Marriott confirms first two AC Hotels in UK
The hotels in Salford Quays and the Mailbox in Birmingham, currently trading under the Ramada brand, will re-open as AC Hotels by Marriott mid-2016 following the expiry of the existing licenses.
Valor Hospitality Europe, the hotel management company led by Brian McCarthy, was appointed to manage the two hotels in August and will continue to run them under the new brand.
Tim Walton, vice president international development at Marriott International said: “This is a defining moment for the AC Hotels by Marriott brand as we launch its first two UK hotels in thriving cosmopolitan cities.
"These hotels support our strategic development for the brand across Europe and we are so pleased to be working with Valor Hospitality Partners on such high profile projects. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce the stylish and sophisticated AC Hotels experience to our Marriott customers and guests in the UK.”
Valor Hospitality Europe managing director McCarthy said he was excited to be the first company to work with AC Hotels in the UK.
"AC will be the perfect fit for both locations and we look forward to working with Marriott to deliver a true AC Hotels experience for UK travellers," he said.
Valor Hospitality Europe, an extension of USA based Valor Hospitality Partners, currently has a UK portfolio of 20 and is looking to increase that number further. McCarthy said working with Marriott on its AC Hotels brand was a 'huge step forward' for the company.
He said: "We have developed strong working relationships with many of the major brands, including Marriott, IHG and Hilton. We are continuing to experience rapid growth within the business and have a healthy pipeline of new opportunities, which we will be announcing in the coming months. AC is a superb brand and we look forward to managing this new hotel concept in two of the UK’s most exciting destinations.”
AC Hotels is a design led lifestyle brand within the Marriott International global portfolio of 19 brands and is aimed at creative, well-travelled guests looking for personalised experiences in a well-designed space that is still affordable.
Each AC Hotel is designed to reflect the uniqueness and character of its urban location, combining a sophisticated European style with a contemporary feel and creates social spaces that mix creativity by day and a fun social space by night.
