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New spaces at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh and Virgin Hotels Glasgow offer unique locations for events, meetings, and celebrations.
The recent opening of Virgin Hotels Edinburgh and the upcoming opening of Virgin Hotels Glasgow have breathed fresh life into the meetings and events offerings of two of Scotland's most spirited cities. Each with their own individual character, multiple vibrant venues across the new hotels bring venue options to each city and offer distinctive settings for a whole host of gatherings and celebrations.
Unique spaces to inspire your next event
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, a thoughtfully restored historic building, takes design inspiration from the heritage of its location, while Virgin Hotels Glasgow is strongly influenced by its surroundings and local culture – with music, art, and community right at the heart of both.
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh is home to a medieval church, now known as Greyfriars Hall, that has been beautifully restored and repurposed as a special event venue, blending original architecture with contemporary touches. One of the space's most noteworthy features is “Chandelier” by Arthur Mamou-Mani – one of the world’s first bioplastic 3D printed sculptures of this scale, measuring three metres wide – which hangs in the nave of Greyfriars. There are two additional venues in Greyfriars hall for smaller gatherings and events.
Another fantastic space at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh is the newly opened Eve. Situated at ground floor level, with an entrance from Cowgate, Eve holds up to 160 guests and is designed as a playful environment to dine, drink and socialise. It also doubles as a modern gathering space during the day for unique corporate meetings. The interiors of Eve are like no other. The walls are adorned with floor-to-ceiling unique murals specifically curated by award winning Dutch graffiti artists, Studio Giftig, for the venue. Incorporating themes of space exploration, Scottish history, and Virgin legacy, these distinctive artworks create an immersive space that both celebrates and transcends the area’s rich history.
In addition to its indoor offerings, Virgin Hotels Edinburgh also boasts a rooftop terrace with enviable views of Edinburgh Castle and the surrounding Grassmarket and Greyfriars’s areas.
Unique to Virgin Hotels Glasgow is Highyard, a relaxed, flexible space for meetings, events, co-working, dining, and drinks. Complete with a large outdoor terrace overlooking the River Clyde, offering panoramic views across the south of Glasgow, this is a truly special location unlike any other in the city, which celebrates its unique location and history. Its laid-back design takes inspiration from its position, looking out over the water, featuring curves and wood emulating the feel of being onboard a luxury liner, with an eclectic mix of stylish furniture. There are also two smaller meetings rooms ideal for corporate gatherings.
Whisky aficionados will be right at home in Rocks on Fox Street, Virgin Hotels Glasgow's dedicated whisky lounge – an elegant yet informal late-night bar, with a separate entrance on Fox Street, offering an array of native whiskies from a mix of established labels and smaller contemporary distilleries, alongside creative house cocktails curated by its expert team.
The Virgin Approach
As you would expect from a brand that cites ‘smart disruption’ among its driving motivations, meets and events at Virgin Hotels are a step away from the ordinary. The oftentimes clinical Day Delegate Rate has been reimagined to create a level of personalisation that separates Virgin Hotels from its competitors. From bespoke entertainment to icebreakers and surprise & delight moments, the approach is fun, energetic, and unexpected.
Meet the Team
Emma Jackson – Regional Director of Sales
Following a 15-year career in the hospitality industry, Emma recently joined Virgin Hotels to lead the sales team in the UK. In her prior role, with IHG Hotels & Resorts, she headed up the sales department for managed estate hotels in Edinburgh, including InterContinental Edinburgh The George and Kimpton Charlotte Square. Emma started her career in marketing with a Scottish independent hotel operator and has held various roles with Malmaison and Radisson Hotel Group including pre-opening Director of Sales for the first Radisson RED in the UK.
Favourite space? Greyfriars Hall in Virgin Hotels Edinburgh – ‘I love the idea of guests and clients enjoying this impressive building that has been brought back to life after many years – a space that holds so much history and heritage should be enjoyed and celebrated. We hope to bring back life, laughter and a luxury to Greyfriars Hall.'
Kate Lilley – Assistant Director of Sales, Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
Kate has been in hospitality for 10 years working within luxury sales and events and has joined Virgin Hotels Edinburgh from the Fairmont in St Andrews where she held the position of Head of Sales. She will be tasked with looking after Virgin Hotels Edinburgh's MICE accounts and has a developed understanding and passion for this market. Kate is excited for the future with the brand striving to redefine luxury and provide hyper local experiences for its guests.
Favourite Space? The Chef's Table at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh – "I love hosting clients in this space. The lively atmosphere, elevated menus and warm service is perfect for hosting events in the stylish lounge or kitchen.”
Leanne Scobie – Assistant Director of Sales, Virgin Hotels Glasgow
Leanne is an Aberdonian who came to Glasgow to attend the University of Glasgow over 20 years ago. She began her career in hospitality working at the Hilton Worldwide Contact Centre while studying for an MSC in Marketing and fell in love with hotels, travel, and tourism. After graduating, she continued to work with Hilton in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow in various roles before joining the pre-opening team of the Grand Central Hotel as Sales Manager, becoming Director of Sales in 2019. The lure of experiencing another pre-opening was strong and Leanne was thrilled to take on the position of Assistant Director of Sales for the Virgin Hotels Glasgow in March this year.
Favourite Space? The outdoor terrace in the Highyard at Virgin Hotels Glasgow – "This will be a very unique space in Glasgow for private events and gatherings looking out over the River Clyde."
Bradley Smith joins Virgin Hotels
Bradley Smith has recently been appointed Global Director of Sales – UK for Virgin Hotels, leading trade, and corporate sales for the entire hotel portfolio from the UK. Working with Virgin for 14 years, Bradley has held several roles with the group, including his most recent position as Senior Account Manager for Virgin Atlantic's agency sales team, and prior to this was working within Virgin Atlantic Holidays retail.
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