June 2011 - Dorchester Collection announces that Le Richemond will join its growing portfolio of luxury hotels from August 1, 2011.  Set on the banks of Lake Geneva, the prestigious 109-room hotel will be Dorchester Collection's first third-party management agreement.  The group was selected against strong competition, following a change in ownership of the hotel.

To further position itself as one of the leading luxury hotels in Geneva and in line with the standards of Dorchester Collection, Le Richemond will undergo a refurbishment, primarily of its public areas including the restaurant and bar, as well as its suites.  The hotel will remain open during this time and any guest disruption will be minimized.

Commenting on this new addition to Dorchester Collection, Christopher Cowdray, Chief Executive Officer of the group, said: 'We are delighted to have been chosen to operate the illustrious Le Richemond as its excellent situation complements our existing locations, which are some of the best in the world.   We set out our vision to grow our portfolio of luxury hotels and to seek management agreements, so this being our first third-party management agreement is an exciting strategic addition."

Francois Delahaye, Dorchester Collection's Chief Operating Officer, will be responsible for the property and oversee the transition to integrate the hotel into the Dorchester Collection brand.  Mr. Delahaye said: 'We are looking forward to positioning Le Richemond at the center of Geneva society and playing an active role in the local community, as well as welcoming the hotel's staff to our company.  We trust that with the planned refurbishment of the public areas this iconic landmark will have a renewed vibrancy synonymous with Dorchester Collection."

Le Richemond will be Dorchester Collection's eighth hotel when the management agreement commences in August.  The group recently announced the pending sale of The New York Palace to Northwood Investors, which is due for completion on July 12, 2011, as it is not strategically aligned with the Dorchester Collection's brand, primarily due to the large number of rooms.   In September 2011 the group will open its ninth hotel, 45 Park Lane, London, and in October 2011 the legendary Hotel Bel-Air, which has been closed for a major renovation, will re-open.

Dorchester Collection is the successor to the Dorchester Group, originally established in 1996 to manage a portfolio of some of the world's foremost luxury hotels in Europe and the USA. Dorchester Collection's Chief Executive, Christopher Cowdray, has set out the company's goal to have between 15-20 hotels by 2015. The current portfolio is managed by Dorchester Collection:

The Dorchester, London
The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills
Le Meurice, Paris
Hotel Plaza Athénée, Paris
Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan
The New York Palace, New York (pending sale on July 12, 2011) 
Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles (re-opening in October 2011)
Coworth Park, Ascot, UK
45 Park Lane, London (opening September 2011)   
www.dorchestercollection.com