Yotel to open Edinburgh hotel in 2019

Yotel has announced plans to open a 280-bedroom hotel in Edinburgh in the first quarter of 2019.

The project is currently in development stages and marks the first use of the $250m (£185m) invested by a fund linked to Starwood Capital earlier this year in return for a 30% stake in the affordable luxury hotel brand.

The city centre hotel will be located on Queen Street at Erskine House.

Yotel chief executive Hubert Viriot said: "Our contemporary and playful design together with technology driven experiences will offer an exciting alternative to the current mostly traditional offering. Yotel is on a rapid expansion path and the announcement of our Edinburgh city hotel plays an integral part in our future plans in Scotland and the rest of the globe."

Yotel currently operates in transport hubs in the UK, including Gatwick and Heathrow airports, with plans to open a 212-cabin hotel in London's Clerkenwell in late 2018 and a target of 60 hotels open by 2023. Starwood is also believed to have secured sites in Glasgow and Amsterdam for 2019 openings, and further airport and city centre locations are being sought.

The new Edinburgh hotel will feature a two-storey screening room and destination bar fronting Queen Street in addition to Yotel's Club Lounge concept, which offers flexible meeting and co-working spaces along with areas to relax and socialise.

The project will be designed by Edinburgh-based Fletcher Joseph Architects and global interior designer Aedas, with construction by ISG.

Cody Bradshaw, managing director and head of European hotels at Starwood Capital Group added: "We've leveraged our in-house expertise in site acquisition, planning and redevelopment to find the perfect building in Edinburgh for our first Yotel project, and are delighted to help this distinctive brand make their debut in Scotland. We've brought in a local architect to incorporate elements of the surrounding area, while in keeping with the innovative spirit of the Yotel brand, with the aim of creating something truly unique in this local market."

Starwood takes 30% stake in Yotel >>

Yotel targets 60 hotels by 2023 >>

Yotel to open first UK city centre hotel in London >>

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