 are in use, so there is the potential to bring more back on line. There is also potential to increase the conference function.”

He added: “It was originally built in the early 20th century for Irish migrants. It was a hostel for many years and in the 1990s it got converted into a hotel. The guide price is £6 million. In this market it is difficult to know what it is going to achieve, but there have been many enquiries.”

Dhillon Hotels, which promised to invest £50 million when it took over the Paragon in 2006, called in administrators from BDO after succumbing to “difficult trading conditions”.

Mr Wright said the hotel attracted a “good level” of corporate business from Birmingham and the wider West Midlands and also did well out of weekend leisure bookings.

After starting out as a hostel the hotel was taken over by Singapore firm Cockpit Hotels in 1997. It has been a favoured destination for weddings in recent years.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news...r-sale-1246908

[ChipBoard]

Yeah. Stayed there once. Needs massive work and the area is shite.

[Victorian]

Originally Posted by Guilbert53

My wife has to go to a conference tomorrow in the Paragon Hotel.

Never heard of it, so looked it up and found it was in Alcester St, Birmingham, near Digbeth. Next to Highgate Park.

Then I saw the building and I was staggered that a building like this was tucked away amongst all the factories in that area.

Seems it was built in 1903 and used to be called Rowton House and was built by Lord Rowton for mainly Irish people who came over here but had little money. It gave them somewhere cheap and fairly decent to live.

Grade 2 listed.

Picture here

http://www.tankslap.co.uk/gallery/al...on_hotel~0.jpg

History here

http://www.theparagonhotel.co.uk/history
.

I have stayed at the Paragon a couple of times and even posted some pictures a few years ago on the 'Birmingham Skyline' thread of this forum (see here). Rooms are fairly small but those that had been renovated were very comfortable. It always seemed to be busy with receptions, meetings etc. A splendid building, as you say, and Grade 2 listed I believe.

[Guilbert53]

Originally Posted by Route 435

Actually looks quite a nice hotel, not sure what the standard is like inside.

I looked at some of the reviews on Trip Advisor for the hotel and they are pretty bad.

Trouble is when you search for it in Google the "hit" comes up for the hotel which says "The Paragon Hotel is a cheap Birmingham City centre hotel near the NEC Birmingham. This cheap hotel in Birmingham is ideal for Weddings in Birmingham...."

Mentioning the word "cheap" twice in the opening two sentences is not a great idea.

Also it is in an industrial area (look at it in Google maps), and some way out of the city centre, so cant attract tourists who want to visit the city.

Hence the rooms have to be inexpensive per night, which means not much money coming in, which means little money to "do the place up".

It is a vicious downward spiral and I think any hotel chain would have trouble making it pay its way.

[Typhoon2000]

yeh, like Dormy, I think this is more for workmen who stay in hotels like this when they're away from home. My dad's stayed in places like this when he's been working on major projects and the comapny shells out for all the rooms they need. I dunno, perhaps they can get a good budget hotel operator with a sharp business plan together.

[metrogogo]

A recent photograph of the Paragon Hotel [Green conical turrets] nestling on the not so glamorous industrial skyline.

image hosted on flickr
Paragon Hotel by metrogogo, on Flickr

[Guilbert53]

Excellent photo.

In that picture it almost looks like an old country house.

Mind you, it could also be mistaken for an old hospital or even an old prison.

If this building was over the west side near Five Ways, Edgbaston area I think it could be thriving hotel.

But unfortunately where it is it is rather brought down by its surroundings.

[hoody]

It was opened by royalty too.

I'll see if I can dig up the picture on the foundation stone I took in 2009.

[KHvillan]

if you want to see it in full glory go on st Patricks day for a drink

[morestoreysplease]

Yes great shot!! In the middle of that photo you can see my other favourite street in Brum alongside Constitution Hill - the grand Bradford St. I really hope the old Harrison Drape building gets some action soon to kickstart something there. The Paragon is a jewell in that hilly area and could become a great hotel if a major name come in for it.

[nigeman]

Originally Posted by morestoreysplease

Yes great shot!! In the middle of that photo you can see my other favourite street in Brum alongside Constitution Hill - the grand Bradford St. I really hope the old Harrison Drape building gets some action soon to kickstart something there. The Paragon is a jewell in that hilly area and could become a great hotel if a major name come in for it.

I agree, would be great if the Council had included this area in the Big City Plan. I would have this building overlooking another city park that flowed down to the new envisioned wholesale market redevelopment.
Practical if there was a lot of derelict and empty buildings in between, but there is still a lot of vital manufacturing taking place in every other building it seems.
A lot of life on top of the hill this sits on, but pretty dull and dodgy at night in between there and lower Digbeth.
Give us a nice metro line up Bradford Street instead of the High Street and we could create a little San Francisco

[djay]

Originally Posted by nigeman

I agree, would be great if the Council had included this area in the Big City Plan. I would have this building overlooking another city park that flowed down to the new envisioned wholesale market redevelopment.
Practical if there was a lot of derelict and empty buildings in between, but there is still a lot of vital manufacturing taking place in every other building it seems.
A lot of life on top of the hill this sits on, but pretty dull and dodgy at night in between there and lower Digbeth.
Give us a nice metro line up Bradford Street instead of the High Street and we could create a little San Francisco

im sure this area is in the big city plan.