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Donovan Sumner has rejoined Hotel Co 51 as Regional Director of Operations for the UK, overseeing the operator’s regional portfolio of 17 Marriott International-branded hotels, including 15 Moxy hotels.

A hospitality professional with 20 years’ experience across a wide range of hotels, Donovan will leverage his history of managing Moxy properties across the UK, Italy and Norway. This includes responsibility for opening Moxy Aberdeen Airport – part of the Hotel Co 51 portfolio – in 2016 as the property’s captain (General Manager).

He returns to Hotel Co 51 from Cycas Hospitality, where he spent two years as Vice President of Operations, and takes over from Wayne Androliakos, following his appointment as CEO in June 2024.

Donovan reprises his role with an enhanced portfolio and a new cluster general manager approach, which sees five General Managers across England and Scotland report directly into him. The success of the group’s cluster approach has prompted Hotel Co 51 to introduce the same streamlined reporting system to its 13 properties in Germany, under the guidance of the country’s Regional Director of Operations, Morana Rabatic Andric.

Speaking about his return to Hotel Co 51, Donovan said: “It’s been inspiring to watch Hotel Co 51’s portfolio continue to go from strength to strength in recent years, with its ongoing award wins reflecting the company’s shared passion for delivering outstanding guest satisfaction.

“I’m excited to return to a group whose positive organisational culture and commitment to empowering its teams shines through every decision, and one which has designed sustainability into every hotel from the very start.”

Hotel Co 51 CEO, Wayne Androliakos, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Donovan back to the Hotel Co 51 family. I’m confident he will be a tremendous asset to the team as we seek to build on each hotel’s solid sustainable and operational foundations and create a positive environment where our employees and guests can thrive.”

Scottish celebrity chef Tony Singh has announced the launch of a range of beers working in collaboration with Scottish Brewery of the Year, Fierce Beer.

As one of the UK’s best loved chefs, renowned for his lively personality, this is Singh’s first foray into the drinks market.  

Tony explains; “I’ve been looking to create something different and felt there was a gap in the market for a range of premium beers with a distinctly Indian twist that are great on their own but could also complement curries.  I wanted to have a bit of fun with ingredients and flavours, and I feel we’ve created two cracking launch beers that will have everyone talking.”

Kicking off with Indian Lager infused with cardamom and Citrus Pale Ale infused with lemon zest and coriander seed, the refreshing character is at the heart of each beer.  The colourful packaging and striking designs include a paisley print as a nod to both Tony’s Indian and Scottish roots.

Working with the Aberdeen based team at Fierce Beer, who won 11 awards as well as the coveted Scottish Brewery of the Year at the Scottish Beer Awards last October, means that a distribution network is already in place.  Managing Director of Fierce Beer, Dave Grant said; “We’re proud to be producing this range for Tony and we feel there’s nothing else quite like it in the marketplace.  We know consumers are looking for something different and aren’t afraid to be experimental, so we believe these beers will be well received.” 

Already, there has been huge interest in the brews prior to launch.  An initial contract has been secured with global boutique chain Moxy, who will be the first hotel group to stock it in all their Scottish hotels, including their brewery themed hotel at Moxy Edinburgh Fountainbridge.

Tony continues; “It was great to work with the team at Fierce Beer who have an innovative approach to creating beers and I really respect their passion for the craft.  I’m just really excited for people to try them for themselves and see what we’ve produced.”

Currently available as 30 litre kegs and fully recyclable 440ml cans, they can be purchased directly from Fierce Beer at www.fiercebeer.com.

Future plans are already underway to extend the range further over the next 12 months.

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MOXY BRISTOL, UK – April 27, 2022 – Moxy Hotels, Marriott Bonvoy’s experiential hotel brand, has announced the opening of Moxy Bristol in the heart of the vibrant city.

Located opposite the famous Cabot’s Circus, the new stylish and affordable hotel offers 214 guestrooms and has embraced its location with playful street art inspired design throughout, nodding to the famed art culture that adorns the streets, underpasses, back-alleys and bridges of Bristol.

The modern design and tech savvy features play to both leisure and business travellers, offering several guestroom types to suit everyone, from queen and twins to family rooms.  

The Moxy team worked with Bricks, a Bristol-based social enterprise, to inject a bold and ultra-local collection of vibrant pieces of public artwork.  On entry to the lobby, fun hunters are greeted with a commissioned piece of art evoking the famous St Pauls Carnival by painter and sculptor Bo Lanyon.  It complements the numerous artworks on the walls, workstations and windows by artists including Lawrence Hoo, Charles Golding, Lucas Antics and Dr Myles-Jay Linton that celebrate the local St Pauls and St Jude’s culturally rich communities and heritage as well as Bristolian sayings and the famous Bristol Suspension Bridge.  

Moxy Bristol celebrates originality with its quirky exterior featuring two eleven metre living walls alongside the hotel’s logo, setting the playful scene for guests from the moment they see the building.   The hotel also offers several styled workstations, some with views out to the street as well as a meeting room for guests who want more of a gathering.  For those looking for a quieter zone, the library is the place to be with chillout areas.  

