Plans to convert the former Debenhams store on Princes street into a 300-bed Zedwell hotel and rooftop bar are set to be approved by Edinburgh City Council.
It will be Zedwell Hotels first hotel in Scotland and follows Criterion Capital’s acquisition of the 116,500-square-foot site last year that had been vacant since 2021.
The project is part of Criterion Capital’s plan to expand the Zedwell brand to 22 hotels and over 7,000 rooms by 2026. Criterion’s billionaire investor Asif Aziz said that the Edinburgh hotel marks a significant milestone in Zedwell’s expansion plans across the UK and that, as well as location, the robust tourism sector was also one of the key factors for selecting the city for their new venture.
According to Zedwell’s philosophy, “Sleep isn’t a luxury. It’s a state of mind we must embrace to live better”, and, as it brings its signature “cocoon” rooms to Edinburgh, it says that this ethos will be central to the Edinburgh nine-floor location.
Zedwell’s “cocoons” are focused on delivering a ‘sleep-centric experience’ and are designed with noise-reducing walls, floors, and doors, along with ambient lighting to “create the optimal environment for rest and relaxation.”
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Zedwell Hotels to open first Scottish hotel on Princes Street
