UK: The Royal Garden Apartments in Edinburgh have reopened after an extensive refurbishment programme.
Operator Fountain Court has opened the property, which includes a mix of 30 one- and two-bedroom apartments. Located on Queen Street, opposite the Scottish Portrait Gallery, Royal Garden Apartments is a listed Georgian building with views of the Firth of Forth from the upper floors.
The company now operates 210 apartments (325 bedrooms) within seven properties in Edinburgh, accounting for 20 per cent of the city’s apartment sector.
Director of Fountain Court Apartments, John Neil, said: “The serviced apartment sector has expanded significantly over recent years and is one of the fastest growing areas in the UK hospitality industry, currently accounting for over three per cent of hotel stock across the country and seven per cent in Edinburgh. In particular, significant growth has been delivered from the corporate sector with business travellers and their employers increasingly turning to serviced apartments to fulfil their accommodation needs. Travellers are finding that apartments offer so much more in terms of space, flexibility and in many cases are more cost effective than a hotel room. For guests spending an extended period away from home and family, it is also a more friendly and sociable environment.”
“According to the Global Service Apartment Industry Report (GSAIR) 73 per cent of operators reported increased occupancy levels in 2014. The latest GSAIR report shows the sector overall has grown by 14 per cent since the previous report and all this growth has come from the extended stay sector. Businesses that recognise that their executives prefer a more relaxed ‘at home’ place to stay when travelling, especially on longer trips, have driven the increase in corporate business. The backdrop to this is the dramatic increase in overseas visitors to the UK in 2014. Of those coming to Edinburgh, a third from overseas, inject around £1.2 billion into the city region’s economy annually and account for 14 million bed nights. This market is growing rapidly. In 2013, average occupancy levels in Edinburgh (79.7%) were among the highest in Europe and beyond. This included a solid mix of business and leisure tourism,” he added.
www.fountaincourtapartments.com</p
