Merseyside hotel relaunches with new name following £250k refurb

The Crest Hotels Group has completed a £250,000 refurbishment programme at its Merseyside hotel which it is also re-launching with a new name. The former Holiday Inn Express Liverpool Knowsley is now operating independently as the Knowsley Inn and Lounge. Having already invested £1m in 2019 into the 86 bedrooms and corridors, a further £250,000 has now seen all public spaces, its lounge, dining areas and breakfast space updated with a modern, contemporary look and furniture to “suit the hotel’s personality and new brand ethos”. To mark the completion of the refurbishment and the unveiling of the new Knowsley Inn and Lounge brand, key VIPs including the High Sherriff of Merseyside were invited to an exclusive event and official ribbon cutting. Lindsay Jones, general manager at the Knowsley Inn and Lounge, said: “The hotel has been part of the Crest Hotels portfolio for 20 years and this move away from being a badged property has really allowed us to put our own stamp on the property which we are extremely proud of. “It felt the right time to operate the hotel independently now as part of the Crest Group which has evolved over the years and which has a highly experienced managerial team in situ to really drive forward with this property. From sales and marketing through to F&B, the group has a team with a fabulous reputation and we are really excited to see what the future holds.” She added: “The much-needed modernisation to the public spaces has also been well received by both our leisure and business guests utilising the open plan workspace and has put us in prime position to drive both tourism and business to the Merseyside economy. In addition, we’ve introduced a Starbucks concession for coffee and improved and increased our overall food and beverage offering with a new all-day dining menu, as well as an extensive drinks and cocktail menu that will be open to residents and non-residents alike.” Cutting the ribbon to mark the re-opening, Ms Lesley Martin-Wright JP DL, High Sheriff of Merseyside and chief executive of Knowsley Chamber of Commerce, added: “This hotel has played a pivotal role in boosting visitor number to Knowsley and the surrounding areas for nearly two decades under the Crest Hotels Group and we are extremely thankful to them for their continued support. “The refurbishment really enhances the lounge and dining areas and it was my pleasure to officially re-open Knowsley Lounge & Inn. The venue is perfectly positioned and perfectly presented to deliver a warm welcome to guests and I for one, certainly look forward to holding more meetings at the hotel to showcase the facilities and its food and beverage offering too.”