Niche Hotels have quietly gone about building up a collection of nine contemporary hotels in the UK, including this conversion of a Grade II listed bank in Newcastle city centre.
Situated on a street voted 'Britain's Best' by BBC Radio 4 Today programme listeners, "Newcastle's first boutique hotel" opened in December 2004. Housed in a Grade II listed former bank, the 49 bedroom property combines period charm with contemporary interior design and amenities, a fusion which has come to define operator Niche Hotels' offerings, which also include The Queensgate in South Kensington (the company's first, opening in November 2002), Wyckhill House and the Royalist Hotel in the Cotswolds, and the most recent addition, the 65 bedroom Royal Hotel in Cardiff, opened in August 2005.
Niche Hotels was the brainchild of Alan Corlett who, after stints working as UK operations director for Le Meridian and later as ops director for Principal Hotels, left the corporate sector in 2002 to found his own company. The original plan was to create a collection of nine contemporary hotels in period properties in 'key locations' around Britain.
"We define key cities or must-be-in locations by a city's profile, regeneration plans, potential growth markets, general hotel demand and competition," explains Alan's wife and Niche Hotels marketing director Alison Corlett.
"With only Malmaison in the contemporary sector, Newcastle was an attractive prospect and we aggressively pursued a site there.
"Our fundamental belief is that many operators provide a clinical and anonymous experience. By maintaining fewer bedrooms per property we can get to know our customers by name and provide for their preferences consistently. The location we found couldn't have been better for us, making Grey Street Hotel the only boutique hotel in the city centre."
Grey Street Hotel's interior design reflects Niche's preferred 'warm-minimalist' aesthetic. Explains Corlett: "The hotels have a homely feel, with iconic goods helping ensure a more luxurious experience."
In practice, this means oversized mugs for a satisfying cup of tea, complimentary mineral water, cafetiere coffee, waffle bathrobes, drench showers, bespoke toiletries shipped in from the States, pocketsprung Hypnos beds and 200 thread count Egyptian cotton bedlinen.
It also means LCD TVs and DVD players in every bedroom (24 double rooms and 22 twins) with a DVD/CD library at reception; iPod dockers and Playstation 3s in the three suites; plus a laptop size safe in every room.
Colour schemes are neutral and simple, and the high-ceilinged rooms are flooded with light from original sash windows, engendering a generous feeling of space.
In the hotel's basement is an intimate bar and compact but high spec conference facilities that can accommodate up to 100 people.
The hotel has a relaxed and informal vibe, supported by high standards of service and quality of product - something shared by the bar/restaurant to which it leases part of is ground floor space, The Living Room.
Explains Corlett: "We don't believe that hotel restaurants in city centre locations become superb destination restaurants without a 'brand', whether that's the latest celebrity chef or, like The Living Room, a cool collection of restaurants with brand strength."
Run by respected bar operators Living Ventures and present in twelve cities, The Living Room has built a reputation for delivering good food and drink in a stylish and informal setting, occupying a position at the more aspirational end of the high street bar market.
"When we were launching the hotel, Newcastle's cafe culture was just starting to emerge and we were introduced to The Living Room; a superb casual-contemporary, city-chic brand who just happened to be looking to move into the city and looking for a site," says Corlett. "It was new territory for both of us - it was the first time we'd entered into this type of relationship. Our country-house hotels have their own award-winning chefs - since as they are not in city centres, the emphasis is different."
Niche's philosophy - based on "ensuring that an outstanding level of hospitality is experienced at all levels" - is proving popular. The company are responding to high occupancy levels with further development of their estate. A £3m conference extension to Wyckhill House is next, scheduled for an October launch.
