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October 2016
It occurred to me recently how important hotels are in the mix of uses found in towns and city centres, having recently had a tour behind the scenes of the refurbishment of the Grand Hotel in Birmingham.
Designing town and city centres and attracting tourists to improve the economic viability of a place go hand in hand. People’s first impression of a town or city is often influenced by the accommodation they stay in and the quality of service. There is a need for accommodation at a range of different budgets from youth hostels right through to boutique and 5 * hotels.
The influence of airbnb is also having a significant impact on where people stay in town and city centres. Concern has recently been raised in the media about the impact of airbnb on the stock of private rented accommodation within certain cities such as Berlin, where authorities are trying to crack down on this to free up more rented accommodation for local people.
The cost of refurbishing hotels back to their former glory is an expensive business. Again the question of viability is raised: can the £30 million renovation cost of the Grand Hotel be covered by the cost of room rates for a city like Birmingham where you can get a 4* hotel room for less than £100? The renovations costs are similar to the cost of renovation of the Renaissance Hotel at St Pancras, London but room rates and suites in London can be charged out for thousands of pounds per night.
Some interior shots of The Grand in Birmingham show the scale of work to be undertaken.
An iconic hotel can also attract you to a place that you would not normally go. I recently stayed at the Midland Hotel in Morecambe. This hotel had laid derelict for many years until Urban Splash refurbished it in 2006. This hotel a spectacular example of a 1930s Art Deco hotel with a modern glass extension overlooking Morecambe Bay.
A key factor in the experience for anyone visiting a city is not just the hotel but also the quality of the public realm outside and that links to other city attractions. We have worked on a number of town and city centre masterplans and public realm schemes for new squares, streets and courtyards which integrate hotels and other uses into a high quality environment. We believe in fantastic hotels, good quality service and a fantastic public realm to uplift the spirit and make you feel alive.
