The Grand Central has welcomed dignitaries from across the world including Presidents, the now King Charles and Queen Camilla, global music stars and international football players.
The Grand Central, Hastings Hotels, has celebrated its fifth birthday and following the recent visit by US President Joe Biden, the leading five star property has experienced some of its busiest weeks since opening its doors in 2018.
Northern Ireland’s largest hotel pledged to bring a new era of luxury to Belfast and it has firmly delivered on this promise. The Grand Central has welcomed dignitaries from across the world including Presidents, the now King Charles and Queen Camilla, global music stars and international football players.
Last year the hotel was awarded a five-star rating by the AA and the Seahorse Restaurant was awarded an AA Rosette.
Stephen Meldrum, General Manager of the Grand Central Hotel said: “Over the last five years, the Grand Central Hotel has gone from strength to strength. The hotel was open less than two years when the pandemic hit so it’s fair to say that we have already experienced a lot of challenging times in our time. Despite this, we are proud to have engrained ourselves in the local community and are proud to be a key player in Belfast’s success story.
After Covid, we have continued to work hard to rebuild the business and I am delighted to say that we are going in an upward trajectory, not just locally, but globally. We have a strong leisure guest business and a large incentive group travel business and working in partnership with our industry colleagues and stakeholders, the city is firmly back on the international map.”
“I am extremely proud to lead an exceptionally talented and dedicated team of people, who have worked hard over the last five years to get the Grand Central to where it is today. It has been fantastic to see so many of my colleagues progress through the hotel and be rewarded for their efforts. For example, Jarmila Simova initially started part-time through an agency just before we opened and over the last five years, she has worked hard and has led by example and is now our assistant head housekeeper having successfully taken part in Hastings Hotels Management Ambassador Programme.
About Hastings Hotels
Founded over sixty years ago, Hastings Hotels is Northern Ireland’s premier hotel group. The Hastings portfolio has six luxurious hotels of character and distinction, each set-in key locations across Northern Ireland.
About the Grand Central Hotel Belfast
The Grand Central Hotel Belfast is more than just a hotel, having opened in the summer of 2018 and receiving Five-Star status in 2022. The original Grand Central was built in 1893 and was the thriving hub of Victorian Belfast as well as the finest hotel in Ireland. Winston Churchill, the King of Belgium, Al Jolson, Mario Lanza and the Beatles were all guests who enjoyed its luxurious hospitality. After an investment of £53 million, Grand Central Belfast is Northern Ireland's tallest hotel.
