A new £25million hotel has announced it will open its doors in Belfast this April

The international company also confirmed the appointment of Lisa Steele as General Manager of the new £25million property, which is situated in the heart of Belfast Harbour’s landmark City Quays development, right on Belfast’s waterfront.

The contemporary-luxe four-star AC Hotel Belfast will be the first Marriott in Northern Ireland, the first AC Hotel by Marriott on the island of Ireland, and the first purpose-built AC Hotel in the UK.

It will also be the first in the group’s portfolio of 100 design-led hotels across the world to feature a destination restaurant – Jean-Christophe Novelli will open a bespoke-for-Belfast brasserie in the hotel, the first restaurant the multi-Michelin-starred and five-out-of-five AA Rosette award-winning chef will open in Ireland.

With 188 guest bedrooms, the AC Hotel Belfast will be among the city’s largest hotels, and will offer the complete complement of signature AC Marriott guest services, including gym, library, meeting facilities and AC Lounge, the now-iconic hub of every AC Hotel worldwide.

“AC Hotels by Marriott is a unique concept.

“The design is thoughtful and purposeful, marrying European sophistication and contemporary elegance to provide a stylish, simplified and frictionless experience which perfectly reflects the needs of today’s busy hotel guest and user,” said General Manager, Lisa Steele.

Recognised as one of the industry’s top hospitality professionals with management experience spanning a number of leading Belfast venues, Lisa returns to Northern Ireland from Edinburgh to take the helm at the flagship Belfast project.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be part of the team bringing this compelling new offering to the local market. Work is on schedule and we are on track to open in April, and the timing really couldn’t be better with Belfast and Northern Ireland as a region enjoying unprecedented and wholly-deserved global recognition as a must-visit destination.

“AC Hotel Belfast is looking forward to being part of, and adding value to, this success story by providing a venue that not only supports the growing accommodation needs of this thriving city but will also, with its outstanding City Quays location, exceptional aesthetic appeal and customer-led design, be a real asset to Belfast.”

In 2017, Belfast and Northern Ireland received ringing international endorsement with National Geographic, a bible for culturally curious and high-spending travellers, hailing Belfast as a must-see destination, and Lonely Planet also naming Belfast and the Causeway Coast its 2018 must-see destination, praising their “timeless beauty and high-grade distractions.”