Cardiff Bay

CHI Hotels & Resorts (CHI), together with Wyndham International Hotels and Bayscape Ltd, a development company based in Cardiff, Wales, have announced the signing of a 25-year hotel management agreement for the new ‘Wyndham Cardiff’ - a £60 million upscale hotel project that will be built on the waterfront of Cardiff Bay. The hotel location is on the prestigious site of the International Sports Village and overlooks the newly completed, 350 berth Cardiff Marina.

CHI Hotels & Resorts will be giving its technical assistance and advice in the planning and design of the ‘Wyndham Cardiff’ and will take on the full management of the hotel on completion.

“Both CHI and Wyndham are delighted to be involved in this very exciting new project. CHI’s already excellent management reputation and standing in Europe, coupled with the worldwide brand recognition enjoyed by Wyndham, will no doubt prove to be of immense benefit to this wonderful property. We are also honoured to be contributing to Cardiff’s master plan for the International Sports Village and are confident that the hotel will be a resounding success", stated Paul Pisani, CHI Hotels & Resorts vice president of development.

The 200-room hotel will be in the form of an iconic 127m tower, making it the tallest building in Wales and the tallest hotel tower in the UK. In addition to the 200 rooms, CHI will manage 35 exclusive serviced apartments on the top floors of the tower. The hotel will include a signature bar and restaurant on the 24th and 25th floor, providing panoramic views of the Bay and the City. It will also offer a state of the art Spa, conference facilities, meeting rooms, two restaurants and three bars that include a health bar and a cafe.

The development includes 100 fashionable residential units that are aimed exclusively at the owner occupier, demonstrably different to anything that can currently be found in Cardiff Bay. The plans show a vibrant public realm, providing space at ground level for community shops, offices and businesses, many of which will overlook the marina and the adjacent international white water centre (IWWC) that opens this week. The project will connect with the Pont y Werin footbridge and link with the 10.5km circuit of the bay edge walkway.

The 200-room upscale hotel integrates with the council backed master plan for the International Sports Village turning the once derelict area into an exciting mix of world class sporting facilities, hotels, residential accommodation, offices, bars, restaurants and shops.

Development of the planned project will be in the hands of Bayscape Ltd, a privately owned development company led by Christopher Odling-Smee and Drew McDonald.

“The people of Cardiff are rightly proud of their city; it’s a dynamic, vibrant place with a real buzz about it. We are thrilled to be bringing a CHI operated Wyndham hotel to the city and can’t wait to bring this iconic building to life”, stated Drew McDonald, director of Bayscape Ltd.

Construction work on the ‘Wyndham Cardiff’ is scheduled to commence towards the end of 2012, with the hotel set to open its doors approximately two years later. VINCI PLC the world’s leading concession and construction group will partner with Bayscape on the scheme.