Property investor and developer Lamington Group is expanding into Belfast with its room2 brand set to launch later this summer. Belfast will be the fourth outpost for the brand and the first property outside England.
Set to open later this summer, the new property will consist of 175 rooms across nine floors as well as a café, tearoom, meeting and event spaces, a gym, bar, restaurant and a lounge available for both guests and locals.
Michelle Thomas, Lamington Group's new openings manager, said: "We are so excited to expand our portfolio and open our biggest hometel to date in the vibrant city of Belfast. We want our hometel to provide a place of comfort for both locals and tourists, further making our mark in the hometel sector of the hospitality industry."
The fully electric room2 Belfast - located at 32 - 38 Queen Street - includes occupancy-enabled rooms, two lab rooms, solar energy generation, 100 per cent renewable energy, local sourcing of materials, products and artwork. The building will have 100 per cent of its embodied carbon rebalanced to zero on completion, and 100 per cent of any operational carbon will be rebalanced to zero on an annual basis.
The property’s design is also focused on promoting a circular economy with progressive features throughout the whole hometel, including a café bar made with recycled glass, a reception desk created with soap bottles from the room2 Southampton and carpets made from recycled fishing nets.
room2 uses local suppliers where possible for all aspects of construction and design, such as using woodwork items sourced from within the city. The hometel will also support local talent, showcasing up-and-coming artists and designers throughout the design of the hometel as well as hosting live music shows and cooking masterclasses for budding locals.
room2 is also planning to hire the majority of on-site staff from the city.