Hotel Owner March 2019 | Page 9

MONTH IN REVIEW GO ONLINE www.hotelowner.co.uk 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ACQUISITIONS ACQUISITIONS APPOINTMENTS AccorHotels has signed a portfolio of six Mercure hotels under a hotel management agreement with Proark, a Danish based real estate property group holding assets in retail and hotel properties across Europe. Collectively adding 864 rooms under the Mercure brand in the UK, the hotels are located in Bedford, Cardiff, Harlow, Nottingham, Telford and Birmingham. The portfolio of hotels will receive a capital investment of £15m and each hotel will undergo extensive refurbishment as they are rebranded from Park Inn to Mercure. The hotels are set to open individually between Q2 2019 and Q4 2020. The hotels will be run using AccorHotels’ developed FOLS mobile operating system that enables employees to manage everything from check-in to housekeeping and breakfast within one app via mobile devices. Philip Lassman, vice president of development, Accorhotels UK and Ireland said: “AccorHotels has seen a strong growth in the UK in both new management contracts and franchise agreements over the past year. “We expect this growth to continue as hotel owners, operators and management companies continue to see the benefits of partnering with international brands to reach, attract and retain the loyalty of guests, with a progressive hospitality group that can provide the very best and latest services to maximise profitability.” Thomas Dubaere, COO AccorHotels Northern Europe, added: “We are delighted to be partnering with Proark for these six hotels. The Mercure brand is an ideal choice for this portfolio as its flexibility allows us to take a tailored approach to fit each particular hotel. This is important to enable owners to generate more revenue per square metre.” InterContinental Hotels Group IHG has acquired the Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas brand. National commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has made two new senior level appointments to strengthen its hotel and leisure team. David Creamore and Martin Davis both join LSH from commercial real estate agency GVA, and bring sector knowledge and experience to their new roles, which will focus on driving hotel transactional business across the UK and developing LSH’s advisory platform. According to the firm, Creamore, who will be based in London, is a “well-known hotel agent” and has conducted a wide variety of client work on behalf of private operators, investors and corporate clients, including the Portman Estate, the Grosvenor Estate and the Howard de Walden Estate. The group said he is a “key player” in the London market, where he has been at the forefront of many noteworthy hotel transactions across the capital and South East. Prior to GVA, Creamore held a director level role at Christie & Co for 15 years. Davis has more than 30 years’ experience in the property market and has worked with most large operators in the hotel and licensed leisure industry sectors. Before joining LSH, Davis was also a director at Christie & Co, before going on to head up GVA’s hotel and leisure team in the North of England. He will be based at LSH’s Manchester office. Commenting on his new role, Creamore said: “My main priority will be to drive hotel transactional business with a particular focus on the London market, which remains one of the most highly-regarded and highly-sought-after hotel markets in the world.” Accorhotels adds six new UK hotels to portfolio March 2019 IHG acquires Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas Featuring properties in 12 countries, the brand’s portfolio includes a 19th- Century wine estate in the Douro Valley (Portugal), island resorts in the Seychelles and Maldives, beach-side retreats in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Oman and residences in the mountains of Courchevel (France). According to the IHG, Six Senses is expected to expand to 60 properties within the next 10 years. This includes new hotels and resorts from a restored 14th-century fort in Rajasthan, to villas on a private island in Cambodia, and the brand’s first hotel in North America. Keith Barr, IHG CEO, said: “IHG’s growing portfolio of luxury brands is a collection of the very best in the travel industry. Each one offers something unique to our guests, and together they offer an unparalleled choice of locations and experiences. “We’re incredibly proud to welcome Six Senses into our family of brands and look forward to opening more stunning hotels, resorts and spas – each one staying true to Six Senses’ world-renowned reputation for wellness and an unwavering commitment to purposeful travel.” Joining forces with IHG means we can use a wealth of systems and operational excellence to grow our brand and reach new markets without losing our quirky personality and playful touch. Six Senses CEO, Neil Jacobs LSH appoints two new hotel and leisure directors www.hotelowner.co.uk 9