The landmark five-star Lowry Hotel has completed a £4m refurbishment which General Manager Adrian Ellis has hailed as the culmination of a remarkable transformational year.
A comprehensive makeover of the 165-room hotel has taken place since September 2014, when it changed hands in a multimillion-pound deal, and guests now enjoy an enhanced resident experience through the introduction of new SMART TVs and Wi-Fi, alongside new curtains, carpets, fabrics and colour schemes throughout the bedrooms and public areas.
Healthy financial results in 2015 have provided the foundations for the refurbishment, says Mr Ellis, which will be followed by a programme in 2016 to refurbish the spa and the banqueting suites.
Purchase and commission of original art
The experienced General Manager, who has managed prestige hotels worldwide in a 25-year career, says that the hotel’s new look includes the purchase and commission of some original art.
Manchester’s rock history is a key part of the changes, as seen in the purchase of iconic rock images by legendary Salfordian photographer Kevin Cummins, including four large format images which greet guests in the lobby.
The refurbishment is also marked with ten new large-scale photographs on each floor by published and exhibited photographer Allan Grainger, from the Isle of Man, of familiar Manchester locations.
This new commission of, in Grainger’s words, “tableaux that capture the rhythms and atmosphere of the city, and its historical past,” are displayed in the corridor and lift areas of the guest floors.
A changing art gallery in the bar every six weeks by Comme Ca Art complements existing work in the hotel including a striking hanging installation by David Begbie and works by contemporary Northern landscape painter Liam Spencer.
Says Mr Ellis: “We are the only hotel in the city centre named after an artist, and we are proud to celebrate not only LS Lowry, renowned for his depictions of Salford, but also by displaying contemporary artists and photographers. Our investment in art reflects our distinctive customer experience. A visit to the Lowry Hotel is a stimulating and rewarding experience as well as a high-quality one.”
htm sponsor hotel information at H&C News