A 100-room aparthotel is set to open later this year in the centre of Liverpool - attracting those on both extended and shorter stays in the city.
Australian firm Quest plans on opening "eight to 12" properties in the UK and Europe over the next five years, but the Liverpool branch - a £10m investment - will be first.
Located on Church Street, it will open in September, and offer both one and two-bedroom apartments - offering both business and leisure travellers short and long-stay accommodation.
Quest has more than 170 apartment hotels in Australasia, including in Australia, Fiji and New Zealand, and has appointed Cycas Hospitality as its independent hotel manager for the six-storey site.
Paul Constantinou, founder and executive chairman of Quest Apartment Hotels, said: “The work we are doing to build a great team in Liverpool and laying foundations with expert strategic partners in Cycas Hospitality demonstrates our commitment to realising the potential of the extended stay market in the UK."
Quest says it's looking to capitalise on the "growing demand" for alternative accommodation options to grow its presence across the continent.
"Franchising is the cornerstone of Quest’s success, spurring our growth to become Australasia’s dominant player in the serviced apartment industry. Our strong franchise model is also one of Ascott’s key drivers of growth and contributors of recurring income. Bringing the Quest franchise to Liverpool is the first step of our international expansion plans. We will continue to leverage Ascott’s global network to bring Quest to more markets."
As well as self-contained apartments, Quest Liverpool will have a gym, conference facilities, WiFi, and car parking.
It created 200 jobs during construction after winning planning permission in 2017, and will create 25 part-time and full-time positions in the Liverpool area once opened.
Matt Luscombe, CEO of Cycas Hospitality, said: “Living in Australia for the last two years, I’ve seen first-hand how impressive Quest Apartment Hotels are in action. They offer business travellers a fantastic extended-stay accommodation service in an incredible network of locations.
“I’m delighted Quest has chosen to partner with Cycas to launch Quest Apartment Hotels into the United Kingdom; a strong endorsement of our track record for excellence and growth momentum across the region’s fast-growing extended-stay sector.
"That the first Quest property we will be working on together is in the heart of Liverpool – where Cycas Hospitality’s own journey began in 2008 – is an auspicious milestone for our business’s growth. We look forward to building the brand’s profile and introducing Quest to a new market with tremendous potential.”
