Extensive refurbishment of two hotels for the Graduate Hotels brand; a collection of boutique hotels located in key university towns across the US and the UK.
Having provided services engineering and architectural advice during the due diligence phase, McBains was appointed to project manage the refurbishment of the Graduate Cambridge Hotel and The Randolph Hotel in Oxford, on behalf of Chicago-based real estate company AJ Capital Partners following their acquisition of the assets for the Graduate brand.
The Graduate Cambridge Hotel underwent a full interior refurbishment in 2021. Previously the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, the hotel underwent a major overhaul of all interior areas, including all rooms and common spaces, along with demolition of its existing leisure centre and construction of a new swimming pool, fitness club / gym, sauna and steam room complex. With ten bedrooms added as part of the new leisure complex extension, the Graduate Cambridge Hotel now offers 148 bedrooms overall. The ground floor features a cafe and bar, full-service restaurant, flexible meeting areas and al fresco dining spaces.
The 151-room, Grade II listed Randolph Hotel in Oxford underwent a full services upgrade and complete renovation across the common spaces, lobby and guest rooms.
Through a partnership with CleanConscience, a charity specialising in reclamation and redistribution, McBains was successful in overseeing the redistribution of redundant or surplus assets valued at over £750,000 that would otherwise have gone to landfill or incineration; saving 348 tonnes of CO2e and 78 tonnes of waste.
The items, which included mattresses, bedding, mini bars, bed frames, chairs, tables, lamps, toilets, sinks, shower screens and other bathroom fittings, were reclaimed from both the hotels during their refurbishment.
Four local charities benefitted, including organisations serving those disadvantaged in their communities and the formerly homeless. Once local charity saturation was reached, it was decided to support six Lithuanian charities local to the birthplace of CleanConscience project manager, Viktorija; with an orphanage, children’s centre and family crisis centre among those that benefited overseas.
As a listed building, the refurbishment of the Randolph Hotel required detailed engagement with the local council conservation officer to ensure the proposed changes preserved the building’s historical significance. Our team ensured early liaison to enable good relationships were forged from the outset and to address any concerns as early as possible.
- Client:
- AJ Capital Partners
- Services Provided:
- Project Management
Architecture
Building Services Engineering - Sector:
- Hotels & Leisure
- Location:
- Oxford & Cambridge
- Period:
- 2020-2021