‘Premium’ property features 120 rooms and a restaurant, with owners eyeing further projects in Northern Ireland
The former Radisson Blu in the gasworks is now called ‘voco’ and is owned by IHG Hotels and Resorts.
This is the first voco location on the island of Ireland.
Last year, the venue was acquired by Irish company Cliste Hospitality, which invested £3.6m in refurbishing the property. According to the company, the work has given it a stylish look and “exceptional” facilities, with 120 premium guest rooms, a new ground floor bar, Pomo restaurant and outdoor terrace.
There is also an event space with six rooms for meetings and small gatherings.
The Radisson Blu was acquired by Cliste and its hotel subsidiary iNua Collection after it was put up for sale for £16 million.
Cliste said it was exploring other acquisitions in Northern Ireland.
The bar of voco Belfast
It is iNua Collection’s first hotel here and joins 13 properties across the border including Hibernian in Kilkenny, Dublin ONE, Tullamore Court in the Midlands and Radisson Blu in Limerick, Sligo, Athlone and Cork.
Voco is now offering rooms from £130. A launch event was attended yesterday by around 200 guests, including Tourism NI and the NI Hotels Federation.
The exterior of voco Belfast
Joanna Kurowska, managing director of IHG’s UK and Ireland operations, said voco is the premium brand.
“We designed Voco in 2018 to meet the growing need for conversion in the market. This hotel is a perfect example of something that lends itself perfectly to spaces that need conversion and new life,” she said.
“That’s exactly what happened here. If you knew the hotel — the color scheme, the way it looked, the way it felt, the sense of arrival — it was so different from what it is now.”
Reception at voco Belfast
Ms Kurowska said the hotel would target the business and leisure market but would not have a star rating.
“It’s perfect because it’s so close to the city centre,” she added.
“We call it premium because we don’t really use stars. It’s just one way to describe the market, but we segment the market using the terms standard, premium and luxury. Premium means it’s in the middle between the luxury space and the standard space. It’s all about the experience and the quality of the service.”
Down in voco Belfast
The tourism industry here had been nervously awaiting the impact of the Home Office’s additional visa requirement, known as Electronic Travel Authorisation. But with a Labour government in place, the hope is that the concept will be scrapped.
Ms Kurowska said: “What we have seen between the Republic and the UK is that the trend of this market is huge and people will always travel across the border for natural reasons and for obvious reasons.
“There are so many historical, economic and family ties and nothing can break that.”
Workplace and meeting room in voco Beflast
Mairea Doyle Balfe, business development director at Cliste Hospitality, said the company saw great potential in Belfast.
“Belfast is a very young city, we see a lot of development going on, so it gave us a great opportunity,” she said.
“We continue to look for properties in Northern Ireland.
“We definitely want to add two or three more in the coming years.
“It has beautiful scenery, you have the coast, you have the Sperrin Mountains and the Mourne Mountains and we see there is potential.
“We look forward to becoming an important part of the city’s community and will continue to look for further opportunities to expand our presence in Northern Ireland.”
IHG Hotels & Resorts is one of the largest hotel companies in the world with more than 6,000 properties internationally.
Other brands within the group, such as Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Crowne Plaza, already have a presence in Belfast through partnerships with Andras House.
Pomo Restaurant in the heart of Belfast
The interior design of voco Belfast was carried out by O’Donnell O’Neill Design to achieve what the hotel described as “a property that feels luxurious, but with a relaxed atmosphere – somewhere reliable, yet different”.
The finishing was carried out by Pure Fitout.
The decor features colorful accents and patterns, creative lighting, textured tiles and some quirky yet comfortable furniture.
The bedrooms are equipped with modern facilities such as smart TVs and fast WiFi.
Danielle McGinley, Sales and Marketing Director at voco Belfast, said: “It’s an exciting time to be opening such a stylish new offering in a city that truly values style.
“It has been a pleasure to work with our partners to ensure voco Belfast stands out as a distinctive destination for guests to enjoy.”