Five Star Opening

07/05/2010

Bonner & Hindley Communications have been delighted to be working with Cedar Court Hotels, Yorkshires largest independent hotel group to promote the latest addition to their portfolio, Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa in York.

The Grand is the new flagship property of Cedar Court Hotels.  Set in the famous grade II listed former railway headquarters and located in the centre of historic York, it is hoped that this £25m development will become the citys first five-star hotel.

The two year project opened its doors to guests on 7 May 2010. Mr George Demetriou, Cedar Court Hotels founder, and his grandson Alex Georgiou (9), cut the ribbon to signal the opening.

Mr Demetriou said:
This is a very proud day for me, my family and all of the Cedar Court Hotels team. When I first started in business 50 years ago in York it was my dream to one day open a five-star hotel, and now that dream has come true. Were now looking forward to becoming a focal point of tourism in York and the Yorkshire region.

General Manager, Andrew Coney, said:
When we set out to create The Grand, we had history on our side. The building which was constructed in 1906 for the North Eastern Railway Company is one of the citys most iconic buildings, and it is simply beautiful. We knew immediately that The Grand Hotel should evoke the Golden Age of travel, reaching back to the opulence and luxury that people experienced on the Orient Express or Queen Mary, and recreating that with contemporary flourishes for 2010. Seeing the completed hotel, its clear that our vision has been realised.

The Grand has 107 bedrooms, including 13 suites with butler service and a £750 a night penthouse. Many of the rooms have views of the historic York Wall and Yorks spectacular Minster and, as a grade II listed building, most of the original features remain. These include beautiful mosaic tiling, parquet floors and wood paneled meeting rooms. Though many hotels make the boast, each bedroom at The Grand really is unique in shape and design, with quirky architectural features that include porthole windows, skylights and vault doors.

The Grands public areas include a cocktail bar, whisky lounge (with over 190 bottlings), the HQ Restaurant and a Spa (opening in June). Well-known mixologist Wayne Collins, trained the bar staff in cocktail preparation and presentation, and created the Grand Cocktail, which is unique to the hotel.