Have you heard about another new hotel earmarked for the centre of sheffied?

See here for news report on Sheffield Today (http://www.sheffieldtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=967368)

Its good to hear their planning to keep the style of the old building and that it won't just be a corporate design that's the same in every city across the UK. Individuality is good.

But do we need another hotel?
Do we get enough visitors willing to spend a bit more for a hotel like this ? (especially after the snooker goes.....)

Originally posted by LoopyLou
Have you heard about another new hotel earmarked for the centre of sheffied?

See here for news report on Sheffield Today (http://www.sheffieldtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=967368)

Its good to hear their planning to keep the style of the old building and that it won't just be a corporate design that's the same in every city across the UK. Individuality is good.

But do we need another hotel?
Do we get enough visitors willing to spend a bit more for a hotel like this ? (especially after the snooker goes.....)

If they are willing to go to the expence of building a new hotel,then i can only assume that there is enough visitors to fill it.

Good news.

Of course they'll fill it.

Funky hotels are in desperately short supply, especially in the city centre.

These are the kind of things we need in Sheffield to continue the improved image of our city.

Originally posted by LoopyLou
But do we need another hotel?
Do we get enough visitors willing to spend a bit more for a hotel like this ? (especially after the snooker goes.....)

I think we would get a lot more visitors (esp. bussiness visitors and conferences) if there were more decent, top end, hotels to say in.
Remember, bussiness men usually travel on expenses and like to stay somewhere a bit more up-market than the Ibis.

I just pity the poor soul that's got to find their way to it (in the car). It's surrounded by bus and tram gates and as yet there's no access from Leopold Street, itself a nightmare to get to and that's for us who know the place.

On a brighter note, YES we certainly do need more hotels, and that means high class hotels, 4 star and above. We are way behind cities like Manchester and L*eds. It's another positive step in the regenerating of the city centre and from what I've seen of the designs so far looks to be sensitive to the character of the building!

I'm also hoping it will have a good restaurant/bar.

Originally posted by nick2
I think we would get a lot more visitors (esp. bussiness visitors and conferences) if there were more decent, top end, hotels to say in.
Remember, bussiness men usually travel on expenses and like to stay somewhere a bit more up-market than the Ibis.

Actually it all depends on what their company allows them. Some companies will only allow up to £50-60 per night outside of London hence the popularity of Ibis, Travel Inn etc. The companies realise that in reality a bed is a bed!

Boutique hotel in Sheffield should be interesting. Especially as Manchester, Newcastle and places now regard Malmaissons as old hat and are going out of fashion. Maybe thats just Sheffield, 10 years behind everyone else!

I think it will work, and I'm glad something is being done with the building before it crumbles into the ground.

Originally posted by MobileB
The companies realise that in reality a bed is a bed!

It's fairly obvious that you are not the target market of these places.

If the Devonshire quarter shopping thing gets going, we'll need suitable hotels for the 'weekend break' market. That doesn't mean people who are only interested in getting $h17 faced and collapsing into any old bed in any old room :mad:

See? What Sheffield really lacks is a bit of class ;)

Yeah the old education offices are one of my favourite buildings in sheff and I couldnt stand seeing them crumbling to bits for months on end

Sheffield is desperately short of quality hotels, I frequently have clients coming to Sheffield and there is nowhere suitable within the city for them to stay - I don't rate the Marriot at Nether Edge or the Hilton so we end up recommending the Cavendish at Baslow or Hassop Hall.

Both of these are great if you want rural surroundings but many of our clients expect to see a little more of Sheffield. Agree that getting to Leopold St. will be a nightmare for any visitor.

But a lot of London hotels don't have any parking and are hard to get to, and they survive ok.

Originally posted by GHS1961
Sheffield is desperately short of quality hotels, I frequently have clients coming to Sheffield and there is nowhere suitable within the city for them to stay - I don't rate the Marriot at Nether Edge or the Hilton so we end up recommending the Cavendish at Baslow or Hassop Hall.

Both of these are great if you want rural surroundings but many of our clients expect to see a little more of Sheffield. Agree that getting to Leopold St. will be a nightmare for any visitor.

Don't forget the 5-star MacDonald hotel near the town hall when it's complete.

Interesting article on the building when it was a school :
http://www.omnesamici.co.uk/CGS2001STAR.html

this is the website for the new development

http://www.leopoldsq.com/leopoldsq.html

Originally posted by nick2
But a lot of London hotels don't have any parking and are hard to get to, and they survive ok.
:rolleyes: More people fly into London than they do into Sheffield :D

Originally posted by Strix
:rolleyes: More people fly into London than they do into Sheffield :D

They don't fly into the middle of Russel Square though do they, they get the train there or a taxi, or the tube.

Originally posted by Unisol
Don't forget the 5-star MacDonald hotel near the town hall when it's complete.

I thought it was going to be a 4 star hotel. Not sure anyone has enough confidence to build a 5 star.

The difference between 4* and 5* might be just that one hotel has a lift in it. It's not to do with prices, more to do with facilities.

Originally posted by Strix
It's fairly obvious that you are not the target market of these places.

If the Devonshire quarter shopping thing gets going, we'll need suitable hotels for the 'weekend break' market. That doesn't mean people who are only interested in getting $h17 faced and collapsing into any old bed in any old room :mad:

See? What Sheffield really lacks is a bit of class ;)

Actually 12 years working in hotels around the north of England including 3 years in Sheffield as Manager. I think I know the market.

Originally posted by MobileB
Boutique hotel in Sheffield should be interesting. Especially as Manchester, Newcastle and places now regard Malmaissons as old hat and are going out of fashion. Maybe thats just Sheffield, 10 years behind everyone else!

<cynical>Sheffield 10 years behind anyone else, parochial and afraid to make it's own identity - noooo that would never happen!!!</cynical>

Originally posted by nick2
They don't fly into the middle of Russel Square though do they, they get the train there or a taxi, or the tube.
The point is - they're in London without a car already.

Originally posted by MobileB
Actually 12 years working in hotels around the north of England including 3 years in Sheffield as Manager. I think I know the market.
Yes, quite. A profession well know for it's market analysis skills :rolleyes:

Would it be fair to say that the only hotel customers you met, therefore, were the customers of your own hotels? (Which wouldn't colour your judgement at all, would it? :suspect: )

Originally posted by Strix
Yes, quite. A profession well know for it's market analysis skills :rolleyes:

Would it be fair to say that the only hotel customers you met, therefore, were the customers of your own hotels? (Which wouldn't colour your judgement at all, would it? :suspect: )

Actually from my experience the market analysis of the hoteliers is somewhat more indepth than most other professions I know, well at least with the large chains. How many other industries subscribe into an organisation such as PKF for reporting functions. How many other industries work yield management techniques to pricing structures? How many other industries breakdown the structure of each guest that goes into the hotel to analysise where their segment type comes from in terms of geography, reasons for visit etc etc etc? And how do you think they survive and grow without doing this spadework? I think they are more skilled than you give them credit for. I've been out of the industry for a touch over 3 years now; I'm not sure what your background is but I am sure it has developed even more.

And actually, I spent around 20 nights a year staying over in competition hotels and I know full well that other managers from other groups did the same. Its amazing what you learn sat in a bar listening to guests.