IHG Hotels & Resorts today demonstrated its continued UK growth by announcing the debut of Voco Hotels into the Scottish hotel market.
Marked with the upcoming opening of Voco Grand Central in Glasgow (pictured) and Voco Edinburgh - Haymarket, IHG has always been a prime player in the city break market for which Glasgow and Edinburgh are widely recognised.
Following recent Government guidelines announcing the expected reopening of Scottish hospitality in April/May, the upcoming openings signal a welcome return to leisure travel.
Voco, inspired by the meaning ‘to invite’ or to ‘call together’ in Latin, has enhanced the charm and existing grandeur of the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow with bold branding and a distinctive new identity.
Showcasing 230 rooms, extensive meeting and event spaces, a locally inspired welcome treat upon arrival, and dedicated resident experts known as Voco hosts, the new voco Grand Central in Glasgow will be a stand-out for leisure and corporate guests alike.
The second Scottish opening, Voco Edinburgh - Haymarket, will mark IHG’s seventh voco hotel, and it’s first new-build, to open in the UK. Located in the West End of Edinburgh, the hotel will offer 150 rooms and suites, all-day restaurant The Blossom and destination-led bar; Edinburgh at the Bar.
Voco currently has ten hotels open across Europe, including Cardiff, Oxford and Reading in the UK.The premium brand presents owners with a strong return on investment with its opportunity for conversions presenting an ability to reduce pre-opening costs by quickly moving to operational and now-open status.
Karan Khanna, Managing Director UK & Ireland, said, “We are delighted to see our Voco brand enter the Scottish hotel market. Both properties reflect the voco brand proposition, being reliably different while celebrating each hotel’s individual spirit and character.
'Since launching in 2018, Voco has seen extraordinary growth and is proving popular with owners and developers alike given its strong conversion appeal.
'After launching the brand in China and the US just a few months ago, I am truly delighted that we’re now also entering a new market a little closer to home. We are all hopeful for a safe and continued lifting of lockdown restrictions so we can fully open the doors to these wonderful hotels for our guests to enjoy.”
The Voco Hotels brand is built on sustainability. Guests can sleep easy knowing everything from the super comfortable 100% recycled bedding, to the locally sourced ingredients on the menu are intended to reduce impact on the environment.
As part of the IHG Hotels & Resorts group, Voco guests can stay with confidence thanks to the IHG Clean Promise and enhanced IHG Way of Clean procedures using science-led protocols and service measures in partnership with industry leading experts Cleveland Clinic, Ecolab and Diversey.