Gloucester’s first luxury hotel throws open its doors

The 129-room luxury hotel that will be the stylish centrepiece of the city’s £107 m Forum development, is already generating huge excitement, with more than 1,000 bookings taken before the hotel has even officially opened.

Guests will enjoy a stylish rooftop bar, set to be named Crimson Spire, offering panoramic views of the city and its historic cathedral. They can also visit the all-day bistro, West Window, and Cafe Terraé, as well as the development’s iconic 44 tonne glass and steel skybridge offering a unique event space.

IHG Hotels & Resorts, the company behind the new venture, has hotels in cities all over the world including London, Berlin, New York and Hong Kong with each one unique and celebrating its local neighbourhood.

Gloucester’s Hotel Indigo promises to immerse guests in the architecture, traditions and culture of the city through three distinct design themes that reflect the its rich history and vibrant present.

Inspiration has come from Gloucester’s importance as a Roman city, that saw mosaics, pottery and a figurine of Venus dating back over 2,000 years found during archaeological phases of the King’s Quarter development.

The 13th century White Friars, a devout Roman Catholic religious house, was also rediscovered directly under the development.

Hotel Indigo will also strongly reflect Gloucester’s cultural traditions with rooms inspired by the whimsical world of Beatrix Potter’s ‘The Tailor of Gloucester’, and there is also a nod to the city’s festival and art scene and the historic docks.

Brought forward by Gloucester City Council and developers Reef + Partners, The Forum is a £107m mixed-use development and part of the wider £200m regeneration of Kings Square that includes the new University of Gloucestershire’s city centre campus.

It is part of the programme to transform the city centre, bringing together the hotel, alongside premium offices space and residential apartments, as well as over two acres of thoughtfully designed public open space.

Councillor Jeremy Hilton, leader of Gloucester City Council, said: “I’m delighted that Hotel Indigo has taken inspiration from our unique and beautiful city which rightly deserves to be celebrated.

“This will be our first luxury hotel and it will be a catalyst for change in terms of what we can offer the thousands of visitors who come to Gloucester. It will mean that Gloucester is not just a day trip but an overnight destination with a quality hotel right next to transport links. Along with The Forum development, it will attract more people to the city boosting the local economy and providing jobs.”

Peter Langly-Smith, managing director at Reef + Partners, said: “The opening of Hotel Indigo adds a new dimension to The Forum, creating a real destination that showcases Gloucester’s identity. With the hotel, its rooftop bar and event space, alongside the impressive living wall, public open space, and residential apartments, The Forum continues to transform the city centre.”

For further information about the hotel - https://www.ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/gb/en/gloucester/glosr/hoteldetail

For further information on The Forum, please visit www.forumgloucester.com.