Belfast’s newest luxury hotel, Titanic Hotel Belfast, opened its doors to the public this weekend.

After almost two years of restoration, construction and preservation of the former Harland & Wolff Drawing Offices and Headquarters, the £28 million, 119-room hotel is ready to show the world the amazing history behind Queen’s Island and the shipbuilding industry in Northern Ireland.

The stunning Drawing Offices have been transformed thanks to National Lottery players through a £5 million grant, secured by the Titanic Foundation from the Heritage Lottery Fund through its Heritage Enterprise programme. 

This innovative programme is designed to bring heritage buildings back into sustainable use, bringing new jobs, new opportunities and new investment to local communities. 

The entire building exudes the legacy of Belfast’s industrial heritage and all authentic spaces have been retained, including the Telephone Exchange, which received the first communication of Titanic hitting the iceberg.

The Drawing Offices stand prominently at the front of the hotel, one housing the hotel’s Harland Bar, and the other being the hotel’s ballroom and heritage experience.

Drawing Office One will house a temporary six-week exhibition from opening, which tells the story of the conservation and construction of the buildings and hotel.

Thereafter, daily tours will be on offer to showcase the heritage features here and throughout the hotel.

The 166-seater dining room, The Wolff Grill, with its own private dining area, is fronted by Executive Chef Nigel Mannion, serves up first class dining with dishes made from only the best locally sourced ingredients.

The 119-room hotel is led by Adrian McNally, appointed in June 2017.

Leading a team of 90 employees, including apprentices from Belfast Metropolitan College and students of Ulster University and Galway Mayo Institute of Technology.

Now the most authentic hotel in the world to honour the majesty of the Titanic and Belfast’s shipbuilders, it boasts unparalleled 360 views of the Quarter, with the Harland and Wolff cranes to the east and Titanic Belfast and the slipways to the west.

Already at exceptionally high occupancy for its first week, all visitors to Titanic Quarter are invited to enjoy the opening celebrations and venture inside the Drawing Offices and heritage areas to view artefacts found throughout the building from Harland & Wolff.

Members of the public can also avail of guided tours throughout the building to explore the heritage areas and learn more about the conservation of the buildings.