Lotus Property acquired The Well, the former HMRC office accommodation in 2020. Planning approval was granted earlier this year to re-purpose the 40,000 sq ft building.
Following negotiations, Lotus Property has confirmed that Sonder Hospitality UK Ltd, which is a subsidiary of the American headquartered hospitality company Sonder Holdings Inc, will operate The Well as a guest and self-catering accommodation with 113 bedrooms.
Construction works will commence in early 2024 with a view to launch the development in 2025.
Alastair Coulson, Managing Director at Lotus Property said: "This is an exciting venture for us. The Well is in a prime location on Belfast’s Wellington Place and we believe Sonder’s award-winning design credentials and reputation will complement the city's already thriving hotel sector. It is a perfect time for further investment and development in Belfast's accommodation offering to support tourism growth and ensure we’re remaining competitive against other cities in our bid to attract national and international visitors.
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"The Well is unique given its prime city centre location and the abundance of natural daylight, essential for any sort of living conversion. We have worked closely with our partners at Sonder and our design team to create a product that will further enhance the Belfast offering in this emerging sector."
Sonder is revolutionizing hospitality by providing an experience with innovative, tech-enabled and carefully designed accommodation. The company encourages guests to make use of the Sonder app, which allows them to have full control over their stay with self-service features, simple check-in and 24/7 ground support, amenities and services.
Alix McAlinden, Sonder's Director of Real Estate stated: "We're excited to continue expanding our presence in EMEA in a vibrant new location with a well established landlord partner. Belfast is fast becoming a globally recognised destination for food, culture, commerce, shopping and the arts and is a perfect market for Sonder to continue redefining the guest experience through technology and design."
Alongside the aparthotel, The Well redevelopment will also include a 3,100 sq ft unit on the ground floor. The unit that is currently on the property market with property agent Finch, will appeal to local and international food and beverage operators.
