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Tags: Themed Hotels / Thanatourism Hotels / Odd Hotels / Titanic Hotels / Belfast Hotels / Hotel Hype / → All Tags

A Titanic-Themed Hotel Might Be Coming to Belfast

Hmm...you definitely can't say it's "too soon" for a Titanic-themed hotel to open in Belfast but we're not so sure if we're loving the idea of a hotel that's built around a tragedy. But thanatourists will love this place.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, a five-star 90-room hotel with a swimming pool, a gymnasium and a Titanic theme has been announced for the old Harland and Wolff Headquarters building at Queen's Island in Belfast, near where the doomed ship was constructed.

The hotel, if plans are approved, will be part of a larger revitalization project called the Titanic Signature Project, which seeks to restore the Thompson Dock and the slipways where the Titanic and her sister ship, The Olympic, were built. This Titanic Quarter, as the area is called, will also have apartments, an entertainment district and an amusement park, Titanic-themed of course.

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Tags: Industry News / Hilton Hotels / Hotel Woes / Hotel Lawsuits / → All Tags

Hilton's Legal Department Is Working Overtime These Days

Goodness. We were cruising for some news this morning, you know, checkin' out what's going on in and around the ol' hotel world. Not surprisingly, lots of headlines were about Hilton getting sued. We didn't think much of them until we realized that not all of those headlines were about Hilton getting sued over Denizen. Oy.

Hilton's legal department seems to be working overtime these days: now the massive hotel company is getting sued by a Northern Ireland company in a £10m case involving the Hilton Belfast. Goodness. From the Financial Times:

Ewart Properties, which owns 25 per cent of Belfast Hilton, the company set up to finance and build the hotel, claims it is owed unpaid dividends of £1m.

As a result of alleged breaches of the shareholder agreement and a related lease, Ewart claims it cannot reasonably be expected to remain as a shareholder and is seeking a court order requiring Hilton to buy its stake, valued by property experts at around £10m.

This one is (obvs) not as insane as the Denizen case, but we can't help but notice that times are definitely pretty tough for Hilton who, not one month ago, was kind of on top of the world after announcing two new brands, Home2 Suites and Denizen.

Tags: Hotel Openings / Belfast Hotels / Luxury Hotels / → All Tags

The Fitzwilliam Belfast Now Open For Business

Where: Great Victoria Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Another day, another new hotel joining the UK ranks. This time, it’s the turn of the Fitzwilliam Hotel in Belfast – and this time, the hotel has actually opened, rather than just been put on the cards like Nottingham’s mourHotel.

If you're still nursing a hangover somewhere in Dublin, perhaps a change of hotel will help you out. Just don't stare to hard at the rug.

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Tags: Anti-View / Belfast Hotels / → All Tags

Room with an Anti-View: The Merchant Hotel's Rooftop

Where: 35 39 Waring Street, Belfast, Ireland, BT1 2EW

You know the scene. You open the door to your brand new hotel room, run over to the window, open the blinds and bam, you are hit with the anti-view. Maybe you are looking down a dirty alley, witnessing a drug deal, staring at an air shaft in the face, or seeing a brick wall. Whatever you are viewing it is not extremely pleasurable. Help out your fellow hotel mavens by uploading your anti-views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number with the not-so-easy-on-the-eyes view.

Rooftops are never pretty (with or without tenement laundry) and The Merchant Hotel in Belfast, Ireland is just the latest in our Anti-View collection.

The Notorious Meg dropped this photo into the HotelChatter  Flickr Pool along with dozens of other snapshot from hotels around the world that we encourage you to scope out.

In fact, of all the photos Meg contributed this is probably the ugliest. And we can't believe we are about to say this but its kinda the prettiest rooftop view we ever did see. It looks like there is a piece of art on the wall and at least the other rooms get to look out at some potted topiaries.

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Snobby Getaway In Belfast

Where: 35-39 Waring Street, Belfast, Ireland, BT1 2EW

If you are traveling to Ireland and not for a wedding, consider a luxury spot in Northern Ireland's capital of Belfast. The Merchant Hotel steps onto the decidedly un-hip scene with a glam slam.

With just 21 rooms and 5 suites the hotel can go over the top in decadence. The place oozes luxury and with several barons and baroness at the hotel's opening bash, the place is posh enough for the royals.

Classy black Bentleys are available for airport pick-ups. Over 400,000 British pounds were spent for the adorning antiques and artwork. And if that isn't snooty enough for you, a "members only" nightclub is also part of the package deal for guests-- kinda like THOR.

So far so good. The reviews are great and the hotel is without a doubt, full of classy stuff. Perhaps Belfast will get put on the map as a romantic getaway after all.

Related Stories:
· The Merchant Hotel, Belfast [Guardian Unlimited]
· Merchant Hotel Reviews [Trip Advisor]
· THOR opens Members Only Lounge, Jackets Optional [HotelChatter]

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Hotel Bandits Rob a "Tatty" Hotel with a Friendly Staff

Where: 75 University Stree, Belfast, Ireland

Seems that bank robberies are passé, as today's burglars are getting rich off pinching hotels. Hotels are definitely sexier to rob. Think Ocean's 11. But then again, there was that whole Watergate thing.

The latest in a long litany of hotel robberies? Renshaws Hotel. During a Halloween heist crooks took cash and checks from this property, then scurried of down the road away from the authorities.

Not to sound too much like John Walsh, but, these criminals are still at large, so if you see them, call Crimestoppers.

Recent Renshaw guests mention the friendly staff and "tatty decor". Now why rob friendly folks at a "tatty hotel"? C'mon. At least check TripAdvisor and HotelChatter before you choose your target hotel.

Other recent hotel robberies are linked to in the related stories. Choose your hotel wisely, Hotel Mavens.

Related Stories:
·   Chase Ends In Ocean Arrests[News Australia]
·   Suspect in Hotel Robberies Eyed in VA Cases [AP]
·   Men in Halloween Masks Rob Hotel [BBC]
·   Renshaws Hotel Reviews [Trip Advisor]