Meet the entrepreneurial couple putting their stamp on Manchester’s hotel scene

Two hoteliers have revealed plans for a second venue in Manchester – just weeks after launching their first hotel in the city.

Husband-and-wife team Mujtaba and Amelia Rana, who opened The Cow Hollow Hotel in the Northern Quarter at the end of January, are now looking to establish a 30-room hotel in the Spinningfields area.

The duo said they are in the process of securing investors for the project.

Mujtaba and Amelia completely self-funded The Cow Hollow Hotel. The business is housed within a former textile warehouse on Newton Street and comprises 16 guest rooms. It launched on January 25, creating 12 jobs.

Mujtaba, 32, previously worked for investment firms Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse in London before moving to Asia in 2014. A vice president at 25, he went on to co-manage Credit Suisse’s Hong Kong-based equity research department.

Amelia Rana, 28, has seven years’ experience with Universal Music. She started out in London before moving to the firm’s Hong Kong division, also in 2014.

Mujtaba said: “This project has really been a labour of love for myself and Amelia. We started talking about the possibility of opening a hotel in Manchester back when we were both working in our previous careers, so it is rewarding to see how it’s beautifully it has come together and the great feedback we’re already getting despite just opening.

“We have a innovative and unique business model in place, and we’re now keen to start thinking about our next project and welcome conversations with potential investors.”