Hunt is on for operator for landmark hotel
Liverpool City Council has launched a search to find an operator for a landmark hotel in the heart of its £1bn Paddington Village development.
The city council announced the search at a special event in London and a tendering process with OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union) will open next Friday, 20 April.
Liverpool’s Paddington Village, which lies within the Knowledge Quarter (KQ Liverpool) Mayoral Development Zone, is fast becoming a leading destination for health, science and education occupiers and the 250-bed hotel and serviced apartment scheme marks the next phase of development.
Following a competitive process the city council has already appointed Ryder Architecture to design the scheme and has shortlisted three of the leading hotel companies (Accor, Hilton, IHG) to deliver this gateway plot.
Located opposite the new Royal Liverpool Hospital the elegant 15-storey tower will have a commanding presence across the city as the highest venue in Liverpool, and when lit at night it will be the beacon for KQ Liverpool.
It is set to include a winter garden, a reception foyer and atrium with multi-purpose conference and event facilities, function bar, restaurant and executive bar lounge, fitness suite and meeting rooms.
This new hotel would follow the development of three major schemes within Paddington Village, worth more than £100m:
The RCP’s new Northern headquarters – The Spine; The Rutherford Cancer Centre North West and a new live-learn centre by Kaplan for Liverpool International College.
The £1bn Paddington Village scheme is one of the flagship regeneration projects in Liverpool which currently has £14bn worth of development schemes either on site or in the pipeline.
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson, who announced at MIPIM the city will also be establishing a KQ Liverpool Development Company, said: “The speed at which Paddington Village is taking shape is a great symbol of a dynamic Liverpool, one that is forging a world-leading reputation in the knowledge economy and using it to drive unprecedented growth.
“Paddington Village is attracting huge international attention with the prestigious roster of names signed up to the scheme and it already has a hallmark for excellence. This new hotel will reflect that status from its design through to its service and I’m confident once complete it will be a hotel and a landmark building the city will be proud of.”
Liverpool City Council, which is also currently out to tender to develop a Spatial Regeneration Framework for the KQ Liverpool Gateway, will shortlist in mid-June and will announce the hotel operator by August.
