First look: Sir Richard Branson's personal taste inspires design of Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

17 March 2022 by
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.

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh's library
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh's library

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh coffee shop
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh coffee shop

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 Commons Club
The Commons Club

Commons Club
Commons Club

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.

Virgin Hotel Edinburgh room interior
Virgin Hotel Edinburgh room interior

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

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.

The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media Group is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking