Karl Goebel, Head of Operations, Nq2 Bournemouth, and Silva Bala, Business Development Manager, with the new signage for the Mercure Bournemouth Queens Hotel & Spa. Picture: Dorset Biz News.
Published: July 30, 2020 | Updated: 30th July 2020
Today’s the day as a Bournemouth hotel officially becomes part of one of the world’s largest hospitality brands after a £3.5m facelift.
The four star Mercure Bournemouth Queens Hotel & Spa joins more than 5,000 hotels with 740,000 rooms in 110 countries operated by Accor.
Guests from around the world will now be able to book rooms at the Meyrick Road hotel through the centralised Accor booking system.
Already summer bookings are looking healthy with the 109-bedroom hotel, which is owned by Nq2 Bournemouth, fully booked at weekends.
Karl Goebel, Head of Operations, Nq2 Bournemouth, said: “We’re so excited to be joining one of the largest hotel groups in the world.
“We’ve worked towards this day for months.
“This is a big day for us – and a big day for Bournemouth.”
As first reported on Dorset Biz News, the 52-year-old Queens Hotel and Spa has undergone a top to toe overhaul.
All the bedrooms, as well as two function rooms, restaurant, bar and leisure and spa facilities, have been completely refurbished.
The interior of the hotel celebrates all that is great at the British seaside with an art-deco inspired feel.
The public rooms now include:
The hotel, which was acquired by Nq2 Bournemouth earlier this year, was one of only a handful of Bournemouth hotels open throughout the lockdown for key workers.
Work started on the refurbishment in February and the last worker is due to leave the site by the end of August.
The hotel officially opened to the public again on July 4.
Karl said the initial feedback from guests and visitors had been “very good” with initiatives such as locally sourced produce and roasted coffee from Bad Hand Coffee proving particularly popular.
He added: “We have a charcuterie board with everything on it – from cheeses to hams – coming from Dorset.
“It fits in perfectly with our ‘locally inspired’ theme.
“This has been the first major project I’ve been involved with and I couldn’t be more excited at how it has turned out.
“To achieve what we have, and during Covid-19 as well, has been a huge accomplishment.
“I’m also delighted at how there have been minimal complaints from guests while work was carried out around them.
“Summer bookings are looking very good with every weekend booked up.
“We have all the social distancing measures for Covid-19 in place and we meet all the very high standards required by Accor.
“I’m very happy at the way things have gone and greatly look forward to welcoming guests to our wonderful hotel.”
The arrival of the new Mercure Bournemouth Queens Hotel & Spa has been welcomed by BH Area Hospitality Association (BAHA).
Tim Seward, Chair, told Dorset Biz News: “The acquisition of the Queens Hotel, and then its complete refurbishment, shows there is still significant investment in Bournemouth’s hotel sector.
“It can only be seen as a vote of confidence that an old hotel has been refurbished for many years to come.”
Apart from Mercure, other hotel hospitality brands in the Accor group range from Orient Express and Sofitel through to Novotel and Ibis.
