The success of the reinvention of Belfast is largely due to urban regeneration projects. Of these, the most acclaimed is the Titanic Quarter, a waterfront development partially constructed on the old shipping yards of Harland and Wolff, the company that built the Titanic. Overlooking Belfast Harbour, the vision for the Titanic Quarter is to establish a centre for science, technology, and entrepreneurship. It will also become a cultural hub comprised of apartments, hotels, entertainment venues, restaurants, and tourist attractions. Numerous companies have invested in the area. The first hotel to commence business in the Titanic Quarter was the Titanic Quarter Premier Inn, and the Belfast Metropolitan College moved one of its main campuses to the area, closing several of its other campuses in the process.

Regeneration projects such as the Titanic Quarter have inspired the rest of the city to follow suit. Countless businesses have revamped their premises, especially restaurants, accommodations, and shopping centres. This has earned Belfast the prestige of having some of the trendiest hotels in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Glamorous red carpet events frequent the streets such as the MTV European Music Awards and the Belfast Festival, a celebration of the arts. The reopening of Victoria Square in city centre welcomed the inauguration of retailers new to Northern Ireland, including Urban Outfitters and All Saints. It also introduced to the public the largest House of Fraser in the United Kingdom.

Though the skyline of Belfast is transforming, longstanding attractions still enthuse visitors to the city, honouring its legacy. Victorian and Edwardian architecture is prevalent across Belfast, the finest example being City Hall. Designed by Alfred Brumwell Thomas and completed in 1906, the grounds of the iconic building house The Garden of Remembrance and Cenotaph, a war memorial. Likewise, the Grand Opera House and Queen’s University Belfast endorse the elaborate beauty of Victorian structures.

Belfast Castle is a stunning Scottish Baronial castle situated in Cave Hill Country Park. Finished in 1870, it replaced two castles of the same name that successively came to ruin in city centre. Just outside of Belfast in Cultra is the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. One of the largest tourist attractions in Ireland, it contains a series of reconstructed settlements that chronicle traditional Irish customs. In preparation for the centennial anniversary of the sailing of the Titanic, the museum has launched an exhibition dedicated to the ship and its passengers.

The healthy expansion of Belfast continues as contemporary elements are integrated alongside old institutions. The scars of the past are nearly invisible in this is fresh, cosmopolitan city where fashion and history mingle. With 2012 being the centenary of the Titanic disaster it is fitting that Belfast assuages some of that memory and the city deserves its place on lists of must-see destinations for this year.

Belfast also provides an excellent base from where to visit the rest of Northern Ireland where awaits gorgeous scenery of rolling hills and lochs, a forbidding and craggy coastline and timeless villages where the welcome is warm and the beer is cold.

It’s reasonable to assess that Belfast could soon outshine its southern competition to become the favourite destination in Ireland.

When asked, over 25% of the nation said that they firmly believe that there is a wrong place wake up in. The right and left sides of bed are defiantly proving to be a different experience. Over 75% of people say that they are so used to sleeping on the left or right that they would find it extremely weird to have to swap over to the other side to sleep and something that they didn’t think would be possible in the long term. It is something worth trying out though, especially for those that can never crack a smile, because over two thirds of people that rest on their left claim that they really are more calm and relaxed and it’s nothing to do with practising yoga or relaxation techniques.

Lefties seem to be able to have the ability to remain calmer than their partners in an argument and they are also placed in permanent jobs in the workplace that offer more stability.

A whopping 31 percent of those people that slept on the left liked their jobs and only 18% of the people that slept on the right side did. Although, it wasn’t very bad news in terms of payment, because those people that slept on the right seemed to be earning, on average, a lot more than their left sided counterparts. The research was made by Claire Hauigh the spokeswoman for the Premier Inn Hotel chainand she said that it very clearly indicated that there is a pattern with your mood and the side that you lay your head down to rest to at night.

People that sleep on the left of their beds also seem to be very happy and cheerful, they also seem to be a hell of a lot more positive and are able to stay happier than those that rest on the right side.

So if you seem to be feeling a little down and can’t shake the blues it might be time that you swap over to the other side of the bed and try to take a good night’s rest. Maybe you will be able to wake up more happy and positive. It is worth while remembering that those of you that are more money orientated should settle to being on the right side and get used to being grumpier because there’s  a fine line when it comes to earning cash and getting a good night’s sleep!Next time you check in at the Premier Inn Hotel perhaps you should try out the other side if you are a right sleeper.

Also: I wonder what side of the bed the ‘Director of Bed Bouncing‘ sleeps on?

The rooms are on sale for one week only, and you have to stay for two nights. The booking for the room has to be made before Friday the 27th of February. There are also rooms available for £29 a night if taken for just one night.

