Does Brighton need a luxury 5 star hotel ? would it attract a better class of visitor.

[Vegas Seagull]

How about the Thistle? Had a large atrium space when you enter, look quite nice last time I went (few years back, mind..)

The hotel with the worst facade in the World....beggars belief those materials were signed off within living memory....it looks disgusting esp when wet

 

[BN9 BHA]

Noticed Brighton doesn't have any 5 star hotels. Nearest is the Grand which is a good 4 star. Do you guys think there is demand for a decent 5 star to attract more discerning visitors. Price for a good 5 star in Chelsea where I live is about £375 per night bed and breakfast. Would visitors pay that ?

Celebrity fan? Member of Duran Duran ?
Done alright for yourself living in Chelsea.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

There speaks someone who has to work for others (how was your last appraisal?) rather than earn their own income like all of the independent shop owners who need people with money to buy their goods not the economically deprived to window shop and bring their own chicken paste sandwiches & value cola to the beach

Yes, you're absolutely right. The seafront souvenir shops will be thriving as Sheikh Bin Soor, Aleksei Perestroika and some dins from TOWIE load up on inflatables, postcards and sticks of rock.

Thank heavens for folks with money.

 

[Seasidesage]

DeVere were very reluctant to spend money on the Grand the new owners however appear to be very keen to spend a lot. Hopefully with my company!

They have some good plans including a new restaurant in what used to be Midnight Blues so expect the hotel to improve considerably in the next few years.

Does Brighton need a 5 star hotel? Very very much so, I work in the hotel trade as a supplier and visit a lot of hotels especially in London although all over Europe too. I think Brighton's hotel provision is shocking, expensive and under provisioned. I would expect a 5star hotel done properly to be extremely successful...

 

[dazzer6666]

Agree with [MENTION=147]Sea[/MENTION]sidsage - There are some nice boutique hotels in Brighton......places like the Una which has superb rooms and fantastic service, but there is definitely room for an all the bells and whistles 5 star hotel. Proximity to London alone would draw the business in, and typical 5* prices wouldn't be much different from the boutique places. Would love something like a Shangri-La or Mandarin Oriental

 

[Seasidesage]

The hotel with the worst facade in the World....beggars belief those materials were signed off within living memory....it looks disgusting esp when wet

It's been up for sale for a couple of years without any takers.

 

[The Spanish]

Agree with [MENTION=147]Sea[/MENTION]sidsage - There are some nice boutique hotels in Brighton......places like the Una which has superb rooms and fantastic service, but there is definitely room for an all the bells and whistles 5 star hotel. Proximity to London alone would draw the business in, and typical 5* prices wouldn't be much different from the boutique places. Would love something like a Shangri-La or Mandarin Oriental

Can't see it happening. How many five star hotels are there in Aberdeen for example which is dear and has high occupancy rates, or any major UK city outside London? Not many. Plus Brightons market is I guess mainly mid market leisure, which is not most large upper end hotels business.

There are probably easy to find figures on occupancy levels and average room rates in brighton if you have a root. A few conferences and Christmas on ice are t going to be enough for someone taking a punt on building marina bay sands II

I would assume someone would have taken a punt by now if it was doable. Would need to be in line with other major developments i would have thought.

 

[Notters]

I thought the Grand had just been done up?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Can't see it happening. How many five star hotels are there in Aberdeen for example which is dear and has high occupancy rates, or any major UK city outside London? Not many. Plus Brightons market is I guess mainly mid market leisure, which is not most large upper end hotels business.

There are probably easy to find figures on occupancy levels and average room rates in brighton if you have a root. A few conferences and Christmas on ice are t going to be enough for someone taking a punt on building marina bay sands II

I would assume someone would have taken a punt by now if it was doable. Would need to be in line with other major developments i would have thought.

It would be impossible to get planning permission. Can you imagine, The Regency Society would be up in arms saying it wouldn't fit in with the surroundings and demand a ridiculous ersatz period hotel.

 

[pastafarian]

Can't see it happening. How many five star hotels are there in Aberdeen for example which is dear and has high occupancy rates, or any major UK city outside London? Not many. Plus Brightons market is I guess mainly mid market leisure, which is not most large upper end hotels business.

There are probably easy to find figures on occupancy levels and average room rates in brighton if you have a root. A few conferences and Christmas on ice are t going to be enough for someone taking a punt on building marina bay sands II

I would assume someone would have taken a punt by now if it was doable. Would need to be in line with other major developments i would have thought.

spot on

brighton knows its market very well,and its not the 5 star type.

there simply isnt a market for it 12 months a year,whether its corporate or leisure business. If there was a market someone would have provided a hotel years ago.........oddly enough no one has

thats not to say some of the prime hotels really need to up their game and are in dire need of refurbishment

 

[drew]

Couple of questions for those in the know/trade.

What would it take to raise the Grand from a 4* to a 5* hotel in terms of facilities? I had heard that one of the issues is that it doesn't have a pool but I could be wrong.

Secondly, since the Brighton Centre now seems a poor relation in respect of conferences, is there no point in a 5* until there are vast improvements to the centre?

 

[pastafarian]

Couple of questions for those in the know/trade.

What would it take to raise the Grand from a 4* to a 5* hotel in terms of facilities? I had heard that one of the issues is that it doesn't have a pool but I could be wrong.

Secondly, since the Brighton Centre now seems a poor relation in respect of conferences, is there no point in a 5* until there are vast improvements to the centre?

aa 5 star requirements can be seen here

http://www.theaa.com/resources/Documents/pdf/business/hotel_services/aa_hotel_quality_standards.pdf

 

[dazzer6666]

spot on

brighton knows its market very well,and its not the 5 star type.

there simply isnt a market for it 12 months a year,whether its corporate or leisure business. If there was a market someone would have provided a hotel years ago.........oddly enough no one has

thats not to say some of the prime hotels really need to up their game and are in dire need of refurbishment

This might be a better assessment..........lot of complacency in the current lot and a lot of investment needed.

 

[pastafarian]

Couple of questions for those in the know/trade.

What would it take to raise the Grand from a 4* to a 5* hotel in terms of facilities? I had heard that one of the issues is that it doesn't have a pool but I could be wrong.

Secondly, since the Brighton Centre now seems a poor relation in respect of conferences, is there no point in a 5* until there are vast improvements to the centre?

i might add my brother lectures across the globe on hotel hospitality,he recently gave a talk and made the AA rep cry regarding how out of touch they were in their rating system with regard to the modern traveller and expectations

 

[pastafarian]

This might be a better assessment..........lot of complacency in the current lot and a lot of investment needed.

indeed yes

but people need to remind themselves these hotels are just businesses ......just because its called the Grand and charges top dollar does not mean its awash with money that can be used for refurbishment,its like any business the city needs to make itself attractive to the tourists and the business bod alike

 

[mikeyjh]

I'd have thought that if you want a priority for the city, access in and out of it would be the one, looks like the Argus are doing something interesting:-

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/1331...s_and_automobiles_investigation_by_The_Argus/

 

[dazzer6666]

i might add my brother lectures across the globe on hotel hospitality,he recently gave a talk and made the AA rep cry regarding how out of touch they were in their rating system with regard to the modern traveller and expectations

Spot on. AA guide is next to useless. Even Tripadvisor is 100% better as long as you can sift out the daft reviews.