Titanic Hotel Belfast is celebrating its fifth birthday this month with a quarter of the hotel’s original staff.
Named Northern Ireland’s leading hotel at the World Travel Awards every year since opening its doors in 2017, the longest serving staff member Adrian McNally said he was proud of what the hotel has achieved.
Adrian, the General Manager, said: “We have achieved incredible success despite the challenges the hospitality industry has faced in recent years. I am extremely proud of the team in delivering outstanding customer service and for working tirelessly to live up to Titanic Hotel Belfast’s leading hotel status every day.
“The fact that we have managed to retain 25% of the original workforce during some of the most challenging times for our industry in our lifetime is testament to the privilege of being part of the team at Titanic Hotel Belfast.
Some of the original staff at Titanic Hotel Belfast who have been with the hotel since it opened in 2017
“I would also like to thank Harcourt Developments for their commitment to Titanic Hotel Belfast and for continuing to invest in our accommodation and public spaces, enabling us to provide visitors with an unique experience when visiting Titanic Quarter.”
There have been more than 174,000 guests waking up to a Titanic breakfast in the past five years and over 3,200 weddings and events hosted in the private heritage spaces including the Drawing Office where many of the world’s most famous ocean liners including RMS Titanic were designed.
The Titanic staff strike a pose in the historic Presentation Room
Over 82,000 guests have attended events and weddings, while thousands more have enjoyed the hotel’s food and beverage outlets every month.
The concierge team has hosted more than 3,500 Heritage Tours giving visitors a flavour of the history of this hotel which includes Thomas Andrews original private office, the decadent Presentation Room, where Lord Pirrie showcased Harland & Wolff’s latest designs for transatlantic passenger liner, and Charles Payne’s office, managing director of Harland & Wolff during Titanic’s launch.
Head Concierge William McIlroy, Titanic Hotel Belfast
Even with three lockdowns during the first five years of trading, revenue at the hotel has increased year on year, and the hotel is now operating with revenue 19% above pre-pandemic levels.
Adrian added: “We are all too aware that a hotel stay can be viewed as an indulgence and we are putting measures in place to save on energy consumption and food waste to keep costs down. This will enable us to continue to compete in the marketplace with a focus and commitment to offer our guests an unforgettable experience at Titanic Hotel Belfast.”
Head Chef Nigel Mannion, Titanic Hotel Belfast
John Paul Doherty, creative director at Harcourt Developments, explained: “This historic and architecturally unique building was once the nerve centre of the largest shipyard in the world.
“The combined efforts of Harcourt Developments and the team at Titanic Hotel Belfast have created a unique hospitality experience – giving guests the chance to stay in one of the most historically important buildings in Northern Ireland.
“The success of Titanic Hotel Belfast is due in multiple parts, not least from the wonderful service guests enjoy but also due to the curation of artworks and artefacts which are exhibited throughout the hotel. This includes the most recent addition in the Drawing Office Bar, an original clock from SS Carpathia, the first ship to reach Titanic.”
Harcourt’s Creative Director John Paul Doherty