St James’s Hotel Group has been granted permission by Bath & North East Somerset Council to start main construction work on the first phase of the new 117-bedroom Hotel Indigo Bath.
Operating under a franchise agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the hotel will feature a restaurant, bar and gym and is scheduled to open at the end of 2017.
The boutique hotel is being reshaped from two existing hotels, Pratt’s Hotel and The Halcyon, and a former nightclub located in a number of Grade I listed Georgian buildings on South Parade in the heart of Bath.
“Bath is on the brink of becoming one of the UK’s top ten UK tourist cities,” said Shaun Robinson, CEO of Somerston Capital Limited.
“According to the latest rankings from VisitBritain, foreign visitors to the city rose by 36.8% in 2014-15 – leaping five places to reach 12th place.
“This hotel is perfectly positioned for those wanting to explore and discover the array of historic and cultural experiences on offer by this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“While we are a longstanding partner of IHG, this will be our first Hotel Indigo property. It’s an exciting move for us and we are convinced that working with the Indigo brand is an excellent way of joining in the buzz of the UK boutique hotel movement.”
Anna Corkill, IHG’s Development Director for the UK, said: “We are thrilled with Hotel Indigo’s performance. We are confident that the Hotel Indigo Bath will become a brand-defining Hotel Indigo property for the South West region, reinforcing our presence in the UK boutique market.
“It’s a perfect site and we’re looking forward to working with St James’s Hotel Group to welcome even more visitors to Bath in 2017 and beyond.”
The hotel is being designed by Architect CT with construction by Phelan Construction Ltd. Its design will reflect the surrounding neighbourhood, while the restaurant and bar will tap into Indigo’s new locally crafted food and beverage philosophy, launched last year. The hotel will also offer a gym.
Pratt’s Hotel was a part of a portfolio of Forestdale hotels acquired by St James’s Hotel Group in 2014.
The Halcyon was previously privately owned and acquired by St James’s Hotel Group last year.
