Member Article

The All New Look Holiday Inn…

A Gosforth based hotel chain has undergone a £3.5 million refurbishment, including the addition of the chain’s latest venture, the Open Lobby.

The Holiday Inn Gosforth Park, located where the A1 meets the A19 and less than a 15-minute drive from Newcastle International Airport, is hub for business and leisure travellers alike with meeting capacity to hold 400 delegates and wedding facilities to hold 280 guests.

The £3.5 million refurbishment has taken effect on all 151 rooms in the hotel by owners, the Ailantus Group, updating every bathroom and seeing three quarters of the rooms completed with new fixtures and fittings including air conditioning.

The cash injection comes following the Holiday Inn’s new project, the Open Lobby. In an effort to adapt to the flexibility of their guests’ schedule, the Open Lobby brings together the traditional hotel lobby, lounge, bar and restaurant areas into one open, cohesive space.

The venture has been designed to suit the needs of business and leisure guests by focussing on the five things that they like to do most, based on their research; Eat and Drink, Have Fun, Relax, Connect, and make an easy transition between those things.

The space will provide areas for eating, drinking, meeting, socialising and working with a range of seating areas including high and low tables, soft seating and booths. Free Wi-Fi, charging ports, computers and a wireless printer will also be present for guestsinside the new inclusion, the E-bar.

Norrie Oswald, General Manager of the Holiday Inn Gosforth Park for the past seven years told us the hotels’ reasoning behind the upgrade: “Our day-time visitors now have space to work or meet informally.

“There are sofas to relax in whether catching up with friends over a coffee or taking time out with your loved ones.

“All of the menus have also been refreshed and we now have an All-Day Dining Menu to choose from or snacks and treats from the To Go Café, where we proudly serve Starbucks.”

The To Go Café in the Open Lobby will serve takeaway food and beverages 24/7 and the Dining Area and Bar will feature and All-Day Menu in a flexible and relaxed atmosphere. The Holiday Inn favourite buffet breakfast will remain with a number of additions, including pancakes.

Another new element to the Open Lobby, The Media Lounge, will house seating, games, magazines and a TV. Designed to look like a laid-back living room, the area is aimed at helping guests unwind.

By 2019, The Holiday Inn aim to have 80% of their hotels compliant with the Open Lobby brand standard. According to their research, the implementation of the Open Lobby experience has had a significant impact on their hotels financially and operationally.

Norrie concluded; “The hotel is now in its 40th year and our new facilities are being received very well and I want to thank all our regular guests who supported us through the months of upheaval. It wasn’t always easy and we have really appreciated their support, we hope they think it was worth it!”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by JAM Prints & Marketing .