In our series of suggestions for an away day this Easter holiday and into the summer, try Sweeney Rooms and Apartments as a base for visiting the two country parks which are nearby – Strathclyde Country Park for outdoor enthusiasts and Clyde Valley Family Park with its many attractions.
Property developers Stephen & Martin Sweeney say they have a healthy reservations book at the former hotel which they invested £400,000 in refurbishing the property on Hamilton Road and it now offers nine, luxury self catering rooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, kitchen areas, superfast wifi, and desk space.
The new venture was launched in 2020 by the two brothers just as hospitality re-opened after the first lockdown.
“We are really proud of what we have created at Sweeney Rooms & Apartments,” said Stephen Sweeney. “What was a hotel that was once the beating heart of Lanarkshire is now vibrant once again, attracting business bookings and staycationers from all to a contemporary and sophisticated place to stay. The development enjoys a fantastic location less than two minutes from the motorway, with Scotland’s largest theme park on our doorstep, not to mention a huge country park. Launching in the teeth of a pandemic which was crippling travel was not ideal, but we decided to open the doors as soon as construction was complete, and are reaping the benefits now, with a very strong occupancy rate for the summer season and beyond.
“Business travel has bounced. This is the main market we are targeting with our in-room kitchen facilities, super comfy beds, fibre optic wifi, desk provision and contemporary interior design. It’s a real home from home offering for those needing long term accommodation. If you are coming to stay for a meeting, Sweeney Rooms is the ideal place at which to stay, with more privacy than a hotel.”
As the hospitality and tourism sectors recovers, Stephen and Martin are being helped by two specialist agencies within The Fusion Group of Companies, which works with hospitality businesses of all sizes. Its Accommodation Services Trading Company is running the reservations department for Sweeney Rooms, whilst its specialist commercial property agency, Drysdale & Company, is actively seeking suitable development properties and land that may be coming to market.
Along with reservations support, Accommodation Services offers other specialist services for hospitality owners and investors which are designed to maximise their revenue streams. These include Corporate Restructuring support, together with the more practical services of property maintenance & landscaping, property protection & security, and utilities and hospitality procurement.
Martin explained that with the help of Drysdale & Company, he and his brother were keen to widen both their residential and commercial property portfolios, creating a trail of staycationing destinations.
“A Sweeney Room aparthotel in Aviemore is coming next from us, we are very excited to take our brand further north to a tourism hotspot. We aim to roll out this strong concept aggressively over the next five years to establish a network of aparthotels. It’s all about finding the right locations.
“Stuart Drysdale and his huge network of contacts helps developers such as us stay one step ahead of the market. They understand the type of properties we are seeking, and, especially at the moment, are in touch with hospitality owners who are now looking to sell or restructure due to the pandemic.”
Stuart Drysdale said: “For us, it’s clearly not just about handling property sales. We are providing badly needed assistance – and fresh, realistic options- to the hospitality sector, at what is the most anxious and stressful time it has ever faced. Connecting hospitality owners to developers like the Sweeneys can also present fresh opportunities for everyone.
“We’re building a strong working relationship with Stephen and Martin at Sweeney Group, one that we are confident will continue to flourish.”
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