An 'eyesore' Edinburgh city centre office block is to undergo a major transformation and become a new 166 bedroom luxury hotel.
Residents Hotel will open its sixth property in the UK, The Resident Edinburgh, following the transformation of 1960s office building Meldrum House.
Mactaggat Family & Partners (MF&P), the owner of Resident Hotels, has exchanged contracts to acquire the west end building, the former headquarters of Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs on Drumsheugh Gardens.
It is located near to popular local businesses such as Indigo Yard, Le Di Vin and @Pizza and just a stone's throw from Princes Street.
The application submitted to convert the 'eyesore' building highlighted that “the concrete cladding began to spall and fall away from the main structure, resulting in the building being overclad with a protective membrane."
Expected to open to the public in 2024, the newly renovated hotel will join four sister properties in London and one in Liverpool.
Resident Hotels boast a home-from-home service and 'affordable luxury', opting for table service in the lounge and room service as opposed to traditional food and beverage offerings. The Resident brand also partners with local bars and restaurants - although no indication has been made as to which Edinburgh businesses they will team up with.
William Laxton, chief information officer of MF&P, described the location as "perfect" for Resident guests and the brand's operating model. He told The Caterer:
"The acquisition and development adds to our momentum, having rebranded the group in early 2020 and achieved exceptional guest feedback through TripAdvisor.
"The transaction also demonstrates our belief in the operating model, at a time we begin the implementation of our ambitions to grow Resident Hotels as an operator of third party owned hotels."
To check out Resident Hotels other sites, visit their website here.
