We’re celebrating the 20-year anniversary of Crowne Plaza London Docklands under RBH’s management since it opened in May 2003.

The milestone not only coincides with when Chief Technical Officer, Gregor MacNaughton originally started at RBH 20 years ago, but this hotel also marks his very first hotel opening project.

As we celebrate the long-standing relationship, Gregor reminisces about the key projects that he has been a part of over the past two decades that exemplify the success of Crowne Plaza Docklands since its inception, as well as the expertise that sits within his Property and Capital Management teams.

2004: Rebrand
The hotel opened in May 2003 as the Holiday Inn London Docklands. To help its shift towards a more upscale positioning, RBH rebranded it into a Crowne Plaza property thanks to an existing strong relationship with IHG.

2010: New restaurant
We project managed a full refurbishment of the bar and restaurant which became ‘Docklands Bar and Grill’. Design Coalition Interior Designers were appointed, along with Fileturn as the main contractors.

2012: Leisure club expansion
We enhanced the leisure club by moving the reception area from the first floor to the ground floor, as well as repurposing some under utilised meeting space as three new treatments rooms and a new aerobics studio.

2015: Updated bedrooms
The replacement of AC units was completed along with a soft refurbishment of all 210 bedrooms.

2017: Investment in MICE offering
We managed the £800k refurbishment of all meeting spaces and associated areas.

2022: Restaurant renovation
New designers Bell and Swift were appointed to help us refresh and reposition the bar and restaurant areas for a second time. This is an ongoing project currently in the design stage and due to be implemented in Q1 2024.

Commenting on everything that’s been accomplished at the hotel over the past 20 years, Gregor said:

“This is a poignant property for me as we simultaneously celebrate two decades together. This hotel is a great example of the value in long-term partnerships. They enable long-term foresight and planning that’ll continue to drive revenue, ensuring the property responds to shifts in consumer demands and profitability determined by changing guest behaviours.”

The hotel’s owner, Haider Jaffer, HPMC added:

“Having owned Crowne Plaza London Docklands for almost 20 years, I am delighted to have worked with RBH during this time. Not only have we benefited from their expertise as operators, but also from their extensive expertise within their Property and Capital Management teams. Gregor MacNaughton and his team have managed numerous projects for us, and we believe this is a real asset to RBH.”

RBH has since opened over 50 new build hotels over the past 20 years, with several others in the pipeline.