NEC Solihull campus home to new Moxy Hotel

1024 683 Katy Phillips
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The start-date for construction of a new hotel based on the NEC campus in Solihull, West Midlands has been confirmed for June 2018.

Planning permission was secured earlier this year from Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council by Dutch-based developers, Vastint Hospitality.

Branded as a Moxy Hotel, a Marriott International lifestyle brand, it will be built over eight floors, provide 224 bedrooms and is due to open in mid-2019.

Interestingly, the construction technique will involve modular cross-laminated timber pods being manufactured in Italy and then transported in sections and assembled on site.

The hotel complements significant investment on the NEC campus over recent years, including the £150m+ Resorts World complex that opened in late 2015.

Bear Grylls & Merlin

A Bear Grylls Adventure, to be operated by Merlin Entertainments, will open on the site later this year.

The Dutch developers behind The Moxy Hotel are representative of a marked increase in foreign direct investment projects landing in Solihull in recent years. A total of 66 projects over the last five years (2012-2017) is more than double the figure in the previous five years, according to West Midlands Growth Company Regional Observatory.

John Hornby, NEC Group’s Chief Operating Officer said: “This new hotel is an excellent addition to our site’s profile and will complement the existing range of hotels on site and in the surrounding area. As well as adding much-needed hotel room capacity, it will bring a fresh and vibrant ambience and experience for the six million visitors and guests attending the NEC, the Genting Arena and Birmingham Resorts World each year.

“The next phase of our masterplan will be the arrival of Merlin’s Bear Grylls Adventure family leisure attraction this autumn.  That attraction will work well with The Moxy Hotel, and both developments are important components of our strategy to broaden the range of leisure uses on our site.”

Emma Gray, Director of Marketing and Communications at the West Midlands Growth Company, the regional body responsible for tourism and inward investment, added: “More visitors than ever are choosing to spend time in the West Midlands, with a 17% rise in domestic tourists in the last five years and the largest growth in overseas visits of all UK regions in 2017. This has led to significant development activity across our business tourism sector, demonstrating the confidence that investors hold in the region’s visitor economy.

“Moxy’s arrival on the NEC campus will give visitors a new choice when coming to the region for events and exhibitions, and to sample our leisure offer.”

Katy Phillips / 16.04.2018

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, and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.

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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.