Simon Rimmer to open Layla Brasserie at DoubleTree by Hilton Liverpool
DoubleTree by Hilton Liverpool is to partner with chef and TV personality Simon Rimmer to deliver his first venue in his hometown of Liverpool – Simon Rimmer at Layla Brasserie – located within the new hotel, which is housed in a Grade II listed building on Dale Street.
Simon will be involved at every level of Layla Brasserie, including the development of the concept, the team selection, creation of the menu and the values of the restaurant, to create a destination restaurant in the prestigious new DoubleTree by Hilton hotel development, which is scheduled to open late 2013. With Simon’s own modern, British menu, complemented by his new range of beers, specifically brewed to go expressly with food, the Layla Brasserie aims to deliver an explosion of the most inspired flavours to Liverpool’s tastebuds.
“We are in the process of hand-picking the most talented and creative chefs in the hospitality industry who will join the team in Liverpool,” said Simon Rimmer. “Thanks to their expertise, my vision for creating something really special and my ambition to be the best independent neighbourhood restaurant in Liverpool is being realised.”
Simon Rimmer will join an impressive roster of celebrity chefs at DoubleTree by Hilton’s UK hotels. The current portfolio includes The Kailyard by Nick Nairn at DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro hotel and The Marco Pierre White Steakhouse at DoubleTree by Hilton Chester and DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol South – Cadbury House properties.
Modern day Tokyo arrives in Soho
Chotto Matte is set to open its doors this September and bring the energy of underground Tokyo to the streets of Soho. Located on the corner of Bateman and Frith, Chotto Matte will bring together the best of Japanese and Peruvian cultures serving up high-quality Nikkei cuisine, colourful cocktails, and live music.
Spread over 3 floors, Chotto Matte will comprise 6 distinct areas. The ground floor will include an expansive cocktail lounge featuring a curved bar cut from lava stone from which skilled mixologists will shake up Nikkei inspired Pisco, Sochu, and Sake cocktails. Adjacent to the bar will be a raised dining area complete with 55-cover a-la-carte restaurant and fixed-price raw bar where the master sushi chef – previously chef to the Emperor of Japan – will serve an ever-evolving menu of sushi and raw specialties.
The upper level which will boast an open Robata grill, sushi bar, and 100-cover dining room. The exposed Robata grill will accommodate up to 10 guests and serve smoky Japanese BBQ such as hotpots, Wagyu beef, and seasonal grilled vegetables straight from grill to plate.
The interiors are designed to evoke a sense of modern day Tokyo offering guests a multi-layered experience that blurs the boundaries between modern and traditional aesthetics and fuses natural materials such as lava stone and burnt cedar with art inspired by Tokyo’s contemporary urban culture.
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Scottish Mutual, Belfast to become hotel
The owners of the Galgorm Resort & Spa in Co. Antrim are reported to be purchasing the Scottish Mutual building in Belfast’s Donegall Square South with the intention of converting it into a hotel.
The Hill family from Ballymena are also past owners of Ten Square Hotel.
The Scottish Mutual building was put on sale by Ireland’s National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) with an asking price of £1.75m. The actual price paid has not been revealed.
Whisky Lounge adds to London Metropole Hilton
The £6 million lobby transformation at Hilton London Metropole has created Whisky Lounge, a new west London destination bar. Open to guests, delegates and outside visitors, the intimate Whisky Lounge offers a wide selection of whiskies from around the world.
The 22 cover Whisky Lounge boasts 72 varieties of whisky including the exclusive Johnnie Walker Odyssey Triple Malt, priced at £110 per shot. Guests who wish to become a whisky connoisseur can also sample a wide selection of aged whiskies, from Bells 8yo to the 49-year old Strathisla 1964.
The sophistication and heritage of whisky is brought to life in the bar with subtle design elements, such as the old whisky decanter light fittings and display cabinets showcasing whisky from around the world. The Whisky Lounge’s furnishings are also reminiscent of a private members club as guests relax in sumptuous black and mauve-grey club chairs with hints of dark cyan and teal.