Search for your chosen hotel here

A typical day at work can see Natalie bouncing up and down on beds at various Premier Inns for up to eight hours a day! She travels around testing over 46,000 beds every six months to make sure that hotel guests get a good night sleep. Because of her job role, Natalie has to make sure that she takes extreme care of her backside and puts special moisturising cream. She also needs to make sure that she doesn’t wear heavy material that can help to take out the sensation of bed bouncing from her backside. The hotel are so happy with the work that their director of bed bouncing is doing, that they have decided to insure her bottomfor 4 million GBP. Not as much as JLO, was was reported as having insured her rear for a whopping 18 million. Although, it’s pretty good going for a Natalie who’s bosses are obviously very happy with her work.

Two thirds of British people say that they have had a bad night’s sleep because they have suffered with a mattress that is uncomfortable and a whopping 63% have complained of suffering back or neck pain at the hands of a bad mattress. It was this research that made the hotel chain to decide they needed to employ Natalie as the Director of bed bouncing so that they can have all 602 hotels around the country checked out for comfortable beds. 62% of Brits said that they would like the hotel to have someone to go around and check out the comfort of the beds regularly in order to ensure that they are comfortable.

Natalie says that she is thrilled by the decision of the hotel and she loves her job. She works closely with a team of bed bouncers and she said they have a great deal of fun , but also makes sure to take it very seriously to ensure that all guests at the Premier Inn  Hotel get a great nights rest.

The hotel will give Natalie a 2 week break from bouncing on her behind and have purchased her a special support chair so that she can sit in comfort when she has her break.  Perhaps the saying sitting on your backside has been interpreted to a whole new meaning now – and bouncing on your backside would be more appropriate to Natalie! The Premier Inn Chain takes their bed comfort very seriously and wants to ensure that all guests get a good night’s sleep. If not 100% happy with a nights sleep, the brand offer a full refund.

Your bed is supposed to be a sanctuary, and one of the only places that you can escape from stress. It is now clear that many Brits dream about work, on a regular basis, which is quite worrying and unhealthy for the mind.

The problem seems to be long office hours, late nights with work worries and more disturbingly people that bring their work home from the office. The Premier Inn Hotel has worked with someone to interpret dreams and they have made the dream dictionary available on their Facebook page.  A lot of people have dreams that just don’t make sense and they want to interpret them to see why they reoccur or just what they mean. Well now you will be able to do this.

The research that was conducted to determine that Brits dreamed mostly about their work issues showed that one in three closed their eyes and dreamt about the office. Some poor people took their ‘nightmare’ colleagues to their dreams with them. Especially if they encountered problems with the colleague earlier on at the office then the likelihood of re meeting them in the land of nod was pretty high. Most of us want to forget about our bosses, but that wasn’t something that 20% of poor Brits were able to get around because that many of them took their boss to their dreams with them.

The Premier Inn Hotel chain asked over 2000 of the British public about their dream patterns and found that 20% of Brits dreamt about work if they were under pressure. An amazing 50% dreamt about their work colleagues as opposed to celebrities and other fantasy dreams.

The survey conducted found that 12% of people didn’t dream at all, perhaps they are the lucky ones among society. 52% of people get amazingly confused by their dreams and would love to know what they mean. Dreams that leave you puzzled or wondering if there is a meaning are perhaps the worst because no one likes to be left in the dark about things. Sixty percent of people that were questioned about their dreams expressed that they would love to know what their dreams meant and that is why the Premier Inn hotel decided to open up the dream dictionary on their Facebook page, so the next time you are faced with a dream that doesn’t make sense, simply check out the dictionary.

And as for the office dreams, it just goes to show that you should really choose your profession carefully because no matter where you go or how much you try to escape it you really cannot.

What do you dream about? Do you have a regular dream?

So, any gifts that were left behind and don’t have an owner will be listed on Facebook. It’s a fantastic service for those that drank and got a little bit too merry, perhaps mislaying their Christmas gifts.  A good service, but also a dangerous one seeing how hotels seem to bring out the kinky side in people, especially in couples that choose to stop over there for a season of romance! It could actually turn out to be very embarrassing to be called up and have someone tell you, “Excuse me madam, but are these your fluffy handcuffs?”.

The hotel staff are wise, and have decided to eliminate embarrassment by leaving it up to you to claim your missing pressies and they have made the service very simple. If you have left one of your not so embarrassing Christmas gifts behind at a Premier Inn Hotel then all you have to do is go to their Facebook page and comment on there with your missing gift item, and the hotel where you lost the gift.

The staff at Premier Inn will be responding to all messages between the 4^th of Jan, until the 17^th of Jan 2012. Former guests that have lost items will also need to get in direct contact with the Premier Inns customer call service centre, where staff will be on hand to help out. You should be aware that all guests that have lost items will have to provide proof that the item is theirs so it’s a better idea to have hunt for your receipts.

