Hotels

Ribby Hall Village the popular Lancashire holiday village will this month be starring as the sponsors of ITVs Granada weather. The five-star holiday village set in more than 100 acres of rural Lancashire offers holiday makers affordable luxury in the form of modern self-catering cottages, stunning rustic pine lodges (with outdoor hot tub) and two unique stand alone properties – The White House and The Coach House.

The five different sponsorship trailers show Ribby Hall Village in different seasons of the year; showing that it really is a great place for holidays 365 days a year, whatever the weather. The sponsorship bumpers will appear throughout the day, every day until 28th February and show various activities that are available during a stay at Ribby Hall Village including boating, golf, fishing, horse riding and two indoor swimming pools.

After an un-predictable year for travel in 2010 due to airline strikes, volcanic ash, weather disruptions and a number of tour operators going into liquidation there has never been a better or safer time to holiday in the UK. As for the UK weather, it never stops play at Ribby Hall Village with so many fantastic things to do, and to celebrate this, throughout January customers can save up to £50 off their 2011 break, which works out at holidays from just £11 per person per night, simply visit www.ribbyhall.co.uk or call 0800 085 17 17.

After approximately ten years of TV advertising in the New Year period, Marketing Manager Charlotte Gili-Ross decided that it was the right time to launch the sponsorship of the Granada regional weather, “Booking a holiday at Ribby Hall Village has never been so easy with our NEW-look website. This month guests can save up to £50 off their 2011 short break or holiday at Ribby Hall Village and we’re also giving readers the opportunity to win a holiday. Entries can be made by visiting www.facebook.com/ribbyhallvillage. Also, don’t forget to look out for us on ITV1 seven days a week sponsoring the Granada regional weather – we’re showcasing our five-star holiday destination that’s open 365 days a year.” The trailers are also available to view online at www.ribbyhall.co.uk.

Macdonald Hotels & Resorts has opened its second hotel in Manchester city centre. The privately owned Scottish hospitality group has purchased and refurbished the Princess on Portland Street, rebranding it as the Macdonald Townhouse Hotel.

Originally a cotton warehouse, the hotel offers 85 bedrooms, 8 conference rooms, plus a restaurant and bar.

A budget hotel will be built next to the new Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Construction work on the new Travelodge hotel is expected to begin within the next 3 months.

The 6-storey hotel on Upper Brook Street will offer 100 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar, plus onsite parking for 60 cars.

The new Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital opened in June 2009 next to Manchester Royal Infirmary. It offers 371 beds and is the largest single-site children’s hospital in England.

A multi-million pound scheme to regenerate an area of Blackpool town centre has been approved by Blackpool Council.

Plans for the £220 million Talbot Gateway scheme were submitted by Muse Developments last November and include shops, council and business offices, restaurants, hotels, and a supermarket.

The development will be located close to Blackpool North train station and will cover an area of more than 300,000 square feet.

Construction work on the first phase is expected to commence in 2011.

Plans to redevelop a hotel in Hoylake have been approved by Wirral Council.

The £6.5 million development will likely see the Kings Gap Court Hotel rebranded as a Holiday Inn before The Open Championship returns to Hoylake in 2014.

The hotel is operated by Sanguine Hospitality Management. Other properties in the North West managed by the group include Days Hotel Chester North (formerly the Gateway to Wales Hotel), the Doubletree by Hilton Chester, and the West Tower in Aughton, Lancashire.

For the twentieth consecutive year, the Michelin Guide has awarded a much coveted star to the fine dining restaurant at The Chester Grosvenor and Spa. The respected guide has also awarded the Simon Radley ‘rising two star’ status.

Executive Chef Simon Radley said ‘For the restaurant to be tipped as a ‘rising two star’ is obviously a large boost to the whole team. We have been quietly plugging away, doing our thing and I think it gives us added direction.’

Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor is now one of only four restaurants in the UK to have been awarded one or more Michelin stars for the past twenty years and the only restaurant to have been awarded ‘rising two stars’ status in 2010.

Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor Named after its highly respected Executive Chef, this gourmet restaurant serves French cuisine with a contemporary flavour. The menu is complemented by one of the most extensive wine cellars in England boasting over 1000 bins. It is open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday and the adjoining Arkle Bar and Lounge is ideal for pre-dinner drinks, morning coffee, light lunches and afternoon tea or an after work cocktail.

