Construction work has officially commenced on Staycity Group’s first aparthotel in Northern Ireland, marking a major milestone for the 98-key development in the heart of Belfast city centre, which is scheduled to open for business in May 2027.
Northern Irish leading developer, Lotus Property is transforming the former Beaufort House office building, located on Wellington Place, into a nine-storey aparthotel. This move into Northern Ireland will also see the Dublin-headquartered hospitality company launch its first and new concept Staycity design, adding to its 36-aparthotel portfolio.
Once complete, the new accommodation will offer a mix of studio and one-bedroom apartments, alongside guest amenities including a gym, reception, bar, restaurant and retail offering. Set to become the blueprint for a refreshed Staycity brand the aparthotel will combine contemporary design, flexible living space and hotel-style services tailored to modern business and leisure travellers.
With statistics showing a steady increasing trend in overnight stay demand and visitors more often opting to stay longer and plan their trips around major events and experiences, Staycity aparthotel is well located to capitalise on this increased demand.
Killowen Contracts has been appointed to carry out the construction work, and the project has been backed by Danske Bank, which provided funding to Lotus Property to support the transformation of the landmark city centre building.
Alastair Coulson, Managing Director at Lotus Property, said: “We’re delighted to see work underway on this important city centre development, which reflects strong confidence in Belfast’s continued growth. Partnering with Staycity on the launch of its new brand concept makes this an especially exciting project, bringing a high quality aparthotel offering to the city and revitalising the city centre streetscape.”
Andrew Folwer, UK Development Director at Staycity Group, said: “Being on site in Belfast is another significant milestone for Staycity as we not only make our first move into Northern Ireland but also gear up to bring our fresh new brand concept to life. Belfast city continues to thrive with local and international visitors and major events in the pipeline.”
Paul Herbison, Corporate Manager at Danske Bank, said: “This development reflects the strong momentum we continue to see across Belfast’s commercial and visitor economy. We are pleased to back Lotus Property with funding for this aparthotel, which combines a strong operator, a prime location and a clear long-term vision for growth whilst also supporting local construction, tourism and hospitality jobs. We’re looking forward to seeing the building open for guests in 2027.”
Brian McGovern at Killowen Contracts, said: “It has been fantastic to begin construction works on this landmark project in the centre of Belfast. We look forward to working closely with Lotus Property and Staycity on this active repurpose to deliver a high-quality aparthotel ready to welcome guests in 2027.”
