The Hilton
Stoke on Trent
Hilton Hotels and Resorts is an internationally recognised brand with over 500 hotels in cities across the world.
The objectives
As part of the new Smithfield development that was earmarked for Stoke on Trent, LiDR was thrilled to be a part of the new 140 bed Hilton Garden Inn, working alongside developers Genr8, construction partners Wilmott Dixon and interior designer ICA.
The £20m project was the first Hilton hotel to be built in the city, so local features and history were integrated throughout, with many references to the city’s expertise in ceramics and connection to the Spitfire.
In the early stages of the project, LiDR worked alongside the interior designers and Hilton to develop guestroom furniture which was in line with the new Hilton brand guidelines. This meant incorporating features such as metal mesh side panels to the wardrobes, including leather detailing on handles and wardrobe rails while keeping the clean, modern style associated with Hilton Garden Inns.
The process
Understanding the standards set by the Hilton brand were key to the design and manufacture of the furniture for each room. The more traditional hotel room desk unit was substituted for a contemporary sideboard, giving a more homely feel. This unit was to incorporate a minibar fridge and a safe, as well as an integrated power socket on the side for guests to use.
We included a decorative rail with the aim to not only bring some greenery to the space, but also to provide space for the hotel to include magazines, menus and other relevant literature.
Bedrooms
The 140 rooms in the hotel were a mix of king, queen, twin and accessible rooms, each being a little different. The queen rooms include a sofabed, to enable them to be utilised as family rooms.
Bathrooms
We also manufactured and installed the vanity units in the accessible bathroom areas, featuring matching styles of those provided elsewhere that were no longer available. The vanity unit has a removable front panel to allow access for maintenance purposes and a solid surface top for a durable and easy to clean surface.
Meeting rooms
These were furnished with bespoke fitted credenzas for storage and hospitality use, with flip top, mobile tables to create a flexible meeting space.
The bar and restaurant
The bar and restaurant area features a dramatic bar which was manufactured and installed by LiDR.
We worked in close partnership with the catering equipment supplier, as well as with the end user to ensure that the bar was not only visually stunning but operationally first rate.
The restaurant can seat 74 people, and all loose, fixed and feature furniture pieces were manufactured and supplied by LiDR.
The welcome area features a bespoke wall assembly incorporating a tiled mural, a TV screen and display space for decorative accessories. The high table offers a drop in workspace with access to power sockets for laptops and phones to be plugged in.
Soft furnishings were used to create an inviting and comfortable space for guests.
The result
From start to finish we took on board all of the necessary requirements of the Hilton Garden Inn and worked to the brief and alongside our partners in construction and interior design.
Project gallery
What the Hilton Garden Inn says…
“I can whole heartedly say that ever since I joined the pre-opening project for the new Hilton Garden Inn in Stoke-on-Trent right through to the service levels after installation the entire team at LiDR Contract Furniture have been exceptional. They have consistently exceeded my expectations in terms of how easy it has been to work with them. Ultimately they were 100% committed to ensure that all the furniture supplied met our exact requirements both in terms of functionality and quality and they smashed it!”