Luxury Midlands hotel toasts major refurb with new senior hire

A Coventry four-star hotel has strengthened its senior team following the completion of the third phase of a multi-million-pound refurbishment. Oliver Shears has joined the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at Coventry Building Society Arena as its new head of Sales. He joins after building hotel sales experience across the Midlands and in London, including as a sales manager at DoubleTree by Hilton London Excel and London Islington. The 24-year-old, who lives in Rugby, has joined the on-site hotel at Coventry Building Society Arena as it carries out a major refurbishment project to modernise and enhance the hotel’s experience for guests. The project has just seen completion of the third phase, which includes the refurbishment of 46 rooms, including three deluxe family suites. The suites include a dedicated study desk and separate make-up area and a sofa bed to accommodate additional guests. Phase three has also seen the introduction of nine deluxe queen rooms; a new category in the hotel’s inventory which offers “spacious” layouts and full-length windows to allow for natural light and view. The bedrooms include 65” LED TV screens in large rooms and suites, and 55” LED TV screens in the other rooms, with guests able to watch live sports from the comfort of their room. Each room features new beds, furniture, lighting, curtains and flooring, with design features and artwork showcasing Coventry and the heritage of Coventry Building Society Arena as a leading venue for sport, business events and live entertainment. When completed, the hotel will have expanded its offer from seven to 13 room categories, including pitch view rooms, family rooms and more suites – with premium rooms including an in-room fitness suite. It will include a new hotel lobby, extended lounge and enhanced offer at Faradays, the hotel’s restaurant. Oliver said: “There couldn’t be a more exciting time to be joining the team as the hotel looks ahead to a period of significant growth following the refurbishment. We have a brilliant guest offer here, whether that is for business, entertainment or sport, with amenities including a casino, restaurants, pitch view rooms and the premium experience you expect from the Hilton brand. “The corporate segment of the business has great space to grow and the challenge for every stadium hotel is building a business pipeline that isn’t reliant on the event calendar. Our sales operation is integrated with the Arena’s event sales team and that means we can offer a smoother end-to-end service for clients. I have joined the hotel at the perfect time and I’m excited to get started.” Raj Balsaraf, general manager at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at Coventry Building Society Arena, added: “It’s great to have Oliver on board, and his experience working with the Hilton brand will be important as we continue to grow the hotel and deliver high quality experiences for our guests. “We have now completed more than 40 rooms in the refurbishment project and they are a real step change for the hotel. These additions reinforce the hotel’s commitment to providing enhanced luxury, comfort and modern functionality for all guests.”