A room with a view

Mint Hotel

Leeds, UK

Buro Happold has worked with the Mint Group on six hotels to date, but the 4-star Mint Hotel is arguably our best yet, providing a superb centrepiece for the revitalised Granary Wharf development in Leeds city centre.

Challenge

Location was a key challenge on this project, as the site is constrained by water on three sides, and a railway line and residential buildings on the fourth. This meant that space was at a premium, so we needed to use it as effectively as possible. We were also asked to engineer a sky lounge on the top floor of this 13-storey hotel, providing panoramic views out over the city.

Solution

To alleviate the problems posed by the site itself, we employed specialist acoustic and vibration absorbing solutions to dampen the noise of passing trains. This added to the attraction of the Mint Hotel by offering guests a peaceful environment within a sought after city centre location.

Our structural design for the new hotel maximised lettable bedroom space by streamlining building services provision and making efficient use of the non-lettable areas. For example, we located the car park and back of house facilities in the basement to free up valuable space above ground. Moving the hotel services from the top of the building to the basement also allowed us to expand the potential of the high value top floor with the inclusion of the sky lounge that further heightens the guest experience.

Value

By maximising the room and front of house space inside the building, we have provided highly effective solutions that will generate maximum return on investment for our client. We worked seamlessly with Mint throughout the Leeds project, delivering the hotel they wanted to brief, on time, and on budget. Our creative solutions, combined with our practical expertise, led this 333 room hotel to win a RIBA award.