A MULTI-MILLION pound waterfront development including a hotel and apartments is set to open in Southampton at the beginning of October.

The £27m five-star Southampton Harbour Hotel and Apartment Complex in Ocean Village will create more than 175 jobs.

Alongside 85 hand-finished and decorated bedrooms the hotel will feature a spa with gym and swimming pool, and a rooftop champagne bar with views across the marina.

The ground floor will include a large open-plan lounge for informal meetings and afternoon teas.

A grand spiral staircase will lead to the next floor along with an event space with capacity for up 200 guests.

Mike Warren, pictured, managing director of Harbour Hotels, said: “Our new Southampton property is set to become an iconic one.

“Our yacht-inspired design will sit beautifully in Ocean Village Marina – introducing five-star luxury to the city.

“Guests can enjoy our award-winning facilities alongside a vibrant marina setting, boosting tourism and creating jobs.”

The hotel’s design will “reflect Southampton’s thriving marine culture that makes it one of the most desirable marina locations in the UK,’’ added Mr Warren.

Nicolas Roach, executive chairman of the Nicolas James Group, the parent company of Harbour Hotels, added: “We believe our hotel, which will open as a five-star, will provide a boost for the city’s economy – people want quality and they are willing to pay for that.

“And when people stay in a hotel, they spend in the locality. I see this as the final piece in the jigsaw – and I still can’t quite believe we are responsible for that piece.”

The hotel will also boast a range of luxury facilities including an indoor pool, sauna, steam room, hydrotherapy pool and relaxation areas, with Southampton residents being given full access to the hotel’s facilities.

Hotel bosses are adamant that their name will not cause confusion between the existing independently owned Grand Harbour Hotel, with the two expected to be branded much differently.