A new design-led five-star hotel operated by Hotel Partners has opened its doors in Belfast, Northern Ireland, following an investment of £20m (21.7m euro).

Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast, which is owned by businesswoman June Burgess and is situated on Great Victoria Street, is a 130-bedroom property featuring six studio suites and a two-bedroom penthouse overlooking the city. Facilities at the hotel, which has been designed by London-based Project Orange, also include a bar, a restaurant, three conference rooms, an oak-panelled private dining room, a fitness suite and valet parking, as well as a business centre.

Vincent O'Gorman has been appointed as the hotel's general manager having overseen the opening of the Fitzwilliam Hotel Dublin in 2005. He said: "Belfast is a vibrant, up-and-coming city. There's nothing as cutting-edge as the Fitzwilliam Hotel here. "The aim of the Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast is to exude glamour, sophistication and impeccable customer service, and we are looking forward to welcoming guests from the UK, Ireland and all over the world."

However, the opening comes at a time when Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) revealed that occupancy levels in Northern Ireland have decreased to 53.5 per cent, the lowest since 2002. Stephen Curragh, a partner at PwC in Belfast, said: "Given the experience of the past five months, the short-term future seems particularly challenging."