UK openings: Eight new city hotels for 2021

There’s nothing we love more than discovering inspirational new venues for our clients to host memorable events. We can’t wait to get out there and start doing site visits again when it is safe to do so, especially as there are so many exciting new properties opening around the UK this year.

To whet your appetite, we have rounded up a selection of the city hotels we can’t wait to check out, from bijoux boutiques and reimagined historical gems to contemporary new builds and big-name luxury brands. When live events are back, these properties will be in demand, so make sure to plan well ahead if you want to meet or stay at the hottest spots in town…

Beaverbrook Townhouse London

We have delivered many great events at Beaverbrook Hotel & Spa, the stunning country estate in Surrey, so we were delighted to hear of its plans to open a sister property in the city. Beaverbrook is restoring two Georgian townhouses on Sloane Street in partnership with Cadogan. The £25m project will be transformed into a 14-suite luxury property featuring a 60-cover gourmet Japanese restaurant and bar.

Nobu Hotel London Portman Square

Nobu’s much-anticipated new London property finally opened its doors in December, but sadly had to close them again shortly after due to Covid restrictions. The 249-room property will be high on our list to visit when it does reopen this year, thanks to its array of event spaces, which can accommodate every occasion – from a boardroom meeting for four to an elaborate reception for 700 at full capacity. The hotel has helpfully put new reduced capacities on its floorplans to allow for social distancing. It also features a bar, terrace and lounge, while the Nobu restaurant boasts a private dining room for up to 24 guests.

NoMad London

We love a venue with a storied past so the new NoMad London, located in the grade II-listed former Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station in Covent Garden, is right up our street. The iconic 19th century building has been transformed into a 91-room hotel with much of the original architectural features preserved and woven into design. The building’s original Magistrates’ Courtroom, now the Magistrates' Ballroom, has been reimagined as a formal space with two adjacent private dining rooms, a separate bar, and a dedicated entrance from the street using the original courtroom’s entrance.

The Londoner

Making its debut in the heart of London’s West End this Spring, the Leicester Square property has been dubbed the capital’s first “iceberg hotel”, because it has more space underground than above. The subterranean levels will have a ballroom accommodating up to 864 people sitting down, seven private meeting rooms, a spa, 15-metre swimming pool and gym, and two private screening rooms. Above ground, facilities will include a public tavern, whisky room and rooftop terrace as well as 350 guest bedrooms. We think this contemporary new-build will be well-suited to both meeting and incentive groups.

Pan Pacific London

Over in the City of London, Pan Pacific is preparing to open its first outpost in Europe. The 237-room hotel will feature the largest ballroom in the capital’s Square Mile, accommodating up to 400 guests. It will feature five additional meeting rooms on Level Five and the Level Three Creative Space – a more relaxed, styled meeting space ideal for exclusive hire, making it ideal for a wide range of meetings, conferences and social events.

Artist Residence Bristol

Bristol is famed for its cool arty vibe, which will feature prominently at the city’s new boutique property, Artist Residence, due to open this year. Like its sister hotels in Brighton, Pimlico, Penzance and Oxfordshire, the hotel will feature an eclectic fusion of art and vintage. Housed in a former boot factory in the heart of the creative St Paul’s community just minutes from Bristol’s city centre, the hotel will offer 23 bedrooms, a coffee shop, bar, kitchen, event space and garden. It will be the perfect spot for small groups in need of a creative setting.

The Grand Hotel Birmingham

A £45m restoration and renovation has seen this historic gem transformed into an eagerly awaited luxury addition to Birmingham’s hotel scene. The renovation has retained the building's French Renaissance exterior and includes new penthouse suites overlooking nearby Birmingham Cathedral. But it’s the impressive meeting and events space on offer that caught our attention. The Grand Ballroom, complete with listed, Louis XIV-style interior, can host up to 250 people theatre style (with 1m distancing), while a further nine meeting and event spaces that cater to a range of smaller group sizes, combine period character with the latest technology. Additional facilities include an outdoor garden terrace, two bars and a destination restaurant.

Gleneagles Townhouse Edinburgh

And finally, north of the border, another of our favourite country estate hotels is opening a sister outpost in the city. Gleneagles is coming to Edinburgh in autumn 2021 and we can’t wait. Located on St Andrew Square, the new townhouse will boast 33 exquisitely designed bedrooms, each one unique and designed to imbue a sense of understated luxury with an appreciative nod to the heritage of the building. The property will also feature an all-day restaurant, two bars and a rooftop terrace featuring stunning views over the Scottish capital.