Glasshouse going for growth

ONE of Edinburgh’s top hotels is to add more rooms and a function suite as part of a £1.3 million investment.

The Glasshouse in Greenside Place last week held a reception in the rooftop garden to mark its inclusion in Marriott Hotels’ new Autograph collection. This followed the completion of a £1.1m 12-week make-over that introduced styles by Italian designer MyYour.

The latest plan will see the addition of nine rooms, taking the total to 74. The function suite will accommodate 120 people. Last month it became the 44th hotel in the collection and the third in the UK. John Licence, continental brand leader for the collection, said the company was looking for other hotels to bring into the group.

Marriott operates as an enabler for independently run hotels to retain their unique character and ownership, but they are backed by Marriott’s global marketing and systems operation.

The Glasshouse, which opened ten years ago behind the 150-year-old façade of the Lady Glenorchy’s Church, is a joint venture involving Westmont Hospitality Group and the hotel’s Luxembourg-based investors Richmond West, an investment fund. The two other establishments are in London.

The Glasshouse has won a number of awards since it opened, including being voted one of the top-50 hottest hotels in the world by Condé Nast Traveller, winner of the “Most Stylish Hotel” by the Scottish Style Awards, and winner of “Sexiest Hotel in Scotland” by Hotel Review Scotland.