Hotel brand Roomzzz is to launch its latest generation of aparthotel in Chester at the beginning of April.
The £5.5m conversion to turn the former HMRC and DVLA centre in Norroy House, Nuns Road, into a serviced apartment complex is well under way.
Roomzzz Aparthotel Chester City will feature 64 apartments, including multiple penthouse suites, all of which have roof top balconies with views of the racecourse. The concept involves a hotel-style booking system but guests typically want a longer stay than a hotel can offer.
Developed over three years, the Chester site represents the first of what the company is calling its ‘Roomzzz New Generation’, with spacious interior styling, ‘ultra modern’ kitchen and living areas, plus ‘luxury room’ amenities.
Mark Walton, head of Roomzzz Aparthotel UK, said: “The aparthotel model is not the same as a hotel. Roomzzz guests are typically professionals and international guests looking for a longer term stay than a hotel can reasonably offer. Roomzzz New Generation is based on our knowledge, experience and research into customer decisions when booking/re-booking accommodation.”
Roomzzz is proud of its success in converting existing properties into aparthotel use. Prime examples are buildings in Manchester and most recently Newcastle. The company claims both schemes are used as ‘successful showcases’ of how a conversion into an aparthotel can benefit a city by attracting high spend and longer staying visitors to a city.
Roomzzz Aparthotel has worked closely with English Heritage on the creation of Roomzzz Chester City.
Mr Walton commented: “We have taken every precaution to ensure that the conversion of an existing building is both sympathetic to the surrounding area and will complement existing buildings and structures.”
However, nearby residents did raise concerns about stag and hen parties when plans for the Chester operation were revealed.
Evelyn Gerrard said: “I have stayed in an aparthotel in Liverpool, where it attracted hen and stag parties, with no limit to the numbers in each apartment. The parties went on all night, the noise of from people coming and going was unacceptable.”
