Reality Check

THE HOTEL The Grand Central Hotel is part of Hastings Hotels. The group's other Belfast hotels include The Europa and Culloden Estate and Spa. This five-star property is very centrally located and, with 300 rooms, is the largest hotel in Northern Ireland. With Stephen Meldrum, the hotel's GM, president of the Northern Ireland Hotels Association and a key member of the country's Tourism Recovery Group, Grand Central has been centrally involved in developing new guest experiences in the age of Covid.

COVID STRATEGY The hotel stayed open during the summer lockdown and housed NHS staff and other key workers. When it reopened to paying guests on July 3, it did so with health and safety protocols in place that had been developed and assessed by the Belfast Hospital Trust. These include hand sanitising stations in the lobby and clear social distancing signage and guest lifts limited to a maximum of two people or one family group (although this is very much down to the guests to adhere to). The rooms are cleaned with particular attention to sanitising all 'touch points'. An innovative 'ozone machine' fully sanitises the room by extracting all dust and any germs from surfaces and 're-oxygenates' it with 100% fresh air. Members of staff then stay away from the rooms - no evening turn down - unless otherwise requested by guests.

THE CHECK-IN New measures in place made this very speedy. I arrived at 3pm and my key was waiting for me in a 'sanitised' envelope. There were none of the usual protracted registration details required as these had been done in advance. While this offers customer reassurance, it necessarily lacks the warmth and customer service levels for which the hotel has won many 'Best of in Irish hospitality' awards. "Getting the balance right in providing customer safety and not losing the integration that is the essence of the hospitality industry is a challenge," admits Meldrum.

GRAND CENTRAL HOTEL, BELFAST

THE ROOM My executive suite (2203) opened to uninterrupted views over the city's historic red-brick buildings and, in the distance, Belfast docks and the Titanic-themed hotel and museum. It was spacious - full of tactile green, brown and beige hues - with a king-size double 'Cloud Bed', a writing desk and walk-in rain shower. ESPA amenity products featured in the bathroom.

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 walls of windows flooded with light rooms - the Blackstaff and the Farset, creating a feeling of 'relaxed space'. The named after the rivers of Belfast - two tables are set with plenty of distance boardrooms and the Panorama Suite, between them and breakfast is served an 80-seat reception room that comes directly to the table (no menus or with distracting views. Each event space buffets stations). Staff, although not can be adapted for business and social wearing masks, spray-cleaned THERE IS A GENERAL events: from meetings to tables (with a two-chemical conferences, private dinners and liquid) immediately after guests SENSE OF SPACE AND media events. left. Unfortunately, The DISTANCING THROUGHOUT, Observatory, a cocktail lounge with fantastic views of the city - AND ALL THE STAFF WERE THE VERDICT This classic and timeless hotel has done everything it's the tallest bar in the whole of WARM AND HELPFUL possible to offer a seamless, Ireland - was closed. Valet parking enjoyable and worry-free experience is available at a hefty £25 a night, in this age of living with Covid. There is although free and meter parking is a general sense of space and distancing available on nearby streets. throughout, and all the staff were warm

THE BUSINESS During the pandemic who walked to a street corner with us The Grand Central's corporate business and kindly pointed out a place where has, unsurprisingly, dropped away and we might park for free. been almost non-existent outside of and helpful - starting with the doorman Northern Ireland's domestic market. THE DETAILS Grand Central Hotel, But the hotel is well geared for the 9-15 Bedford Street, Belfast BT2 7FF Tel: 028 9023 1066 Email: res@gch.hastingshotels.com www.grandcentralhotelbelfast.com Rates start from £130 for a midweek stay in an Executive Double room in January 2021. There's no deposit required and the hotel offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before arrival.

Steve Hartridge

NOTE: Since this visit there have been rising numbers of Covid-19 cases in Northern Ireland, so the hotel temporarily suspended all services on October 16.