Merchant Named UK's Best Hotel

A hotel in Northern Ireland has been named the UK’s best hotel during the International Hotel Awards.

The Merchant Hotel, in Belfast, was honoured with the award during a ceremony held in London last night.

Tourism Minister Arlene Foster said: "Northern Ireland's reputation for a first class hospitality offering continues to be enhanced, not least by the Merchant Hotel’s success.

"Last night was a great evening for Northern Ireland. While the Merchant was being named the UK’s Best Hotel in London, I was also in the city to officially launch NI 2012 ‘Your Time, Our Place’, a memorable programme of events that celebrates everything Northern Ireland has to offer as a place to live, work and visit.

"We have a real opportunity to spread the word that Northern Ireland is a truly remarkable tourist destination and this international recognition for Belfast’s Merchant Hotel is a further boost to those efforts."

NI Tourism Looking Good?

This news comes at time when two top travel guides have recommended Northern Ireland to tourists.

Fodor’s Ireland 2012, a well-known and established travel guide, has dedicated several pages to Titanic Belfast, the world’s largest exhibition, which is set to open 31 March. They have also named Belfast as one of the top 21 places in the world to visit in 2012.

Describing the Titanic Belfast as a ‘top attraction’, the book features a six page colour photograph ‘spotlight special’ on the Titanic, covering its history and the special centennial events set to take place.

Meanwhile recently another travel guide said that Belfast has become a "hip and hedonistic party town".

Lonely Planet author told UTV that people are now coming to expect more from the city and that Belfast is stepping up to the plate.

In the same report Lonely Planet has said they have been pointing tourists in the direction of must-see locations north and south of the border, with Belfast and Londonderry joining cities like Dublin and Limerick as thriving destinations.

(LB/GK)