The Grand Hotel & Spa, York has today doubled in size with the official opening of 100 new luxury hotel rooms as part of its £15 million redevelopment.

The ribbon was cut by Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, and the lord mayor of York, councillor Barbara Boyce, alongside The Grand’s general manager, Philip Bolson, and Splendid Hospitality chief executive, Stuart Bailey.

The development doubles the number of five-star hotel rooms in York, generating an additional £1.7 million of annual visitor expenditure for the local economy.

Combining the traditional values of its historic setting along with modern facilities to accommodate the 21st century guests, the new luxury rooms have been carefully designed to provide guests with an opulent experience.

The rooms are inspired by The Grand’s Edwardian past as the headquarters of the North Eastern Railway.

Complementing the hotel’s pre-existing 107 rooms, the sumptuous interiors of the new rooms include marble-finished bathrooms and luxury bath products as well as Egyptian cotton linen.

Bolson said: “We’re so excited to unveil our stunning new rooms as part of our redevelopment and extension plans.

“Our new rooms will undoubtedly provide an incredible boost to the York tourism and leisure economy, and expand our luxury offering to leisure and business travellers from around the world.”

The Grand has also recently opened a new exclusive, luxury space, the White Rose Lounge.

The lounge creates a home-away-from-home environment with complementary, locally-sourced food and drink plus TV screens, iMac working stations and areas for both business and relaxation.

Works are set to begin on an arrival lounge in spring 2018, which will enhance the guest check-in experience. 

Verity said: “I’m delighted to be part of the official opening of this amazing new development of luxury rooms at The Grand Hotel.

“Since the hotel opened eight years ago it’s gone from strength to strength, continually adding to the luxury experience it offers its visitors.

“Welcome to Yorkshire is very proud to be associated with the enhancement of such an iconic and historically important building, which I’m sure will continue to attract more tourists from across the world.”