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Miss Northern Ireland, Melissa Patton helps plant a tree to mark the opening of  the new Express by Holiday Inn Hotel in Antrim.  Also in the picture is (from left) Stewart Campbell, Finance Director BDL, the Mayor of Antrim Cllr Adrian Watson, Chris Kennedy, Director and Shamus Jennings Chairman, Culzean Holdings Ltd.

Each of the 90 guestrooms at the hotel are simply but stylishly decorated, and include tea/coffee making facilities, colour TV with satellite channels and pay-movies, direct dial telephone, work desks with modem points and High Speed Internet Access.  Ensuite Guest bathrooms with a high powered shower and complimentary toiletries, and a full complimentary Ulster buffet breakfast are all included in the room rate that commence at a very attractive and competitive £59.95.  Twin, double and interconnecting rooms are available, accommodating up to 2 adults and 2 children.  The hotel also features 5 fully accessible rooms.

Local businesses are able to take advantage of the hotel’s 4 purpose-built meeting rooms, which feature air-conditioning, Wireless Internet Access, conference equipment, natural daylight and black-out facilities.  In total the meeting rooms can accommodate up to 160 people, with each room capable of accommodating 40 people “theatre style”.

Shamus Jennings, Chairman and shareholder, Culzean Holdings Ltd, explains, “Last September we signed a Development Agreement with global hotel company the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) to develop Express by Holiday Inn hotels to the value of £30 million throughout most of Northern Ireland.  The opening of the Antrim hotel celebrates the start of that roll out and there are already plans in place for further Holiday Inn branded hotels in the Province.  With tourism and business activity on the up in Northern Ireland there is still enormous potential for further hotel expansion in both the budget and full service sector and it is our aim to deliver high quality products and redefined service standards across the home market.”

To ensure consistent delivery of a quality customer focused experience, the hotel will be managed by BDL Management Ltd, one of the UK’s most respected hotel operators.  Commenting further, Shamus Jennings stated that, “we are delighted to have BDL on board and are extremely confident that given the fusion of skills that exist between BDL and Culzean Holdings that in a short period of time we will have redefined quality and set new levels of service standards within the Northern Ireland hotel industry.”

Chris Kennedy, Director and shareholder, Culzean Holdings Ltd, continues, “The Kennedy Group’s background in owning the award winning Ramada Hotel and Bayview Hotel on the North Coast combined with CUSP’s development and regeneration profile and supported by BDL’s global hotel management skills offers a powerful combination of expertise.  The new Express by Holiday Inn will certainly complement the dynamic environment of the Junction One leisure and retail complex and will act as a positive driver to encourage visitors to stay longer in the Antrim area.”

The Express by Holiday Inn Antrim being just a 10mins drive from Belfast International Airport is an ideal stop over for anyone who has an early morning flight from the airport.  Being situated in Antrim, the strategic location of the hotel also means that it is an ideal base for anyone wishing to explore the Province, with Belfast, Derry, the Giant’s Causeway and Northern Ireland’s North Coast with its spectacular scenery and world renowned Golf Courses, all less than a 60 mins drive away.

ENDS

Media contact:  Jane Wells, JPR – Tel:  028 9076 0066.  Mob:  07860 288860.  Email:  [email protected]

Notes to Editors:

• CUSP is Northern Ireland’s leading and award winning urban regeneration and property development specialists with a property portfolio valued at £500 million.

• The Kennedy Group, owned by the Kennedy family, is involved in a range of business activities including construction, property development, leisure and hospitality.

• Culzean Holdings have ambitious plans for the development of hotels in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.  A 169 room Encore by Ramada at St Anne’s Square, Belfast is scheduled to open in 2009.

BDL is Glasgow based Management Hospitality Company.  Formed in 1997 it is the largest franchise developer of IHG and Wyndham hotels in GB.  www.bdlmanagement.co.uk