A deal has been reached between Aberdeen City Council and the Marriott International hotel group to deliver a “signature” hotel as part of the Marischal Square development.

The 126-bedroom Residence Inn by the hotel chain will be its first in Aberdeen. Construction on the hotel, which will be aimed at the extended-stay business and leisure market, is due to commence in January 2015, with a completion date of summer 2017.

The premises will be designed to meet the needs of extended-stay guests – of five nights or more – and will consist of 114 studios and 12 one-bedroom suites, each of which will a fully-equipped kitchen and separate living and sleeping areas. In addition, the hotel’s public areas will feature a Lounge Bar, Grab and Go Market, fitness centre and business centre.

Welcoming the news, Aberdeen City Council leader, Councillor Jenny Laing, said: “This agreement is a major boost for the city and highlights the strong appeal of both Aberdeen and the new Marischal Square development to top-flight international businesses. Marriott International is one of the world’s leading hotel companies and to see them developing a four-star hotel on the site is a huge vote of confidence in the continuing regeneration of our city centre.”

Councillor Marie Boulton, Aberdeen City Council deputy leader, added: “We are seeing the start of what will be a vibrant and exciting development on the old St. Nicholas House site. We have a real need for quality hotel accommodation in the heart of the city. This scheme will complement other hotel projects which are shaping up in the city centre and allow us to capitalise on the valuable tourism market.”

Tim Walton, vice president International Development, Marriott Hotels International Ltd., said: “We are thrilled to be part of the exciting development plans for Marischal Square as we continue to expand our Residence Inn by Marriott brand in Scotland.

“The brand prides itself on giving guests everything they need to thrive on longer stays and we are confident that the modern and stylish design of the hotel, combined with the excellent location at the heart of Aberdeen, will offer a dynamic hotel experience in the city.”

Marischal Square, which is being fully funded by Aviva Investors, will deliver a new mixed-use quarter for the city of Aberdeen and will comprise of a hotel, Grade ‘A’ office space, retail space, restaurants and civic space. It is being developed through a partnership between Aberdeen City Council and Muse Developments.

The Marischal Square development includes:

•173,500 sq ft of Grade ‘A’ office accommodation with associated car spaces;

• 26,600 sq ft of ground floor retail and restaurant space;

• the 126-room Residence Inn by Marriott hotel;

• 14,500 sq ft of civic space in front of Provost Skene’s House;

• a mixture of granite and glass in the elevations.

Muse Developments’ regional director for Scotland, Steve Turner, said he was delighted with the continued progress on the project.

“The Marischal Square development fully complements Aberdeen City Council’s long-term vision for the regeneration of the city centre by creating a vibrant new mixed-use development in keeping with the city’s justifiable position as one of the UK’s leading business destinations,” he added.

“Marischal Square has the potential to make a long-term impact on the local economy and it is vital the city has the right mix of hotel, office and commercial space to capitalise on the opportunities that will arise as the city continues to enjoy a significant business boom. The fact that the Residence Inn by Marriott team has already identified the possibilities here will be a huge encouragement to all involved.

“My commercial property teams are also witnessing a significant amount of interest in the office and leisure/restaurant space we have available at Marischal Square and I am confident we will be announcing other significant deals soon.”