DEPARTURES
Reality check G R AND CE NT R AL HOT E L , BE L FAST THE HOTEL
The Grand Central
THE ROOM
My executive suite
Hotel is part of Hastings Hotels. The
(2203) opened to uninterrupted views
group's other Belfast hotels include The
over the city's historic red-brick
Europa and Culloden Estate and Spa.
buildings and, in the distance, Belfast
This five-star property is very centrally
docks and the Titanic-themed hotel and
located and, with 300 rooms, is the
museum. It was spacious - full of tactile
largest hotel in Northern Ireland. With
green, brown and beige hues - with a
Stephen Meldrum, the hotel's GM,
king-size double 'Cloud Bed', a writing
president of the Northern Ireland
desk and walk-in rain shower. ESPA
Hotels Association and a key member of
amenity products featured in the
the country's Tourism Recovery Group,
bathroom.
Grand Central has been centrally involved in developing new guest experiences in the age of Covid.
THE FACILITIES
The stylish Seahorse
on the ground floor is three spaces in one: restaurant, lounge and bar. It is bright and airy, with high ceilings and
business traveller, with two meeting
open during the summer lockdown and
walls of windows flooded with light
rooms - the Blackstaff and the Farset,
housed NHS staff and other key
creating a feeling of 'relaxed space'. The
named after the rivers of Belfast - two
workers. When it reopened to paying
tables are set with plenty of distance
boardrooms and the Panorama Suite,
guests on July 3, it did so with health
between them and breakfast is served
an 80-seat reception room that comes
and safety protocols in place that had
directly to the table (no menus or
with distracting views. Each event space
been developed and assessed by the
buffets stations). Staff, although not
Belfast Hospital Trust. These include
wearing masks, spray-cleaned
hand sanitising stations in the lobby
tables (with a two-chemical
and clear social distancing signage and
liquid) immediately after guests
guest lifts limited to a maximum of two
left. Unfortunately, The
people or one family group (although
Observatory, a cocktail lounge
this is very much down to the guests to
with fantastic views of the city -
adhere to). The rooms are cleaned with
it's the tallest bar in the whole of
particular attention to sanitising all
Ireland - was closed. Valet parking
'touch points'. An innovative 'ozone
is available at a hefty ÂŁ25 a night,
in this age of living with Covid. There is
machine' fully sanitises the room by
although free and meter parking is
a general sense of space and distancing
extracting all dust and any germs from
available on nearby streets.
throughout, and all the staff were warm
COVID STRATEGY
The hotel stayed
can be adapted for business and social conferences, private dinners and
SENSE OF SPACE AND
media events.
DISTANCING THROUGHOUT, AND ALL THE STAFF WERE
surfaces and 're-oxygenates' it with 100% fresh air. Members of staff then
events: from meetings to
THERE IS A GENERAL
WARM AND HELPFUL
THE VERDICT
This classic and
timeless hotel has done everything possible to offer a seamless, enjoyable and worry-free experience
and helpful - starting with the doorman THE BUSINESS
During the pandemic
who walked to a street corner with us
stay away from the rooms - no evening
The Grand Central's corporate business
and kindly pointed out a place where
turn down - unless otherwise requested
has, unsurprisingly, dropped away and
we might park for free.
by guests.
been almost non-existent outside of Northern Ireland's domestic market.
THE CHECK-IN
New measures in
But the hotel is well geared for the
THE DETAILS
Grand Central Hotel,
9-15 Bedford Street, Belfast BT2 7FF
place made this very speedy. I arrived at
Tel: 028 9023 1066
3pm and my key was waiting for me in
Email: res@gch.hastingshotels.com
a 'sanitised' envelope. There were none
www.grandcentralhotelbelfast.com
of the usual protracted registration
Rates start from ÂŁ130 for a midweek
details required as these had been
stay in an Executive Double room in
done in advance. While this offers
January 2021. There's no deposit
customer reassurance, it necessarily
required and the hotel offers free
lacks the warmth and customer service
cancellation up to 24 hours before
levels for which the hotel has won many
arrival.
'Best of in Irish hospitality' awards.
Steve Hartridge
"Getting the balance right in providing customer safety and not losing the
NOTE: Since this visit there have been
integration that is the essence of the
rising numbers of Covid-19 cases in
hospitality industry is a challenge,"
Northern Ireland, so the hotel temporarily
admits Meldrum.
suspended all services on October 16.
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10/26/20 01:12 PM
