The iconic Grand Central Hotel in the heart of Glasgow has completed a multi-million-pound refurbishment to become one of Scotland’s first voco™ hotel, as part of the IHG Hotels & Resorts group.
The hotel welcomed guests who needed to travel (in line with Scottish Government’s exceptions and guidelines) as voco® Grand Central, Glasgow from March 22 2021, a whole year after the hotel closed due to Covid 19, forcing them to delay their 2020 rebrand plans.
The expansive refurbishment updating 230 bedrooms, meeting rooms and reception areas has enhanced the historic charm and existing grandeur of the Grand Central Hotel with bold branding and a distinctive new identity. A contemporary fresh look, drawing on a palette of rich golds and royal blues compliments the original Victorian architecture throughout the 19th century great British railway hotel and preserves memories of the hotel’s golden age, the stories of which are much loved by visitors to the hotel and Glaswegians alike. A new gallery wall featuring artworks created by the Scottish public which remembers many of its celebrity guests including John F Kennedy and Frank Sinatra will open for the public to enjoy for the first time.
voco™, inspired by the Latin meaning ‘to invite’ or to ‘come together’ offers an unstuffy service style, perfectly matching the people of Glasgow’s warm and welcoming nature. Guests can anticipate thoughtful touches throughout their stay which capture the character of the city and the hotel, including a locally-inspired welcome treat of homemade Scottish tablet and dedicated voco™ hosts available throughout the guest’s stay as resident experts.
The voco™ Hotels brand is built on sustainability. Guests can sleep easy knowing everything from the super comfortable bedding to the locally sourced ingredients on the menu are intended to reduce impact on the environment. Each bedroom benefits from new energy-saving conservation double glazing, aerated showers which save water and energy while enhancing the guest experience with improved water pressure, and the welcome introduction of air-conditioning.
The beautifully refurbished bedrooms will also introduce super soft, high-quality bedding made from 100% recycled materials, with approximately 150 plastic bottles recycled per voco™ guest room. voco® Grand Central will remove miniature toiletries and move to large-size products meaning 80% less plastic waste a year. The hotel will also use glass water bottles in every room, saving on average 300 plastic bottles a year per guest room.
For now until the end of lockdown the hotel will only welcome guests for essential travel. When the hotel is allowed to reopen for leisure, guests will enjoy the introduction of an à la carte and enhanced buffet breakfast in the elegant and much-loved Champagne Central. Overseeing the introduction and revamp of the new food and beverage options will be new Executive Head Chef Stewart Thompson, who joins voco™ Grand Central from McDonald Hotels.
Paul Bray, UK Area Manager for IHG Hotels & Resorts North said: “We are very proud to be reopening our doors as Scotland’s first voco™ hotel. The rich history of this iconic building and the stories within its walls mean so much to many Glaswegians and guests who have visited the hotel, so we are delighted to be able to continue that legacy as a voco®.’
“We want locals as well as visitors to the city to be able to make memories here, whether it is an after-work drink, a long lunch or a weekend in one of the UK’s coolest cities.’
“The word voco is inspired by the Latin for ‘come together’ and that is particularly poignant to us. Post-lockdown, when so many of us have spent such a long time apart from family and friends, we hope many will choose voco™ Grand Central for those special moments when we can reunite and come together again and we can’t wait to have guests return to the hotel to enjoy our new facilities.’
“We are also extremely proud to be incorporating everyday sustainable efforts to be kind to our environment, so that this stunning hotel can be enjoyed by future generations.”
There are currently six voco™ Hotels open in the UK (18 globally) with a further 29 voco™ Hotels in the pipeline to open in the next few years, including voco® Edinburgh – Haymarket which is due to open later this month.
To learn more about voco® Grand Central Glasgow visit: https://grandcentral.vocohotels.com/offers/