A whisky sommelier will provide expert knowledge and guidance through the whisky menu, with guests invited to sample a Whisky Flight, which offers three whiskies perfectly matched for an introduction to whisky tasting. A selection of savoury and sweet light bites has been developed to match and complement a variety of whisky blends.
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QHotels starts a buzz
QHotels, the collection of 21 unique and luxurious four star hotels across the UK, has welcomed 14 colonies of Honey Bees to six of its hotels.
Stratford Manor, Chesford Grange, The Park Royal, Crewe Hall, The Queens and Ashford International Hotel have welcomed a new swarm of guests in an attempt to combat the falling numbers of bees in the UK – in the past 100 years there has been around a 75% decrease in the number of bee hives in the UK.
Honey Bees can positively impact a local area by benefitting wild life and increasing pollination which can lead to green space enhancement. There’s even a chance that the new addition will allow hotel guests to sample the homemade honey produced by the bees as part of the QHotels breakfast menu.
The beehives will be managed and monitored closely by local Beekeepers Chris Barlow and Martin Evans who are members of Leeds Beekeepers Association. It is estimated, if the bees settle, The Queens could be home for up to 40,000 bees in the future.
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The Hotel on the Park, Cheltenham
Now simply called ‘The Hotel’, the hotel has now ceased to trade, following a sale of the property to Dunkerton Properties LLP, who plan to re-open after refurbishment as a different type of hotel/restaurant offering in line with their growing business in the local area.
38 Evesham Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 2AH
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Lancaster London launches Banqueting Sampler Menu
Lancaster London is now offering event organisers the opportunity to experience a complimentary scaled-down version of their event menu before booking. For those planning an event for more than 200 people in central London, the no-obligation sampler menu is an opportunity to discover what makes Lancaster London one of Europe’s best event hotels.
Available at lunchtime in the hotel’s Senses Room, event organisers will be offered a showcase of the dishes available on the banqueting menu. These starters, mains and desserts will be served as tasting dishes so that guests can sample a wide selection from the menu. Highlights include Lancaster London’s famous twice-baked cheese soufflé, which can be served in under 8 minutes to 2,000 people.
Sally Beck, Hotel Manager at Lancaster London said: “We are the only hotel in London to offer event organisers the ability to sample the menu in advance of formally agreeing to book an event. We are so proud of our newly refurbished banqueting spaces and menus that once potential guests have sampled our offering we are confident they will sign.”
The Senses Room, located within the banqueting kitchen, replicates every detail of a guest’s specification from the colour scheme and décor to the lighting and music. This means that event organisers can hear, see, touch, smell and taste every part of their event in advance of the big day.
Lancaster London is one of Europe’s leading and most flexible meeting and banqueting venues. Its state-of-the-art kitchen and banqueting rooms, which have recently undergone an £11.5m refurbishment, have the ability to cater for all sizes of events, from small business meetings, to large receptions for up to 3,000 people.
Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY
Tel: 020 7551 6000
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Puma Hotels plc extends £323 million debt facility
Puma Hotels, one of the UK’s leading four star hotel owners and operators, has announced that it has successfully completed the extension of its £323 million senior debt facility with Irish Bank Resolution Corporation in Special Liquidation (“IBRC”).
The refinancing of the loan provides committed funding for the 21-strong four star hotel group which employs more than 2,300 staff across its portfolio.
New terms have been agreed until 30 May 2014 with revised covenants to reflect the current operating environment.
Puma Director, Peter Procopis, said: “We are delighted to have agreed an extension of the loan facilities with IBRC. We see this is a significant vote of confidence in both the Group and the quality of management team recruited since operational control of the hotels was taken back in April 2012.”
The Puma Hotels portfolio includes such well known hotels as The Lygon Arms in the Cotswolds, and the Imperial Hotels in Blackpool and Torquay.