LE MERIDIEN Hotels and Resorts is introducing new products and implementing major refurbishment programmes at several properties in a bid to attract more business travel clients.
The refurbishment programme is being concentrated on Le Meridien’s London hotels, including the brand’s flagship, Le Meridien Grosvenor House on Park Lane, which is ploughing £25m into redevelopment.
Two new Royal Club floors are due to open at the property in May, giving the hotel three dedicated executive floors with separate check-in and check-out and private lounges for guests.
The refurbishment also includes a £1m enhancement to its health and fitness club, which now has the largest swimming pool of any London hotel.
The property has also expanded its meetings and facilities with an additional six rooms, bringing the total number to 24, and has introduced private dining for corporate clients.
Le Meridien Waldorf, on Aldwych in central London, is spending £2.2m on refurbishments, including upgrades to its nine meeting rooms. ISDNlines and satellite conferencing facilities will be installed in the rooms and the hotel executive lounge and club bar will be upgraded.
Le Meridien Piccadilly, in the West End, is to spend £30,000 on each of its 43 top-of-the-range guest rooms by mid-May. As well as being totally refurbished, the rooms will be equipped with Internet access via televisions and modem connection sockets to fit US, European and UK plugs.
The hotel company is offering a number of special offers at its two airport hotels, Le Meridien Gatwick and Le Meridien Excelsior, at Heathrow, including free parking for up to 15 days for guests who stay overnight before a flight.
It has also introduced a two-for-one weekend special offer for business travellers at all its eight UK and Ireland hotels plus two hotels in Paris, until August 31.