Just a few of the gifts that have winded their way back to guests – or have been listed on Facebook are;

A set of five one direction dolls and someone’s travel tickets for the Eurostar are just a few of the gifts that have been left behind by guests in the hotel over the festive season! Other gifts that have turned up are listed below;

• A set of three ties with reindeer prints at the Cardiff North hotel
• A brand new iPhone 4S at the central Manchester Premier Inn.
• DVD box sets found at the Stratford Premier Inn
• A Cliff Richard Calendar for the year 2012 !

Although the hotel are doing their very best to get your lost items back to you – if you have lost something and can’t find it then you will be better off claiming on your personal insurance for the item. That way you will be able to guarantee that you get back your well spent cash. Perhaps the lesson of the story is drink and be merry – but keep your Christmas presents at home under the tree!

And if that is not enough to tickle your fancy, then the hotel is only a five minute walk away from the popular Angel underground station and it is right on the door step of the N1 shopping centre, a fantastic shopping hot spot in the capital. Not forgetting the Sutton House, Jewel Tower, Marble Hill House, Apsley House, Eitham Palace, Osterley Park, Roman Bath Stoll, Moss theatres, The Duke of York’s Theatre, The Croydon Theatre Organisation, Kenwood House, The Malting Art Theatre, Gielgud Theatre, Brockley Jack Theatre, Chipsaway, and the Roman Baths. So if you are planning some sightseeing in the capital then one thing’s for certain is that you will be on the doorstep of some fantastic locations.

If you are planning a trip to London soon then you really should consider a stopover at the Premier Inn Islington hotel. Not only is the hotel close to some great venues in the London area the Premier Inn group have also made sure to ensure that their guests feel at home when renting a room inside any of their venues. The beds that are inside the hotel are very comfortable and made to ensure that you get a good night’s rest.

The hotel also has an onsite restaurant which offers up an array of both contemporary and traditional dishes. The hotel also has a bar giving guests the chance to drink and get merry without having to venture far away from their bed. Taxis will drive up to the hotel doors to take you around for sightseeing and there is a local bus, and train service that’s close by.

It’s one of over 520 hotels in the Whitbread chain offering up discounted rooms for rent. Each room inside the hotel is equipped with internet access, Sky TV, and a bathroom that’s en-suite. If that is not enough to convince you that the hotel makes a perfect place to stay over then you will be amazed to hear that the Whitbread hotel offers a peaceful night’s sleep , or your money back guaranteed ! So if you don’t rest well – you won’t pay a pound. You really do not have a thing to lose when choosing to use one of the Premier Inn hotels. Prices start from just 59 GBP in the Islington branch. It’s a stopover well worth considering.

More sites that the hotel is close by to Islington Premier Inn are;

• The London Eye – Just 3 miles away
• Madame Tussauds – Only 2.7 miles away
• The world renowned Houses of Parliament – just 2.5 miles away
• The British Museum – 1.9 miles away
• Covent Garden – 2 miles away

For more information on the new hotel you can contact – 0871- 527-8558

The new hotel opened up on the 5^th of December 2011 and it’s located on Vicar Lane, where Yorkshire Water offices used to hold their business dealings. The owners of the Premier Inn chain of hotels, Whitbread are confident that the venture was a step into the right direction and will make a fantastic site because it’s situated directly in front of the Westfield Broadway shopping centre. Making it an excellent destination to stay for shoppers that wish to travel to Bradford.

The manager Mr. Simon Docherty aged 36 moved to Bradford after thirteen years of experience in the catering industry where he managed restaurants and events in Sheffield.

He is enthusiastic about having had the chance to open up the hotel and is happy at the thought of being given the job of manager in charge of the hotel. One great thing that the hotel chain think will work in their best interests is the fact that the economical situation in the UK isn’t at its best at the moment – and it will work well with more and more travelers looking for budget accommodation. Something that can be found at the Bradford Premier Inn Hotel.

Because the hotel used to be an office block, it offers guests a fantastic selection in rooms that are well air conditioned. The prices start at just a 52 GPB per night. If you are a repeat customer and want to save time, the hotel chains owners the Whitbread group has introduced air port styled self check in kiosks that can make your life a whole lot easier and they will be one of the first hotels in the chain to have done so.

The manager, Mr. Simon Docherty held a local event on the 7^th of December for 70 local businesses in the Bradford area in an aim to promote the new hotel to its potential new clientele. The Morrison’s supermarket, which has over 470 stores around the UK, is already a loyal customer of the hotel chain and they are already based in Bradford.

The new staff that have been taken on at the hotel have been trained prior to the opening and they are ready to serve the customers. The manager mentioned that they were keen to employ those that were unemployed and local residents inside the Bradford area to help train them and give them better opportunities. The staff that will serve in the hotel are aged between 18 and 50, like the clients that stop over there.

