Jurys Inn Glasgow checks into corporate business trend with £3m investment
Less than a month ago, the De Vere Venues chief executive Tony Dangerfield told BigHospitality he expects an upturn in the corporate events market for hotels in 2013.And Jurys Inn already appears to be tapping in on the trend.
The Glasgow hotel will see 175 bedrooms redeveloped before Christmas, with an overhaul of all 321 bedrooms by February next year. A range of executive rooms will be added to the 10th and 11th floors, featuring upgraded facilities and free Wi-Fi.
“A lot has changed over the past 10 years – not just in the hospitality industry, but in customer expectations,” said Jurys Inn Glasgow’s general manager Barry Rowland.
“We realised we would have to up our own game as the hotel industry has grown increasingly competitive in Glasgow and we want to remain as one of the leaders in our market segment.
Not 'business as usual'
“Creating two executive floors, for example, is an entirely new thing for us which we’re effectively piloting for the whole company - this shows we’re not content with business as usual.”
The investment signals the first major redevelopment of the city centre hotel since it opened its doors in Glasgow back in 2003. The hotel’s public areas have also been overhauled and brand new stylish lobby and lounge areas have been created.
The new conference facility, Jurysmeetings, has also been launched with extensive redecoration and new furniture installed to the entire conference floor - which includes a conference breakout lounge and 10 meeting rooms.
All rooms will receive new furniture, carpets and artwork along with refreshed bathrooms with new showers and chromework. Environmentally friendly lighting is being installed in the communal areas on every floor and 18 accessible rooms will be created for disabled guests.
Corporate business
Of the 18, 16 are partially accessible and feature lowered beds and sockets, widened doors, additional handrails and emergency cords. The other two are fully accessible rooms, which also offer roll-in wet room showers and electronic doors.
Contemporary furnishings and carpets have also been fitted throughout the hotel’s bar and restaurant areas and a new Costa Coffee bar has also opened, serving both guests and the wider public.
A number of hotel groups and independent hoteliers are looking to increase their share of corporate trade after much of the business dropped off during the Olympics and the recession. Jurys Inn Glasgow is the latest in a number of hotels tapping into corporate business through refurbishment programmes - Park Inn Heathrow, for example, recently invested £500,000 into redeveloping its conference facilities.
Last month, Jurys Inn launched the new restaurant menu across its entire estatebased on customer insight data, which saw the introduction of the new grill section and an extra focus on seasonal demands - the new food offering will feature in the refurbished Jurys Inn Glasgow.
