Leicester’s newest hotels gear up for opening date
With Leicester’s newest hotels set to open on 16 January, our roving reporter took a short trip across the East Midlands to get the low-down.
The brand new Novotel and Adagio hotels and the independent restaurant NineB are the latest additions to the ambitious Great Central Square development in Leicester city centre.
Both hotels are owned by developer Charles Street Buildings Group and are part of the Accor family of brands. The Novotel is aimed at business and family travellers, while the Adagio offers a more informal, long and short-stay aparthotel experience.
Some 65 staff are expected to be employed across the £40 million combined site.
A room at the Novotel
Designed by Koncept ID in partnership with the owners, the ten-storey Novotel features a gym and 154 bedrooms, including 38 executive suites fitted with 55-inch televisions, nine bespoke junior suites and a 60 sq ft presidential suite on the penthouse floor of the building.
The building also boasts five flexible daylit meeting rooms which feature the only wireless interactive 82-inch screens in Leicester.
The Westmoreland Suite can cater up for up to 200 people at a time, while the Dinglen, Haramead and New Star suites can each accommodate up to 50 guests. There is also a private boardroom with space for 14 people.
The conference and banqueting spaces have their own private bar area, a breakout area for refreshments and a corridor that houses kitchen and washroom facilities.
Conference facilities
The Adagio, meanwhile, features 98 apartments, including 73 two-person studios and 25 two-room apartments for up to four people.
Each room comes complete with a fully-fitted kitchen, modular furniture and high spec-technologies such as USB alarm clocks, wireless chargers and 43-inch televisions.
James Conaghan, an industry stalwart who has worked for Choice, Menzies and Jupiter Hotels and who was once Post House’s youngest ever general manager, was appointed to manage the Novotel and Adagio Leicester hotels on 8 April.
Conaghan told TheBusinessDesk.com: “We are bringing something unique to Leicester in that we can offer a long-stay experience alongside the benefits of a normal travelling hotel.
“Both the Novotel and the Adagio are fully air-conditioned, which is a rarity in the city. We also have our own car park and a fantastic independent restaurant. NineB, overseen by our food and beverage manager Manish Sharma, will make extensive use of locally-sourced produce.”
In the bar at NineB
Conaghan is excited to be opening in Leicester despite the impact that political and economic uncertainty is having on the hotel sector.
He said: “It’s difficult to assess the state of the sector until Brexit has happened. A lot of people are holding back to see what transpires. However, Leicester’s economy has been stable for three to four years, which is great for us.
“There’s also the fact that the football team has been incredibly successful. We all rub our hands together when they do well! The title win in 2016 added an extra six points of occupancy across the city’s hotels.”
He added: “I am very proud of everything that has been achieved here. We can’t wait to open our doors to the general public.”
NineB seating area
Reception area at the Adagio
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