Hilton Birmingham Metropole, the largest conference and events hotel outside London, has announced the completion of a redesign and refurbishment of its bar area – The Lounge – transforming it into a stylish space for hotel guests and business users.
With a complete redesign of the space, the Lounge now features new decor and furniture, as well as the introduction of new technology to improve guests’ experience. Besides re-designing the facilities, the hotel has introduced electronic devices to help faster communication between the kitchen and the bar team.
Patrick Stapleton, general manager, Hilton Birmingham Metropole, said, ‘The Lounge bar is the true hub of the hotel. Open 24 hours-a-day, it’s where people congregate and meet for many different occasions, so it was important that the area catered for that.
‘Flexibility was key, therefore we have decided to refresh the space with comfortable sofastyle areas where guests can relax, as well as areas where multiple meetings can take place, such as a ‘connectivity table’, where users can easily set up and charge their electronic devices.’
Hilton Birmingham Metropole expects the excitement of a few upcoming major events, with Grand Central Birmingham, Resorts World Birmingham and the Rugby World Cup all set to take place in 2015. In 2014, the hotel saw 10,000 more room bookings compared to the previous year, and an extra 1,700 event delegates walking through the doors.
Stapleton said, ‘We expect to see occupancy levels increase further and also the length of stay, as people look to make an occasion of visiting the area. For example, they may attend an event at the Hilton or the NEC and then decide to stay an extra night to visit Resorts World or go shopping in Birmingham.
‘We also expect to see more leisure users in addition to corporate travellers. Resorts World Birmingham will offer our 24-hour facilities, including lounge bar, room service and gym but also through our large range of rooms and suites, suitable for solo travellers, families and executives alike.’
