UK: Richard Branson’s Virgin Hotels will open its first European property in the Scottish capital.
The hotel will be located in the landmark India Buildings at 1-6 Victoria Street in Edinburgh’s Old Town, close to the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle, and is expected to open in 2020.
Speaking on Virgin’s website, Branson said: “My grandparents were from Edinburgh and my wife Joan is also Scottish, so the country has always held a special place in my heart. It’s an important moment for Virgin Hotels as it’s the first property in Europe, and will hopefully be joined by more in the coming years. Virgin Hotels was launched to cause smart disruption within the hotel industry. For more than 40 years, Virgin has been in the business of challenging the status quo and creating products and services that greatly improve the state of play.”
“Virgin Hotels are putting the traveller at the heart of design and service. I travel frequently and know what I want wherever I am in the world – free wifi, no cancellation fees, and early check-in or late check-out without penalties. I want a comfy bed, space to work, a social space to relax, and superior service. Virgin Hotels deliver these things and so much more – but I don’t want to completely spoil the surprise,” he added.
Virgin Hotels opened its first hotel in Chicago in 2015 and has plans to open hotels in New Orleans, Silicon Valley and Palm Springs. Hotels in San Francisco, Nashville, Dallas and New York City are currently under construction, scheduled to open over the next two years. Virgin Hotels San Francisco will be the next one to open, in summer this year.
