THE Mail has gained an exclusive sneak peek inside Barrow's biggest and newest hotel.

The doors to the Holiday Inn Express in Barrow are set to open this year, according to hotel bosses.

Situated on the site of the former Barrow police station, the new hotel contains four floors, 127 bedrooms, two meeting rooms and a restaurant and bar area.

The 127 bedrooms will be designed in line with Holiday Inn Express’ Next Generation hotel model, which focuses on providing all the facilities today’s smart traveller requires.

Experienced hotelier Mark Winter will oversee the launch of the hotel and restaurant which is due to open its doors this December.

With a hotel management career spanning more than 10 years, Mark was handpicked for the role thanks to his proven track record of leading past successful hotel launches.

He said: "The hotel is in the perfect location within the town and will really add to the local accommodation and restaurant offering.

"We really want the hotel to become a part of the community.

"We want people to come in for teas, coffees and meals so it becomes a hub of the community."

All 127 rooms are finished to a high standard, offering Netflix, streaming services and complimentary wifi to all guests.

The hotel will also be operated by RBH, the UK’s leading independent hotel management company, and developed by Ashall Projects Ltd.

Managing Director of Ashall Projects, Mark Ashall, said: "The great thing about this is you will have an international branding quality of hotel.

"It's comfortable, has good access, free breakfast and is a great central location for people to meet.

"The restaurant unit can be used by non-guests too which will work well as a stand-alone restaurant."

Barrow mayor, Kevin Hamilton, praised the new build for helping the town centre and funding Cumbrian tourism.

He said: "The hotel is really going to help the town centre.

"I think the idea of serving meals to non-guests is a great idea too which will definitely bring in a lot of customers.

"The town definitely needed a central hotel."

Barrow MP John Woodcock said: “The Holiday Inn Express has arisen fairly quickly from the rubble of the old police station and this investment is directly linked to our successful campaign that pressed for the Dreadnought submarine programme to go ahead at the shipyard.

“The Holiday Inn will cater for submarine construction personnel who are needed to help deliver Dreadnought, but it will also provide an upmarket leisure hotel in the centre of Barrow and it is a great new option for holidaymakers looking to explore Furness and the Lakes.”

Further details of the recruitment open days for the 25 vacancies at the property will be released on the Holiday Inn Express social media pages over the coming weeks.