First look: Sir Richard Branson's personal taste inspires design of Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
Sir Richard Branson's personal design taste has been incorporated into the new Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, set to open on 1 June.
Located in the India Buildings in Edinburgh's Old Town, the 222-bedroom lifestyle hotel will join five sister properties in the United States in Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, New Orleans and Las Vegas.
A second UK hotel, featuring 240 bedrooms, will open in Glasgow in the summer, alongside a new property later in the year in New York, followed by Miami in 2025.
The Edinburgh hotel is owned by real estate developer Flemyn and managed by Virgin Hotels. Former hotel management consultant Scott McArdle, who previously held general manager positions with Autograph Hotels, Perle Hotels and Place Hotels, will head the hotel's team as general manager.
The look of the property has been created by Virgin Hotels in collaboration with Scottish design and architecture studios ICA Studio, Four-by-Two, and Joelle Reid Interiors, with the aim of preserving the building's original features mixed with contemporary characteristics. Visto Artwork has curated the hotel's art collection featuring Scottish-inspired pieces from local artists.
The food and beverage offer includes the Commons Club flagship restaurant and bar (pictured below) and Eve, an all-day dining space. Part of the building incorporates a 19th century church, now known as Greyfriars Hall, which has been converted into an event space.
The bedrooms are split between 15 categories known as chambers or suites and include Richard's Flat, intended to reflect Sir Richard's home from home and the Eve Branson suite, found under the bell tower of the restored church and named after the Virgin founder's late mother. The Moroccan-inspired Kasbah Tamadot suite is a nod to Virgin Limited Edition's property in the Atlas Mountains.
The chambers feature Virgin Hotels' signature layout with two distinct spaces: the dressing room with a makeup desk and the lounge incorporating a patented bed with tufted headboard and red SMEG mini-fridge.
James Bermingham, chief executive of Virgin Hotels, said: "Through dynamic contextual design and neighbourhood-centric influences the new hotel will be a cultural city hub, with a design that sustains the building's heritage while adding a vibrant, new style to the area."
The launch of the Edinburgh property will mark the return to the UK for Sir Richard's hotel brand. Virgin Hotel's previous collection of hotels included Crathorne Hall in Yarm, North Yorkshire, and Buxted Park in Ashdown Forest, East Sussex, both which were bought by Hand Picked Hotels in 2009.
