Irish-headquartered hotel operator Prem Group will manage a new 92-bedroom hotel in Brussels on behalf of Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG).
The hospitality group, established in 1996, announced on Tuesday that it will partner Living Tomorrow, an international research group, to manage the hotel under IHG’s Voco brand.
The Voco Brussels City North hotel, which includes a conference centre and restaurant, is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in autumn 2023. It forms part of Living Tomorrow’s innovation campus in the Belgian capital, and will incorporate new technologies including virtual and augmented reality to deliver personalised tours and “immerse the visitor” in the “state-of-the-art” complex, the company said in a statement.
Located to the north of the city, Prem Group said the hotel will feature a striking 50-metre tower with huge glass windows “providing panoramic views of the Brussels skyline”.
Prem Group chief executive Jim Murphy said the Dublin-based operator is delighted that Living Tomorrow has contracted it to manage “this dynamic new property”.
“The innovation and technology which will be utilised in both the running of the hotel and by the guests themselves take the hospitality experience to the next level. The discerning traveller demands and needs the latest technology to be available at their fingertips. We aim to make processes faster, more efficient and even fun for the guest.”
Yin Oei, chief executive of Living Tomorrow, said: “Living Tomorrow is focused on driving the future and we’re excited to partner with IHG to develop this exciting hotel – the first Voco in Belgium.”
Prem Group, in which US-based Fortress Investment Group took a majority stake last December, currently owns, leases and manages 32 properties in Ireland, Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands under brands including its own Leopold Hotel Collection and Premier Suites. It also operates in partnership with other international brands including Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza among others.
