IHG confirmed as business school hotel partner

THE operator of the new hotels which form part of the £1bn Manchester Business School redevelopment has been confirmed.

InterContinental Hotels Group,  which has been long seen as the most likely partner, will bring The Crowne Plaza  and Staybridge Suites to the new campus on Oxford Road. They will take IHG’s sites in Manchester to 21.

The two hotels are part of Bruntwood’s wider redevelopment of Manchester Business School (MBS) and will adjoin its new two-storey Executive Education Centre, which will provide a new home for the business school’s corporate leadership and management programmes.

The 210-room Crowne Plaza® hotel and the 116-room Staybridge Suites property will both operate under a franchise agreement with existing owner partner M&L Hospitality and will be managed by Cycas Hospitality.

Professor Fiona Devine, head of MBS, said: “In our 50th anniversary year I am delighted that the development of the hotels and our new Executive Education Centre is progressing so well.

“The Staybridge Suites hotel in particular offers a range of benefits to our Executive Education and Global MBA delegates who are often in Manchester for extended periods. Offering longer stays means guests can combine business trips with leisure and are able to visit Manchester and other areas in the North West.”

Chris Roberts, development director at Bruntwood added: “The hotel and adjoining Executive Education Centre will be a landmark development for the Corridor and a great addition to the amenities of the city’s tourism and business offer.”

Philip Lassman, director of development for the UK & Ireland, IHG said: “Manchester is a key city for us and it’s great to see an appetite for our extended stay brand Staybridge Suites here.  Crowne Plaza Manchester – Oxford Road will be our third Crowne Plaza hotel in Manchester; and the brand – with its renowned meeting facilities and focus on supporting people who travel for success – is really gaining momentum across the UK.”

There are only five UK Staybridge Suites hotels. They offer two suite types (studio and one-bedroom) with fully equipped kitchens, a functional work area separate from living areas, complimentary wireless anywhere, a complimentary daily hot breakfast, an evening social reception three days a week, a 24-hour business centre, fitness room and laundry room, all of which are complimentary for guests and a 24/7 convenience store.