Over 1,200 Hotel Bedrooms Planned for Belfast by 2019

Hoteliers and developers are actively working on 1,247 new hotel bedrooms for imminent delivery in Belfast, according to a new study by Savills Ireland.

9 hotels have received a grant of planning permission – 4 of which are at an advanced stage of construction – with one extension awaiting approval. Assuming all planned hotels are developed, it would represent a 36% increase on the current hotel bedroom stock of 3,400 by 2019. Belfast now has the largest hotel development pipeline in the UK as a percentage of existing stock.

This is in addition to the new Titanic Hotel and Ten Square extension, which both opened in 2017 with a total of 185 bedrooms. However according to Savills, 2018 will be a year of very significant additional hotel supply in Belfast.

1,060 bedrooms (+30%) are expected to open in 2018, with 61% of these rooms in new hotels and 39% in extensions or conversions. The four largest developments are well progressed:

2019 will see the delivery of a more modest 269 bedroom (+5%). These include:

Savills also note that by 2020, 3 operators – Hastings, Dalata andAndras House Ltd. – will control close to 50% of the total bedroom stock in the city.

Aaron Spring, Associate Director of Hotels & Leisure at Savills Ireland comments;

“It’s growing appeal as a business and leisure destination has resulted in Belfast achieving the second highest hotel occupancy in the UK, just behind Edinburgh. With strong experienced hotel operators, who have large existing footprints in Belfast undertaking the projects nearing completion, it is a great vote of confidence in the city.”

Mr Spring also added;

“I also expect to see more regional hotel projects commencing in high demand areas such as the north Antrim coast next year, due to the growing popularity of these areas and lack of new bedroom stock in recent years.”