In order to sift through the selection process the hotel worked with the nearby job centre and Bradford College that helped them to set up a successful interview and training exercise that lasted for a 2 week period. Something that he seems keen doing again in the future should there be the need to employ any more staff in the newly opened hotel.

[Image courtesy of GMI]

Back in 2010, the owners of the Premier Inn Hotel chain, Whitbread – made a very important commitment to make sure that they reduced the amount of carbon emissions that their businesses used, by a whopping 26% by the year 2020. This was to do with their 2009 baseline. They plan to be number one in the UK’s hospitality niche to introduce a lower carbon way of operating.

They have announced that three major changes have taken place when the hotel chain introduced a program to reduce CO2 emissions. Premier Inn will maintain these changes when all of their 46,000 bedrooms are operating under the guidelines.

The changes include;
A) Making sure that an excellent sustainably rating was given to their Burgess Hill branch that has a beefeater grill house. This award was handed out by the BRE- Short for Building Research Establishment. The branch in Burgess Hill only opened up a year ago and has amazing technology that is now being implemented across their portfolio. This branch of hotel is the second green hotel opened by the chain.

b) The hotel chain have quantified the footprint of the Premier Inn bed and have now managed to make sure that all future beds that are inside their hotels will have very low emissions when produced.

c) The company have also just ranked as one of the UK’s best for taking responsibility and getting a certificate from the carbon trust standard. Only 80 companies in the UK managed to do this.

The head of business responsibilities, Claire Hornsby, said that the hotel chain is looking for new ways to reduce the impact that their business has on the environment and that they hope to make a positive change. Just by reducing emissions it saves the hotel chain money, and it also makes them more of a threat to competitors. It helps to bring them out above rivals. They plan on continuing to do so and are extremely serious and committed with reaching their target of carbon reduction rates.

With a little help from the carbon trust, the hotel found out that their carbon foot print could be reduced even more by working with Hypnos, a quality bed manufacturer, to bring down the number of carbon emissions that each bed sends off to the environment when in the manufacturing process.

The company are extremely committed to making sure that they reach their goal and will continue to carry out checks that will help them to strive and bring down their footprint more. So, if you are looking for a hotel with a difference and don’t want to carry the guilt of having a large carbon footprint for the night. Simply book in at the Premier Inn where you can be sure that you will have a comfortable stay with the UK’s greenest chain of hotels.

Premier Inn have been quick to snap up a site at the Innovation Quarter at the beginning of the areas major regeneration and development work thus giving them a chance to get in early with the companies being attracted to the area.

Barry has been undergoing resurgence over the last few years developing its housing, shops and industry along the old dock and port areas. The regeneration of the Innovation Quarter is joined by a recently passed waterfront shopping and housing development valued at £230 million; all of which should see an increase in both leisure and business visitors to the area.

Barry’s History – Potted
Barry developed as a port in 1880 thanks to the coal industry and soon outgrew the city of Cardiff’s coal port; the opening of the Barry Railway Company, which transported coal from the South Wales coal mines, ensured its success. It became a thriving port and in 1913 became the largest coal exporter in the world.

Barry Island also benefited from the new railway line growing into one of South Wales’s largest holiday resorts famed for its funfair and Butlin’s camp; the funfair still survives today but the camp has long gone. Also the train marshalling yards became famous as the storage depot for old steam trains when diesel and electric took over the countries tracks. The scrap yard, run by Woodham Brothers, became responsible for helping to preserve over two hundred of these extraordinary engines.

The docks area is no longer the busy shipping area it once was and most of Barry’s employment comes from industry.

Barry’s Location
Barry sits on the south-east coast of Wales and is very close to the city of Cardiff, Cardiff (Wales) airport and the M4 motorway. It has major road and rail links and the new Premier Inn is situated not far from Barry Railway station. It has always been a very popular seaside resort attracting visitors from all over.

What’s Occurring
Anyone who likes their comedy will have heard of the modern day classic serious ‘Gavin and Stacey’; well the Welsh side of this Anglo-Welsh love story is based in Barry. Tours of all the favourite ‘Gavin and Stacey’ locations are available if you are an avid fan.

Barry with its vast dock area has a Tall Ship’s Festival in September; it gives you the opportunity to board and look around these magnificent ocean going ships. The festival also includes a fairground, craft and food stalls, bars and live music; oh and do not worry those pirates are there for your amusement not to haul you off to sea.

With the commitment shown by the Vale of Glamorgan Borough and Barry Town Councils for regeneration Barry has the chance to recapture its former glory over the next few years. With this 80 bedroom development right in the centre of Barry, Premier Inn has put itself into prime position with their new hotel; it is also the first hotel to be built in Barry for twenty years.

So keep a look out in 2012 for a Premier Inn hotel in Barry!