Westcombe Group, a prominent Asian-owned property developer in the UK, has today opened its £13 million Hampton by Hilton Hotel in Old Street. Situated in the vibrant heart of Shoreditch, East London, this project was carried out in collaboration between Hilton and Acre Hotels, Westcombe Group's hospitality arm.
Westcombe Group expanded its expertise in the hospitality sector during the construction of the hotel, collaborating with Hampton by Hilton for the first time. As a distinguished commercial developer, Westcombe has established successful franchise relationships with various leading hotel brands.
The completion of today marks the culmination of years of construction, a process that presented unique challenges for the Group's expert construction teams. The project involved an unconventional double basement design, with excavations reaching depths of 5m and 10m. This intricate task demanded innovative problem-solving to ensure an abundance of natural light reached the basements, which house meeting rooms, a gym, guest rooms, and other cutting-edge facilities.
The Group also adapted innovative secant piling, overlapping layers of material to ensure maximum water tightness and prevent leaks in the basement.
In keeping with the Westcombe Group’s commitment to heritage and its experience with listed buildings, the development was completed while paying close attention to the needs of the surrounding area and its residents.
As well as ensuring that the design did not detract from the character of the area, the Group undertook regular vibration and data level monitoring to ensure that the hotel, located in the Underwood conservation area, did not disturb existing buildings or nearby Northern Line tunnels.
Environmental concerns were at the heart of the build, which uses harvested rainwater in its systems and has a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’, attesting to the high standard of sustainable construction overseen by the Group during the hotel’s development and its operation.
Kamal Pankhania, CEO of Westcombe Group said: “I’m proud to see the hotel open and taking in guests to enjoy our hard work. As with any large-scale build in central London, it is not without its challenges, but we’re experts in dealing with sites like Old Street, and I want to thank all of our team who have made it a success. We are confident that the hotel will serve its customers and the local community well. We’re delighted to have worked with as established a brand as Hampton by Hilton, and look forward to building more hotels with them in the future.”
Graham Dodd, managing director, development, UK & Ireland at Hilton, said, “We are delighted to partner with Westcombe Group on their first Hilton-branded hotel development, delivering a high-quality London hotel in this fantastic location. We very much look forward to welcoming our first guests to the hotel.”
