A MAJOR extension of York’s only five star hotel is beginning to take shape.

Scaffolding was recently taken down from the outside of The Grand Hotel and Spa’s new building - the former Roman House, in Rougier Street, which has been vacant since insurance giant Aviva moved out in 2010 - and builders are hard at work converting the site into 100 new luxurious and spacious rooms.

The £15 million development has seen walls of the existing Grade II listed hotel in Station Rise knocked through into the adjoining building to create a city centre spot with 207 bedrooms.

The Press was given a behind the scenes tour ahead of the expected finishing date in January 2018, and while the majority of the interior is a building site, many of the rooms are beginning to take shape.

At the top of the five storey building stands the penthouse; a wide-open room, bathed in light offering breathtaking views of York Minster, the River Ouse and beyond.

Only one room has been decorated, and no detail has been forgotten about, as staff use it to consider which features work and what is letting the side down.

General manager Philip Bolson has cast his eye over everything from the soap dishes to the tissue holder.

He said: “Growing a hotel like this is challenging in any type of hotel, but this is intense.

“The reason we bought this is because it’s very attractive.

“It will start to come together very quickly.

“We are doing it from the top down and at some point in January the builders will give us the nod and we can get in.”

Mr Bolson is confident the rooms can be filled, but admits the hotel is looking at an “untapped” market of potential guests in London, China and the United States to embark on a trip to York.

As well as the new bedrooms next year, the hotel’s development and expansion will include two new areas: an exclusive, luxury executive lounge with complimentary dining, as well as an arrival lounge to help guest’s check in.