MONTH IN REVIEW
MONTH IN REVIEW
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AWARDS
The Landmark
London hotel
awarded
‘platinum level’
Investors in
People award
The Landmark London hotel is now the
first and only hotel in the world to be
awarded a platinum level certification
following an analysis by accreditation
organisation, Investors in People.
The award recognises organisations
for its commitment to high work
performance and strong people
management and development,
and the property was awarded the
platinum level by achieving the
highest score in the accommodation
business sector globally.
According to the group, the hotel was
commended for “providing effective
people management and development”,
which helped it achieve the “highest
levels of engagement across all
departments which delivered the
highest levels of performance.”
Andrew Batchelor, general manager
at The Landmark London, said: “We
are thrilled to have been accredited
the achievement of a Platinum Level
by Investors in People and it is an
honour to be the only hotel globally
to receive this measure of success, an
achievement which is entirely down to
our wonderful team members.
“Their hard work, trust in leadership
and genuine love of what they do has
enabled The Landmark London to be
such a success as a business, but also
as a family. I am extremely proud of
every member of my team.”
Nicola Forshaw, director of human
resources at The Landmark London,
added: “We are deeply honoured by
this recognition and achievement of
Platinum Level. It has been such a
rewarding journey working alongside
a passionate Leadership Team.”
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MONTH IN REVIEW
INTERNATIONAL
South Asia’s
largest hotel
chain to invest
£40m in UK
expansion
OYO Hotels, South Asia’s largest
network of hotels, has announced plans
to invest £40m in hotel operations in
the UK by 2020.
The group will launch hotels in
10 cities across the UK, including
London, Manchester, Birmingham and
Edinburgh, over the next 18 months,
and marks the group’s first expansion
outside of Asia following rapid growth
in India, China, Malaysia, and Nepal.
Founded in 2003 by 24-year-old
Indian entrepreneur Ritesh Agarwal,
OYO Hotels plans to introduce its
“low-cost, user-friendly, quality living
experiences” through over 300 hotels
and over 5,000 rooms by 2020.
Agarwal said: “OYO Hotels has
been the forefront of the small and
budget hotels revolution in India, China,
Malaysia and Nepal. The UK is one
of the world’s most visited countries,
and so we are thrilled to now be able
to offer OYO’s affordable, hassle-free
and quality living experiences to guests
across the UK.
“Our countries have strong ties and
we are pleased to be partnering with
UK hoteliers to help them generate
increased, sustainable incomes while
bringing great living spaces, jobs and
tourism to the British economy.”
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ACQUISITION
Principal London
to relaunch as
Kimpton Fitzroy
London following
IHG acquisition
IHG will debut its boutique luxury
brand Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
in the UK as it rebrands the Principal
London as the Kimpton Fitzroy London.
Kimpton Fitzroy London, the first
UK hotel for the brand, will open in
late October in London’s Bloomsbury
neighbourhood in an iconic heritage
building which originally opened in
Russell Square in 1898. The hotel will
be named after the original architect
of the hotel, Charles Fitzroy Doll; a
British architect in the Victorian and
Edwardian eras who specialised in
designing hotels.
Earlier this year IHG and Covivio
entered an agreement to rebrand and
operate 12 hotels currently operating
under the Principal and De Vere
brands. The Principal London is the first
of these hotels to be rebranded.
IHG said next year will see additional
Kimpton hotel openings in cities
such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and
Manchester.
Kimpton first opened in Europe last
year with the opening of Kimpton De
Witt in Amsterdam, and since then the
brand has rapidly increased its global
footprint following signings in Tokyo
and Paris, both set to open in 2020, and
Kimpton Frankfurt, due to open in 2023.
In the next few months Kimpton Da An
Hotel in Taipei will also open its doors.
Founded in 1981 by Bill Kimpton,
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
pioneered the concept of unique,
distinctive, design-forward hotels in
the United States. The boutique luxury
brand was acquired by IHG in 2015
and currently operates 67 hotels and
82 restaurants, bars and lounges in the
US, Caribbean and Europe.
October 2018
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HOTEL INVESTMENT
Bristol Hoteliers
Association backs
development
plans for the city
The announcement of the latest
phase of development at Ashton Gate
Stadium has been welcomed by the
Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA).
The £100m investment will include
a new sports and convention centre
next to the existing Bristol City football
stadium. Hotel owners and operators
across the city have also backed YTL’s
proposed extension of the Brabazon
hangar in Filton as a world-class arena.
Imran Ali, chairman of the BHA said
that the investment will “plump [SIC]
millions of pounds” into the city and
should be “welcomed with open arms” in
order to attract new business into the city.
He said: “While a decision is yet to
be made on the long-term future of the
Temple Island site in the centre of the city,
the news that two private investors are
willing to pump millions of pounds into
the city should be welcomed with open
arms. We need to grasp this once-in-
a-lifetime opportunity. If not we run the
risk of falling behind more progressive,
forward looking cities in the country.”
Ali continued: “The BHA is completely
behind Ashton Gate and YTL. There’s
no doubt these exciting developments
will progress quickly and within the
proposed timescale - largely because
they are in private hands and headed by
people used to making make decisions.
“It will be interesting to see whether
Bristol City Council will make the same
progress with the proposed conference
centre at Temple Island. With its track
record, it’s unlikely that the city council
will be able resolve the quandary about
what to do with Temple Island any time
soon. My fear is that leaders at the
council will continue to procrastinate
about what will happen to one of the
main gateways into the city well in to
the future.”
October 2018
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APPOINTMENTS
Apex City of Bath
welcomes new
GM
Michael Musgrave has been appointed
as the new general manager of the
four-star Apex City of Bath Hotel.
Musgrave, who has more than 20
years’ experience in the hospitality
industry, will oversee operations at
the 177-bed property which is also
Bath’s only purpose-built city centre
conference and events venue.
With a career spent mostly in four-
star establishments, he brings with him
a wealth of management experience
having worked in general management
roles for recognised industry names
such as IHG and Hotel Du Vin.
His most recent role saw him take
on the role of business development
director at hospitality industry ‘food
solutions’ company, PSL.
Musgrave said: “I’m thrilled to have
officially joined the team here at Apex
City of Bath Hotel. The hotel has
achieved so much since opening its
doors last year – not only providing
Apex’s signature warmer welcome to the
thousands of guests who have visited
and stayed with us, but also bringing
in more than half a million pounds to
the local economy thanks to a fantastic
conference and events offering.
“I’m looking forward to continuing
to build the hotel’s reputation for
offering a first-class guest experience
to anyone who comes through our
doors – whether they’re stopping by
for a coffee, attending a conference or
bringing the family for a relaxing stay.”
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ACQUISITION
Magnuson
continues global
expansion
acquiring 10
hotels in 30 days
American hotel brand Magnuson
Worldwide has added 10 hotels to its
branded portfolio in the last 30 days,
including two properties in the UK.
The Crescent Victoria in Margate
is the group’s first collection property
in the UK, and the Northwick Hotel
in Worcestershire, part of the Great
National Hotels, has joined the brand
as an ‘independent hotel’.
The other new hotels that have
joined the company include the new
Magnuson Hotel Vow in Listowel,
Canada, Magnuson Hotel Howell
Michigan (former Best Western), M Star
Hotel Little Rock in Arkansas (formerly
Motel 6) and the Magnuson Hotel
Hampton, a former La Quinta branded
hotel in Virginia.
CEO Thomas said: “We are delighted
to be welcoming these new properties
to the Magnuson family and we
welcome our guests to enjoy this
expanded footprint.”
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