Park Plaza to open two London hotels

Demolition work for a major new mixed-use development, including one of the largest conference hotels in London for decades, kicks off next month.

The four-star, 14-storey property in Westminster Bridge Road is one of two hotels being built south of the Thames by Galliard Homes and Frogmore Property Company.

Both hotels will be managed by Park Plaza Hotels Europe, and will boost the company's presence in central London to 2,200 bedrooms.

The Westminster Bridge Park Plaza, scheduled to open in 2010, will replace the County Hall building on the traffic island opposite the Houses of Parliament. It will be the largest property in the group's portfolio.

The hotel will incorporate more than 930 bedrooms, many with fully equipped kitchens, and conference facilities for 1,000 delegates or more. Facilities will also include a health spa with gym, indoor swimming pool and fitness area, two restaurants, executive business lounges, a business centre and retail outlets.

The hotel will be preceded in 2008 by the County Hall Park Plaza in Addington Street with 395 bedrooms (more than half with kitchens), gymnasium and meeting rooms.

Park Plaza Hotels Europe already manages the Riverbank Park Plaza, Victoria Park Plaza, Sherlock Holmes and Plaza on the River - Club and Residence hotels in London, along with provincial properties in Belfast, Cardiff, Leeds and Nottingham.

By Angela Frewin

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