Bristol hotel boss: 'Recession is over'
Del Brett has been overseeing the final preparations at his Future Inn, which is next door to Cabot Circus and is confident his latest venture will be another success.
The 52-year-old's company runs two other hotels in the UK, in Cardiff and Plymouth, along with two more in his native Canada and the married father-of-one is convinced he has a recipe for success.
The Bristol-based business man claims his hotel, which opens this week, offers four-star standards at affordable rates.
He believes there is a market for his latest £20 million hotel, which has 149 bedrooms, a conference suite and a basement jazz cub.
Mr Brett, who moved to the UK from Canada just over six years ago, said: "When we came to the UK we chose to be based in the South West because we saw it as a growth sector and nothing has happened for me to change my mind.
"We cannot deny that things have ben tough but we have seen definite signs of improvement in the last three to four months, there has been a definite pick-up in business.
"On top of this, the South West and Bristol has fared a lot better than other parts of the country.
"I'm not saying the recession is over but I believe we've got through the worst of it."
The ethos of his firm is to offer value for money and the new hotel will include a grill-style restaurant and the jazz club – which is something of a personal passion for the hotelier.
When he first arrived in the UK, Mr Brett spent six months taking a close look at the opposition and came up with his formula, which includes comfortable spacious rooms, roomy beds and a food and drink offering which compares well with standard city centre prices.
Mr Brett set up the company with his brother Bruce – who died three years ago. Bruce's wife Marilyn is still involved with the business on a daily basis.
"We offer value and comfort and we're also in a great spot," he said. "We were looking for a site in Bristol for some time and when Cabot Circus came up we grabbed the opportunity. Cabot Circus has made a huge difference to the city centre."
The ultimate aim is for Future Inns to become a household name with a chain of three-star hotel accommodation. Locations are carefully chosen and the emphasis is placed on high standards of food, cleanliness and accommodation.
"We are expecting more people to holiday at home this year and the corporate sector is looking to get real value for money right now," he said.
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