Kew Green Holdings has completed the acquisition of two remaining Holiday Inn hotels from LRG Holdings Ltd. The two hotels, located in Swindon and Portsmouth, bring its portfolio of Holiday Inn branded hotels to 40. Kew Green is now InterContinental Hotels Group’s largest Holiday Inn franchise partner across Europe. All the former LRG-owned hotels will now share a £25million refurbishment pot.

Kew Green operates 55 hotels in total across the UK under six major brands: Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza, Ramada Encore, Ramada and Courtyard by Marriott. They also operate The Richmond Hill Hotel, a four star property in south west London and The Grand Brighton.

Details:  www.kewgreen.co.uk

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Published: 04 December 2014

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Wyndham Hotel Group has signing a development agreement with Lester Hotels to open 20 Ramada branded hotels across the UK over the next ten years.

The first two hotels will be a rebranding exercise. From next month the Ramada Resort Cwrt Bleddyn and Ramada Leicester Stage will open. A third hotel, in Finchley, north London will open next year. All properties will be managed by Lester Hotels.

The 45-bedroom Ramada Resort Cwrt Bleddyn (pictured) is located in Usk, Monmouthshire. The hotel includes a restaurant, bar, meeting space for up to 200 people as well as a spa and fitness centre.

Ramada Leicester Stage, formerly a Best Western property, has 79 bedrooms, five meeting rooms, an indoor pool, sauna and fitness centre as well as food and beverage outlets.

Ramada Resort Cwrt Bleddyn and Ramada Leicester Stage will take the number of Ramada hotels in the UK up to 40.

Details: www.lesterhotels.com

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Published: 03 December 2014

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Two glass walkways have opened 45 metres above the River Thames at Tower Bridge in London as part of a new attraction marking its 120th birthday. The two glass floors, on the west walkway and the east walkway, each measure 11.5 metres long and 1.8 metres wide and each offer breath-taking views of the Docklands, Canary Wharf and Greenwich to the East; and the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral and the City to the West. In addition visitors can also experience a ‘bridge-lift’ beneath their feet.

Tower Bridge has operated as a visitor attraction since 1982. The Engine Rooms and North Tower Lounge are available for corporate events. The glass walkways can be hired in the evening for cocktail receptions for up to 250 guests or seated dinners for up to 120 guests.

Details: www.towerbridgewalkways.co.uk

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Published: 03 December 2014

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Hostel-operators, Safestay, are planning to open a second property in London. It will be a new 380-bed Safestay hostel in Holland Park, west London, in a building which until recently operated as a YHA hostel.

The building, located in the centre of the park, is a Jacobean mansion and dates back to 1607. A 1950’s extension created a central courtyard and garden space.

The Safestay hostel is scheduled to open in April 2015 following a comprehensive refurbishment costing in the region of £2million.

Safestay at Elephant & Castle, the group's first London hostel, was formerly the Labour Party Headquarters. It opened in 2012.The group also operate a hostel in the centre of York.

Details:  www.safestay.co.uk

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Published: 03 December 2014

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