Dakota Hotels Explained

Dakota Hotels
Type:Private
Key People:Ken McCulloch
Industry:Hotel, Hospitality, Restaurant
Owner:Evans Property Group
Homepage:dakotahotels.co.uk
Foundation:2006
Locations:5 (Edinburgh, Eurocentral, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester)

Dakota Hotels is a UK-based hotel brand with five locations, each with a brasserie-style Grill and cocktail Bars. Dakota Hotels first opened two boutique hotels near Edinburgh Airport in South Queensferry, and in Eurocentral, Motherwell South East of Glasgow. The brand has now expanded into Central Glasgow, Leeds, and Manchester. The brand was founded by Ken McCulloch and is owned by Evans Property Group.[1]

History

The brand was named after the Douglas DC-3 aircraft introduced in 1936 for commercial air travel in the United States,[2] which was designated the Dakota in Royal Air Force service.

The press have reported celebrities as staying at Dakota Hotels including Hugh Jackman,[3] Arnold Schwarzenegger, Katy Perry, Liam Gallagher, Stereophonics, The Stone Roses,[4] Glenn Close,[5] Melanie Brown,[6] Noel Gallagher, Christian Slater,[7] Gary Lineker,[8] and Andy Murray.

Brand Expansion

Dakota Eurocentral was opened in 2006[9] as a new build in Motherwell, off the M8 motorway in Lanarkshire, followed subsequently by another new build in South Queensferry close to Edinburgh Airport by the Queensferry Crossing in 2007.[10] A third hotel and the first city centre location was opened on West Regent Street in Glasgow[11] in 2016[12] followed by a fourth on Greek street in Leeds in early 2017.[13]

The largest hotel is in Manchester city centre, near to Manchester Piccadilly railway station, with 137 bedrooms opened in May 2019.[14]

Founder

Dakota was created by Glasgow born hotelier Ken McCulloch.[15] Other hotels previously launched by McCulloch include One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow, the Malmaison brand, the Columbus Hotel Monaco, and the Aviator Hotel at Farnborough Airport.

Hotel interiors were designed by Amanda Rosa Interiors (Ken McCulloch's wife), who also designed the Malmaison brand and Columbus Hotel Monaco.

Educational partnerships

Dakota Hotels has established links with Queen Margaret University and Fife College to provide internships to hospitality students.[16] Dakota Hotels is part of the Mentor Scheme formed between the Manchester Hotelier’s Association (MHA) and Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU).[17]

The hotel has previously established awards for university students at Queen Margaret University, focusing on dissertations in hospitality.[18]

Dakota Hotels is a 2021 sponsor of HIT Scotland, a scholarship programme designed to support people working and studying in the hospitality industry in Scotland.[19]

