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The London hotel market has been buzzing in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games as athletes and spectators make their way to the city to witness the summer's biggest worldwide sporting events. Several new hotels have opened their doors in the past few months, including the Hilton London Wembley, which celebrated its grand opening just 10 days ago.
Jack Nicholas, general manager of the hotel, sees the Olympics as a catalyst for growth in London's lodging industry.
"With the Olympics coming to London, the city has undergone a complete regeneration," he says. "As well as the influx of visitors during the games itself, the city's new makeover is an incentive for guests to continue visiting after the Games, taking advantage of brand new transport links and sports venues, as well as some great post-Olympic offers."
With the spike in travelers that London expects to see in the next two weeks, Nicholas believes the Hilton London Wembley will offer guests an exciting location to take in the festivities. He also has no doubt that the newly opened property will meet and exceed guest expectations.
"It is a very busy time for the area with events taking place at Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena virtually every day during the Olympic period," Nicholas says. "Hilton London Wembley has a strong focus on the meeting and events market. As a result, the hotel has been designed so that both staff and hotel are well equipped for dealing with large numbers of visitors and group bookings."
The 361-room hotel represents a landmark opening for the brand and is a major player in the future growth of the Wembley area. The northwest corridor of London is currently one of the U.K.'s largest redevelopment projects, with more than 1 million square feet of construction underway across the area.
Quintain, the development company responsible for the project, is in the midst of transforming 85 acres of former exhibitions lands around Wembley Stadium into a "city" that will include restaurants, leisure activities, and a new 280,000-square- foot retail destination.
The Hilton London Wembley takes its design cues from its British heritage and its proximity to the famous Wembley Stadium. The ground-floor lobby features Union Jack motif rugs, an art installation displays a sequence of hand-painted porcelain plates illustrating the route of the River Thames, and there is even a two-floor feature wall depicting some of the greatest events in the history of Wembley Stadium.
"The design of Hilton London Wembley reflects its quintessentially English location," Nicholas says. "Wembley Stadium has staged some of the most memorable music and sporting events in British history and is an iconic structure recognized and loved worldwide. By incorporating patriotic design elements, the hotel embodies its surroundings and embraces its history and heritage."
If guests of the property want to get a bird's-eye view of the hubbub surrounding Wembley Stadium during the Olympics, they simply have to make it up to the ninth-floor rooftop bar, Sky Bar 9. The restaurant's outdoor terrace seats up to 150 people and offers views over the stadium, Wembley Arena, and Wembley Way.
"Hilton London Wembley is an important addition to the London portfolio," Nicholas says. "Opening in time for one of the greatest events in U.K. history is the perfect celebration of 2012 and the iconic year to date—a time when the eyes of the world are on London and we can celebrate the city at its best."
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