Cardiff Exchange hotel to open in April
The first phase of the 200-bedroom Cardiff Exchange hotel, developed within the city's Coal Exchange building, is set to open in late April.
The reception area, grand hall, restaurant and 40 rooms will open initially, with the rest of the hotel and remaining rooms to launch later in the year.
The hotel will have a restaurant, bar, function rooms and spa, and is intended to become a major wedding and events venue in the capital with its Great Bassey Hall named after Welsh singer Dame Shirley Bassey.
Cardiff Council's planning committee approved the £40m renovation of the Grade-II-listed, Victorian building last July. The Exchange closed in 1958 following the decline of the coal industry and was later used as a concert and dinner hall. It closed again in 2013 due to safety concerns and stood empty for three years.
Signature Living, the developer of the hotel, operates four hotels in Liverpool including the 83-bedroom Shankly hotel, and is also developing a boutique hotel in Preston's old post office building.
Signature Living's media spokesperson, Dan Hughes, said: "The first phase of The Exchange hotel will open in late April and we're looking forward to welcoming the very first guests to experience what will be a truly elegant and luxury hotel that is steeped in history and tradition. Already we're receiving interest in the new hotel from a far afield as the United States. There is definitely a real excitement about this development as we move towards opening day."
Signature Living has also announced that it is scouting scouting properties in Manchester with the intention of opening a George Best-themed hotel.
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