‘Super suites’ investment plan for Radisson Blu Edwardian

MANCHESTER’s five star Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel is to upgrade its facilities for high profile guests such as touring sports and showbiz stars by adding four 10,000sq ft super suites.

General manager Stephen Miles told TheBusinessDesk.com the upgrades are part of a £1.5m investment in the 263-bedroom property on Peter Street – which includes the landmark Free Trade Hall building.

The upgraded suites are not the only strand to the refurbishment by the London-based group – it plans to double to double the size of its health spa, and is recarpeting the bedrooms and upgradings the TVs in all its guest suites too. Its Opus restaurant will also be revamped too.

Mr Miles said: “Demand is strong for us and year-on-year occupancy levels are up 23% and we’re seeing very good revenue growth too.

“We believe that pound for pound we are the best product in the region and we’re absolutely paranoid about retaining this status.

“We’re looking to expand the property too – but the project is still at an early stage.”

Mr Miles, who sits on Marketing Manchester’s board, said his property – formerly known as the Radisson Edwardian, was seeing strong demand from business and leisure customers.

“There’s something big on at the arena every week and we’ve benefited too from the concerts at the Etihad Stadium (Coldplay) just recently. There is, and continues to be a buzz around Manchester which is good – and sets the city apart from other locations.”

He said the acquisition of the building out of administration by Edwardian group chairman Jasminder Singh last year was a “positive step” for the business.

“It makes the arrangement much cleaner and simpler and also makes it much easier to invest in our product.”

Turning to Manchester’s global and national brand, the native Londoner says the city has come a “long way” in the last decade, but there are still a number of negative perceptions about the city.

“The more success Manchester has in terms of sport – the better – English football is now massive everywhere you go, even in the US, and that helps with the out-dated image of the city some people still have.

“MediaCity is also helping the city region raise its profile – it’s another positive other regional locations don’t have.”