As with all Moxy hotels, the fun starts at Bar Moxy, the social heart of the hotel which doubles up as the check-in.  It’s here that guests receive a complimentary cocktail on arrival before getting the chance to try out the games and activities in the communal space.   For guests looking for a workout, the Moxy gym features the latest equipment.

Each guestroom has been thoughtfully mapped out to maximise on storage and space.  Cabin luggage can easily slide under the cleverly designed platform bed where the tech-smart sensory mood lighting system underneath automatically switches off when you’re ready to sleep.  USB-C connectors have been fitted to all rooms as well as European standard plugs for travellers.

“This hotel is in a fantastic location that you can’t miss as you enter into the city, opposite Cabot’s Circus.” said Captain Melih Yanik “This highly anticipated opening is a great addition to Bristol.  We’re more than ready to let the personality of this hotel shine through, revolutionising what’s available in the hotel arena and look forward to welcoming guests to see what we have created.”

Donovan Sumner, Regional Director of Operations UK for Hotel Co. 51, the operations Company for Moxy Bristol added; “Bristol is a cutting-edge city and is perfectly matched for the free-spirited, cheeky and fun atmosphere that Moxy is now famous for.  We’re proud to make this Hotel Co. 51’s 15^th UK opening and our first in the south-west region, adding to our overall growth strategy.  I’d also like to add that we’re delighted to have Melih join the Moxy crew as our Captain.”

Moxy Bristol is a dog friendly hotel for guests who want to take their four-legged friends.  Parking for guests is available opposite in the multi-story, where a 30% discount applies for guests when validated at Reception.

For more information visit https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/brsox-moxy-bristol/

About Moxy Hotels^®

Moxy offers a playful hotel experience for the young at heart. With more than 100 properties open across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, Moxy boldly breaks the rules of a conventional hotel stay across the globe. The nontraditional experience starts with check-in at Bar Moxy and comes to life throughout its social public spaces, like the Lounge and Library and the small but smart bedrooms. Moxy provides stylish, industrial design and sociable service at an attractive price point, so that guests can splurge on the experiences that matter most to them during their travels. Moxy celebrates nonconformity, open-mindedness, and originality above all – forever giving its guests permission to Play On #atthemoxy. For more information, visit www.moxyhotels.com and join the fun #atthemoxy on Instagram. Moxy is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy®, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments, and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.com.  

MEDIA CONTACT: 

For further information and images, contact Susan Blair at 24 Keys on susan@24keys.co.uk or (m) 077 6868 7224

2021 was an interesting time for the hospitality industry.  One company took it in their stride and never waivered, opening hotels throughout the UK and tripling the number of employees.  They are now looking to the new year with positivity and a busy pipeline. 

As operator for almost all the UK Moxy Hotels owned by Marriott, Hotel Co. 51 currently has 14 hotels open with 3,181 bedrooms.  10 hotels re-opened last year after Covid and they launched 4 brand new properties in 2021 which added a further 930 bedrooms to their portfolio including a Courtyard by Marriott and Moxy both at the SEC in Glasgow.

Looking ahead, the UK will welcome 3 properties with a total of over 600 bedrooms including Moxy Bristol and an AC Hotel in Inverness.  They will also launch 4 hotels in Europe including Paris, Dortmund and Berlin. 

So far, they have created over 160 new jobs, starting in January last year with 79 employees and ending in December on 243.  The workforce reflects the variety of the international clientele, with a team of 33 nationalities and multiple languages spoken in all hotels.  They will create another wealth of jobs this year when Moxy Bristol opens in February as well as continuing to recruit for all the other hotels they manage.

Hotel Co. 51 have also worked hard on its sustainability credentials for each hotel and that will continue to be a big part of their strategy going forward.  Thanks to their funky LED lights that feature heavily throughout each hotel, even the LEED certifying body (US Green Building Council) were pleasantly surprised by the low energy consumption, before granting the first of many LEED certifications to the buildings. As of today, 4 hotels have received Platinum status, and 8 Gold, while 2 hotels hold BREEAM status. Another important step was to switch from grey gas & power to green energy, reducing the CO2 utility consumption by a minimum of 75% per hotel. Their modular builds and no plastic policy in their bars and restaurants are an integral part in their continuous effort towards sustainability.

John Farrelly, Corporate Commercial Lead for Hotel Co. 51 commented; “Last year was a difficult year of trading across the board for the hospitality sector, but we have remained positive and continued to open hotels, even during lockdown.  We ended last year on a high after the success of opening two hotels in time for COP26 and saw both properties full for the duration of the conference.  We have big plans this year and will be opening a further 7 properties across the UK and Europe, bringing the total to 41 under our belts by the end of 2022.”

For further images or information, please contact Susan Blair at 24 Keys on susan@24keys.co.uk or (m) 077 6868 7224

Information on Hotel Co. 51 – 

Hotel Co. 51 is an independent European Hotel Operator of Moxy, Courtyard By Marriott, and Residence Inn, founded in Amsterdam in 2020 to support development and operations for the new hotel openings. The company is currently operating 34 properties in 8 countries (The Netherlands, France, UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Norway and Poland) and expanding its reach with new properties in key markets. The company´s pipeline includes hotels in European strategic cities and airports.

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