Belfast Crowne Plaza opens with plans to grow

Belfast's largest hotel group, Andras Hotels, has opened the first Crowne Plaza hotel in Northern Ireland, following an upgrade and rebranding of it's flagship property, the four-star Ramada Plaza, Shaws Bridge.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Dec 2016, 18:35 BST
Updated 29th Dec 2016, 14:58 BST
Rajesh Rana , right, of Andras Hotels with Visit Belfast CEO Gerry Lennon and Stacy Feeney, Crowne PlazaRajesh Rana , right, of Andras Hotels with Visit Belfast CEO Gerry Lennon and Stacy Feeney, Crowne Plaza
Rajesh Rana , right, of Andras Hotels with Visit Belfast CEO Gerry Lennon and Stacy Feeney, Crowne Plaza

Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts is the upscale, full service hotel brand from InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), and is designed with the modern business traveler in mind.

IHG is one of the world’s leading hotel companies with almost 5,000 hotels in nearly 100 countries and more than 1,200 new hotels in development. pipeline. The Crowne Plaza operates more than 400 hotels.

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In Belfast, the rebrand has seen an initial investment of £600,000 with a further £3.4 million to be rolled out over an eighteen-month period, which will see a complete refurbishment of all 120 bedrooms and the creation of 34 new rooms.

The upgrade and rebrand is the latest investment on the site, which included a complete refurbishment of the Grand Ballroom, lobby and conference suites.

IHG has awarded the Crowne Plaza franchise to Andras Hotels, which also owns and operates the group’s Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express in Belfast.

“We are thrilled to open the doors of the first Crowne Plaza hotel in Northern Ireland,” said Andras Hotels director Rajesh Rana.

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“The Crowne Plaza brand is recognised worldwide as a market leading upscale hotel brand that perfectly suits the needs of business travellers.

“The hotel has the perfect location, just minutes from the city centre, close to all main arterial routes and will be a fantastic asset to the Belfast tourism and corporate market.

“We have commenced work on the refurbishment of our 120 bedrooms which will complement the ongoing upgrade and improvements we have been making to the property in recent years, with a total investment value of £6million.

Visit Belfast CEO Gerry Lennon said: “The Crowne Plaza is a prestige addition to Belfast’s hotel offering, which is experiencing record levels of occupancy with an average of 80 percent from January to October of this year, and continuing to grow.

“Voted Best UK City by Guardian and Observer readers this year, Belfast is very much a city on the rise and this investment reflects the increasing demand for quality accommodation from tourists.”

Related topics:Northern Ireland