Simon Radley (Executive Chef and Director of Catering) joined The Chester Grosvenor and Spa in 1986 and went on to become Head Chef within seven years. The restaurant was refurbished and renamed in honour of his culinary expertise during the summer 2008 and has since attained 4 AA rosettes whilst the hard working team have won two prestigious Hotel Catey awards.

For reservations at the restaurant, call: 01244 324024 or email restaurants@chestergrosvenor.com.

1 February – 31 May 2010
City Inn Hotel, One Piccadilly Place, 1 Auburn St, Manchester M1 3DG

‘Manchester’, a new selection of work by internationally acclaimed artist, Jean Hobson will be exhibited at City Inn Hotel, Manchester from 1 February until 31 May 2010. Hobson’s paintings and drawings form a unique view of Manchester; from the vitality of the city’s often rainy shopping quarters to the bleak industrial urban landscape, this exhibition is inspired by her fascination for the city’s contrast of old and new.

Uncovering the ‘real’ Manchester, Hobson’s investigations of life in the city have been praised by playwright Willy Russell; “Jean’s paintings are characterised by their vitality and immediacy. Beyond their deceptive simplicity, however, there is a depth and complexity which becomes more apparent with every viewing.”

Lancaster City Council has granted planning permission for a Travelodge hotel in Morecambe town centre.

The 60-room budget hotel will be located at junction of Euston Road and Central Drive. The shop premises currently situated there will be demolished.

Earlier this month Travelodge announced plans to open 26 new hotels in 2010, taking their portfolio of UK properties over the 400 mark.

There are currently no Travelodge hotels in Morecambe. The closest are the Lancaster M6 the the Burton M6 Northbound, both around 9 miles from the town.

City Inn Manchester has Christmas all wrapped up with a range of festive menus available at its critically-acclaimed City Café restaurant, available from the 29th November.

The ‘Spirit of Christmas’ menu includes a delicious two-course Christmas lunch for just £9.95, with a three course lunch and dinner option for £14.95. Featuring cream of Leek and Potato soup and main of roast turkey stuffed with apricot and sage, fondant potato, roasted carrots, brussel sprouts with pancetta and chestnuts – it’s ideal for anyone wanting to celebrate on a budget without compromising on quality.

For those looking to indulge themselves, City Café offers a full three course dinner, each with four sumptuous choices, finishing with filter coffee or tea and a miniature mince pie, all for £19.95. For example, go for a starter of pressed ham hock terrine, pineapple chutney and toasted brioche, followed by slow-cooked feather blade of beef and finished off with a bitter chocolate tart.

At Christmas, attention to detail is everything. City Inn is obsessive about the detail to ensure that a Christmas stay or Christmas Day is utterly relaxed like only the best-laid plans can be. To wind up the festive period, enjoy a hassle-free Christmas Day with friends and family at City Café and treat yourself to a three course Christmas dinner for £52.50 per person. Kids under five eat free and under eight half-price – and can also enjoy a visit from Santa.

Peel Leisure has announced a franchise agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) to open a Holiday Inn hotel at MediaCityUK, Salford Quays.

The MediaCityUK Holiday Inn will open in late 2010 and will feature 218 guest rooms, a bar, restaurant, meeting rooms, and gym. It will be operated by Peel Leisure, a part of the Peel Group.

Phase 1 of MediaCityUK covers more than 36-acres of land alongside the Manchester Ship Canal. The site will be home to one of Europe’s biggest high definition studio facilities, along with a waterfront piazza capable of holding upwards of 5,000 people.

Bryan Gray, Chairman of Peel Media, developers of MediaCityUK, said: ‘We’re creating a true city environment here at Salford Quays, and the Holiday Inn will be an important part of the wider MediaCityUK community. With the first residents due to move into their new MediaCityUK apartments in the spring, this latest announcement shows how the development of the city is really gathering momentum.’

Earlier this month, the BBC was handed keys for the first of its three new buildings at MediaCityUK. In 2011, the BBC will relocate 2,500 jobs to MediaCityUK.