Matt Townley heads the new team at Dakota Deluxe Manchester as GM

The latest hotel in the Dakota portfolio from former Hotelier of the Year Ken McCulloch is to be led by general manager Matt Townley.

Located on Ducie Street, near Piccadilly Station, the 137-bedroom Dakota Deluxe Manchester will open on 18 May.

Townley (pictured) joined the hotel from his position as hotel manager of the Principal Manchester, where he spent two and a half years.

A former management graduate with Malmaison, he has previously worked at Mottram Hall in Cheshire for two and half years, when it was part of De Vere Hotels.

Townley said that his focus in his new role will be "to deliver the simple things brilliantly".

Townley has been joined at the new hotel by Stephen Martin, who has arrived from Dakota Glasgow as deputy general manager. Meanwhile, Alexa Cherry from Living Ventures' flagship restaurant Australasia has been appointed director of sales and Tom Kelly, who was responsible for orchestrating the front of house team during the NATO summit at Celtic Manor in Newport, has joined as front of house manager.

Dakota Deluxe Manchester is being developed at a cost of £30m by McCulloch in partnership with Evans Property Group and will join two existing Dakota Deluxe hotels in Glasgow and Leeds and two properties under the more accessible Dakota brand in South Queensferry, Edinburgh, and Eurocentral, on the outskirts of Glasgow.

Amanda Rosa, McCulloch's wife, is heading the creative team behind the design of the new-build property.

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