Plans to turn six floors of historic building into aparthotel

Kieran Molloy, Local Democracy Reporter

Six floors of a prominent Victorian building could be converted into an aparthotel under new plans.

Boyce Group Ltd has applied to Cardiff Council to redevelop floors one to six of Elgin House, on the corner of St Mary Street and Golate Street in the city centre.

The Grade II-listed building, dating from around 1890, was originally built as a hotel for visitors to the city.

The proposals would create 23 accommodation units, described in the application as 19 one-bedroom studio flats, three one-bedroom apartments and one one-bed flat.

An aparthotel combines apartment-style accommodation, including kitchen facilities, with hotel services and flexible bookings.

The application states: “The proposed aparthotel will be managed and presented as a single accommodation business and offer short or transient occupation.”

Rooms would be serviced in a similar way to a traditional hotel, with additional facilities intended to accommodate both leisure visitors and people on longer business trips.

The applicant says the development would provide “high quality specialist accommodation offered to visitors to the city”, create jobs and support spending in the local economy.

Explaining the range of accommodation, the application states: “The proposed mixture of proposed rooms (studios and flats) provide customer choice to suit their needs, whether that be a small studio for an overnight or weekend visit or a larger studio or flat for a longer stay supported by a modest kitchen facility.”

It adds: “The accommodation will offer a greater level of self-containment than a traditional hotel but the rooms will be serviced and managed.

“The studios and flats will all have adequate space and natural light within the historic building thus ensuring a quality place for a short stay.”

The ground floor is currently occupied by Turkish restaurant Leszet. The submitted plans do not indicate any change to its use.