PICTURES: A look into Scotland's first AC Hotel by Marriott as new venue is set to open soon on Glebe Street in Inverness
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THE team behind Inverness city centre’s new hotel has given the Courier a sneak peek at what awaits visitors when it opens soon.
In the past months, passers by have been able to see the ongoing development of the new AC Hotel by Marriott building on Glebe Street – on the site of the former city swimming pool – from the outside.
Now developers have shared impressions of what the inside of the hotel is set to look like as well.
The hotel will be operated by Amsterdam-based company Hotel Co 51 and will be the first AC Hotels brand in their portfolio, as well as the first in Scotland.
It is expected to begin welcoming visitors from the end of September/ early October.
Corporate commercial lead at Hotel Co 51, John Farrelly, said they were really excited for the upcoming opening.
He said: “It’s great to be able to work with AC by Marriott.
“The brand is very design-led and we are really looking forward to opening the doors to the public.
“Before the pandemic, Inverness was one of the fastest-growing cities in the UK and with a big demand for hotel rooms, so this is a fantastic place to be.
“This is also due to the success of the NC500, which starts and ends in Inverness.
“We hope this will bring a diverse type of tourists who will be attracted by a familiar brand, from European visitors as well as American tourists visiting the Highlands.
“Also that the opening will have a positive knock-on effect on the local economy, by bringing in more people spending in the city centre as well as possibly encouraging (more) flights to Inverness.”
Tracey Mottram, general manager at AC Hotels by Marriott Inverness, said: “We are looking to create 30 to 40 full-time and part-time jobs in the city.
“We know that in the past months businesses in the hospitality industry have been struggling to recruit staff, but we are confident that when the news is out the AC brand will make it an attractive opportunity for people to come and work with us.
“The hospitality industry in Inverness is like a family, everyone knows everybody and there is a lot of support, so I felt the arrival of this new hotel was welcomed by the industry locally.
“We feel the passion that Hotel Co 51 have for this hotel, and this will be very good for the hospitality scene here.”
The brand, born as AC Hotels, taking its initials from Spanish hotelier Antonio Catalán, merged with Marriott in 2011.
In 2019 the hotel conglomerate bought the rest of the share capital in AC Hotels.
As part as the Marriott portfolio, AC Hotels is characterised by a classic, design-led approach, with sleek furnishings in the bedrooms and curated artwork across the building.
The hotel in Inverness will feature a European-inspired restaurant with tapas-style small bites on the menu, as well as a bar which will offer signature cocktails and local craft beers.
A partnership with local spirits producers is also in sight.
A bar area with views onto the River Ness will aim to attract both locals and tourists alike.
And the hotel will offer other “collaborative”, flexible spaces which both guests and locals will be able to enjoy.
Elena Tavernini, group marketing manager at Hotel Co 51, said: “We really want to invite and involve the local community, whether it is for a coffee or for food, or a space where one can come to sit and work.
“This will be a higher-end hotel experience at an affordable price.”
Works for the hotel started in 2021 after planning permission was granted in December 2019 to Dutch developer Vastint Hospitality.
Hotel Co 51 currently operates most of the Moxy by Marriott branded hotels in the UK and Europe as well as the Courtyard by Marriott hotel at Glasgow SEC.
