26 May-2 June: Top 10 Stories of the Week

Hotel Designs Brit List
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From hotel openings to product spotlights to everything in between, we collate the top 10 most read stories on Hotel Designs this week…

1. PRINCIPAL HOTELS ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR THE GRAND HOTEL IN BIRMINGHAM
The hotel at The Grand, one of Birmingham’s most iconic buildings, is to be redeveloped into a luxury, 180-room hotel through a partnership announced between Hortons’ Estate.

2. DE VERE LATIMER ESTATE UNVEILS £7 MILLION RENOVATION
Nicknamed The Spy House because of its connections with WWII, Grade I listed De Vere Latimer Estate has this week unveiled a £7 million renovation.

3. HYPNOS LAUNCHES NEW RANGE OF SOFA BEDS FOR HOSPITALITY SECTOR
Award-winning British bed manufacturer and Royal Warrant holder Hypnos is celebrating the launch of its new range of sofa beds specifically designed to meet the demands and rigours of the hospitality sector.

4. INVESTMENT, REFURBISHMENT AT MERCURE GLOUCESTER BOWDEN HALL

The General Manager of the 4* Mercure Gloucester, Bowden Hall hotel, Gavin Jones, has today announced plans for a comprehensive refurbishment of the hotel’s 72 bedrooms.

5. BREXIT A YEAR ON: TRIVAGO REVEALS UK TRAVELLER TRENDS THIS SUMMER

trivago data shows that London is the most popular destination for international visitors, beach locations are popular with locals, travellers from Ireland, Italy and France are searching for the longest stays.

6. Q&A: INTERVIEW WITH TAYLOR WIMPEY SPAIN’S ANA GARCIA MALDONADO

Ana Garcia Maldonado is leading Spanish developer Taylor Wimpey España’s highly experienced head of interior design who has worked independently with developers for almost 15 years.

7. FOUR SEASONS HOTEL LONDON CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING

Coming together to mark the final stages of this spectacular seven-year project, the attendees gathered on the grand steps of Ten Trinity Square, the former Port of London Authority Headquarters.

8.SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS: GOING GREEN WITH GERMAN HOTEL GROUP MARITIM

Germany’s largest owner-managed hotel group has increased its conference and incentives offer by upgrading more than a quarter of its German portfolio and introducing green initiatives.

9.SPOTLIGHT: DURAVIT’S NEW MATERIALS COMBINE PERFORMANCE AND AESTHETICS
Duravit is continuously breaking new ground when it comes to introducing innovative products derived from new materials – combining performance with aesthetics whilst being sensuous and inviting

10.HULL’S £25M HOTEL DEVELOPMENT REACHES HALF WAY POINT

Developers of the £25m DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Hull have announced that they have just passed the halfway point of the build.

Daniel Fountain / 03.06.2017

Editor, Hotel Designs

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.