Awards

Ken McCulloch was the 2018 winner of the "Very Special Achievement award" [32] at the Scottish Style Awards [33] and was the 1993 winner of The Caterer's Hotelier of the Year.[34]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Evans Property Group Portfolio . 2018-01-04 . www.evanspropertygroup.com .
  2. Web site: Dakota the Legendary Aircraft - Home Page . 2014-04-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140517045810/http://dakota-legendaryaircraft.com/ . 2014-05-17 . dead.
  3. Web site: Fitzpatrick. Katie. 2019-05-25. Hugh Jackman spotted leaving hotel after 'amazing' first live show in Manchester. 2021-07-27. Manchester Evening News. en.
  4. Web site: Stay where the celebrities stay in Leeds. 2018-07-02. 7SL. en-GB. 2019-01-04.
  5. Web site: Glenn Close Reveals Her Daughter Annie Starke Taught Her How to Be a Mother. 2018-08-12. Closer Weekly. en-US. 2019-01-04.
  6. Web site: Jackson. Daisy. 2019-06-23. Inside the new luxury Manchester penthouse suite where Hugh Jackman stays. 2021-07-27. Manchester Evening News. en.
  7. Web site: Restaurant review: Dakota Deluxe Bar & Grill, Leeds. www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk. en. 2019-01-04.
  8. Web site: Gary Lineker. live. 2021-07-27. Twitter. en-GB. https://web.archive.org/web/20200705131903/https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1279763632977514496 . 2020-07-05 .
  9. Web site: Travel: The Dakota Hotel, Glasgow . The Scotsman . 2014-06-02.
  10. Web site: Alexandra Topping . Hotel review: Dakota Forth Bridge, Edinburgh | Travel . The Guardian . 2014-06-02.
  11. Web site: Planning for new hotel, Glasgow . 3dreid.com . 2015-07-16.
  12. Web site: Dakota Deluxe Glasgow. Dakota Hotels. Dakota Hotels. 15 Mar 2016.
  13. Web site: Approval Confirmed for Luxury Leeds Hotel . insidermedia.com/ . 2015-07-16.
  14. Web site: Dakota - Manchester's Newest Luxury Hotel opening in May. 2018-12-06. Manchester’s Finest. en-GB. 2019-01-04.
  15. Web site: Honorary Graduates Queen Margaret University. www.qmu.ac.uk. 2019-01-04.
  16. Web site: Boutique hotel group recognises hospitality students with new support package . QMU . www.qmu.ac.uk . en-GB . 2016-03-15 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160315171425/http://www.qmu.ac.uk/marketing/press_releases/Boutique-hotel-group-recognises-hospitality-students-with-new-support-package.htm . 2016-03-15 .
  17. Web site: About Manchester. Hotel Mentorship Scheme Sees Newfound Success. live. About Manchester. https://web.archive.org/web/20201204185812/https://aboutmanchester.co.uk/hotel-mentorship-scheme-sees-newfound-success/ . 2020-12-04 .
  18. Web site: Dakota Hotels announces two new awards for university students . thecaterer.com/ . 2015-06-16 . 2015-07-16.
  19. Web site: HIT Scotland — About HIT. 2021-08-24. HIT Scotland. en-GB.
  20. Web site: Bourne. Dianne. 2021-05-22. The Manchester hotel named in the top 1% in the world. 2021-07-26. Manchester Evening News. en.
  21. Web site: 2021-05-19. Top 30 Best Places to Work in Hospitality.... 2021-07-26. The Caterer. en.
  22. Web site: Dakota Grill – Leeds - a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant. 2021-07-26. MICHELIN Guide. en-GB.
  23. Web site: 2020-09-24. The Best Places to Work in Hospitality 2020. 2021-07-26. The Caterer. en.
  24. Web site: 2018-03-07. GQ Food & Drink Awards 2018 shortlist. 2021-07-24. British GQ. en-GB.
  25. Web site: TripAdvisor reveals the top hotels in the UK. 2018-01-23. HELLO!. en. 2019-01-04.
  26. Web site: Seven of the best hotels in Leeds. 2018-09-18. The Independent. en. 2019-01-04.
  27. Web site: Dakota Deluxe Hotel named 'Best for Contemporary Design' in Leeds Traveleads. www.traveleads.co.uk. 2019-01-04.
  28. News: Chesshyre. Tom. The Cool Hotel Guide: Dakota, Queensferry, Scotland. . en. 2021-07-24. 0140-0460.
  29. Web site: JamieOliver.com. Features Cooking guides & how-tos. 2021-07-24. Jamie Oliver. en.
  30. Web site: JamieOliver.com. Features Cooking guides & how-tos. 2021-07-24. Jamie Oliver. en.
  31. Web site: 2005-04-08. British hotels make Cond Nast Traveller Hot.... 2021-07-24. The Caterer. en.
  32. Web site: Ken McCulloch: the man who made Glasgow a global destination. 2021-07-24. HeraldScotland. en.
  33. Web site: Scottish Style Awards home. 2021-07-24. www.scottishstyleawards.co.uk.
  34. Web site: 2008-08-07. Aviator hotel Farnborough Menuwatch. 2021-07-24. The Caterer. en.