City Inn Westminster was presented with the Group Hotel of the Year Award
for 2005 sponsored by Johnson Diversey at the 22nd Annual Caterer and
Hotelkeeper Awards, or ‘the Cateys’ as they are more affectionately known in
the industry.  The awards were held at Le Méridien Grosvenor House hotel in
London on Tuesday 5th July.The vote for Group Hotel of the Year was down to what judge Andrew McKenzie,
Managing Director at the Vineyard, Stockcross called “a vote for design”.

A relative newcomer to the UK hotel scene, City Inn focuses on building and
operating brand new contemporary styled hotels in prime city centre
locations. Their first hotel opened in Bristol in 1999, with hotels in
Glasgow (2000) and Birmingham (2001).  The newest property in this up and
coming group, City Inn Westminster opened in September 2003 and was the
biggest new-build hotel in London for over 30 years.  The company currently
have a fifth hotel under construction in Manchester, with ambitious plans to
continue its growth further.

High quality restaurants and bars, that are attractive destinations in their
own right, are an essential element of the City Inn brand.  In Westminster
the acclaimed 200-seat City Café together with the stylish and lively
Millbank Lounge brought in just over £3m in the first year of trading, with
non-residents accounting for nearly half (46%) of the covers at lunch and
dinner. 

The hotel experiences exceptional levels of customer satisfaction, and in
it’s first full year of trading has performed strongly both in terms of
occupancy and average room rates.  Simon Johnson, Analyst at UBS Investment
Bank, noted that the bar and restaurant were very popular in their own
right, ensuring City Inn hotels are “not just a room factory”.

“Everything they have done since Bristol has been a progression,” says judge
David Young, owner of the Cross at Kingussie.  “Each new opening has been
better, and with this hotel they have gone in and exploded the marketplace.
It’s very hospitality driven, not starchy or informal.”

City Inn Westminster is a chic, contemporary hotel that does something
different in terms of design, it delivers quality food and beverage at
affordable prices. Gordon Campbell Gray, Managing Director of One Aldwych,
commented that the hotel is “original, innovative and provides guests with
what they want.  City Inn has got guts to it.  I admire it enormously.  I
think it has got the wow factor”.

Commenting on the award David Orr Chief Executive said: “It is very pleasing
for our Westminster hotel to receive another award, particularly one so
prized in the industry. It is extremely flattering to receive accolades from
one’s peers and we are honoured to join the illustrious list of former
winners.  At City Inn we aim to provide a ‘full service’ hotel that is a
stylish and contemporary alternative to the typical chain hotel.  To date
customer reaction to this approach has been extremely positive and receipt
of this award reflects a similar reaction from our colleagues in the
industry.”
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