The Merchant named Best UK Hotel

Published Thursday, 19 January 2012

The Merchant Hotel in Belfast has been named Best UK Hotel at the hospitality industry's International Hotel Awards.

The five star hotel now ranks alongside The Savoy and Chewton Glen following the awards ceremony in London earlier this week.

The International Hotel Awards aim to recognise excellence in the hotel and hospitality industry worldwide to promote an international standard.

The Merchant Hotel is now in its sixth year in the heart of the fashionable Cathedral Quarter and General Manager, Adrian McLaughlin said the building has come a long way since it was used as the headquarters of the Ulster Bank.

"The judges enjoyed the blend of architectyure, the two interiors. We have the old bank interior that most people would be aware of and the recent extension with the Art Deco side.

"They also loved the service and how we put everything together," he added.

The Merchant also competed alongside other regional winners from Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, the Americas and Arabia to find the Best International Hotel, in which Dubai's One and Only, The Palm, was crowned the ultimate winner.

Adrian McLaughlin said he was delighted to receive the award.

"The Merchant Hotel flies the flag for luxury hotels in Northern Ireland and it is testament to the hard work of the team and the loyalty of our customers that we are able to continue to grow and build on our success and compete in highly competitive industry awards such as these," he added.

Speaking to U105 from London, Adrian added that there was already a "real buzz" in Belfast, before the gong had even made it to its new home.

Earlier this week The Merchant was also cited in Fodor's '21 places to go in 2012'.

The hotel, in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter, is one of 51 properties owned by Bill Wolsey's Beannchor Group, alongside bars including The Spaniard, The Cloth Ear and Muriels, and The Leighinmohr Hotel in Ballymena

Tourism Minister Arlene Foster said the award enhanced Northern Ireland's reputation for "first class hospitality".

"Last night was a great evening for Northern Ireland. While the Merchant was being named the UK's Best Hotel in London, I was also in the city to officially launch NI 2012 'Your Time, Our Place', a memorable programme of events that celebrates everything Northern Ireland has to offer as a place to live, work and visit.

"We have a real opportunity to spread the word that Northern Ireland is a truly remarkable tourist destination and this international recognition for Belfast's Merchant Hotel is a further boost to those efforts."

Comments

5 Comments

ED in belfast wrote (122 days ago):

beautiful hotel wel proud of it and have visited a good few times loved being in it , and i can afford it

G in Newry wrote (122 days ago):

I agree totally with Claire, you get what you pay for; this establishment is a class of its own. It is something you save up for and go to on special occasions. It doesn't have pretentious clientele at all, just has people with biased views that think it is like that. A touch of class and elegance is not something to sneer at. I went for dinner during the week (which is quite reasonable) for my 30th, I have also taken my granddad for high tea for his birthday and went there with my mum, her friends and my friends as the start of my hen day. You are treated with the utmost respect and friendliness something you don't normally get from a 5* establishment and everyone is welcome. The food is superb and whilst the cocktails may appear expensive, they are quite a production that again it is a special thing you do only for celebrations, well worth it. It is one of my favourite places to go, even if it is only once in blue moon, but worth the wait. So Caroline and Gerry what is the problem with Belfast showcasing it's class and best efforts? We should applaud all at the hotel for their hard work.

Claire in Belfast wrote (122 days ago):

Lorraine, its a 5 star luxury hotel!!!! What do you expect, ou get what you pay for! If you don't want to pay the money for the luxurious rooms and amazing service, then don't go, simple as that. If you do, save a wee bit of money for a few months and go as a treat! My boyfriend and I went for our first valentines together and this hotel is just pure class! Yes we had to save for it, but it was a treat and worth every single penny! If you want a cheap hotel, the travelodge is just up the road!!

Gerry in Belfast wrote (122 days ago):

Did it scoop the prize for most pretentious clientele in Belfast as well? Or was that awarded to the entire Cathedral Quarter?

Lorraine in Belfast wrote (123 days ago):

And the rooms are so expensive that very few people FROM Belfast could afford to stay in them.