An 82-bedroom hotel has opened in central Belfast, occupying a landmark Edwardian building on Donegall Square South. The Bedford Hotel now operates from the former Scottish Mutual Building, a Grade B1 listed property dating to 1904.

The hotel was developed by Derry-based RFM Hotels, which acquired the building in 2022. Earlier plans included a proposed George Best-themed hotel by Liverpool developer Lawrence Kenwright in 2017, a project that later became entangled in legal disputes with investors.

Mike Gatt, a West Belfast native and veteran of the hospitality sector, has been appointed general manager. He said he had long admired the historic structure and considered it an honour to manage what he described as Belfast's flagship hotel.

The Bedford features a restaurant and café bar overseen by chef Noel McMeel. Thirty-two guest rooms retain original steel-doored vaults once used by insurance agents to store cash and ledgers from door-to-door collections.

Original tile work by Italian immigrant craftsmen has been preserved in the corridors. The hotel says its design blends Edwardian grandeur with contemporary international standards.

Situated next to Belfast City Hall, the hotel offers views across the civic landmark from many of its rooms.