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 Le Meridien Acquires Hotel Nikko At Beverly Hills
 
LOS ANGELES - July 26, 1999--Forte Hotels� upscale international hotel brand, Le Meridien, announced today the acquisition of the Hotel Nikko at Beverly Hills, the first owned property in the United States for the UK�s largest hotel group. Beginning today, the 297-bedroom, four-star deluxe hotel will be called Le Meridien at Beverly Hills.

�This new acquisition is part of our strategy to become the best and most profitable hotel operator,� said Antione Cau, Chief Executive, Forte Hotels. �We are committed to building an extensive network of hotels in leading gateway cities to strengthen the awareness of Le Meridien worldwide.�

This acquisition marks an important first step in Le Meridien�s strategy to strengthen its position in the United States by securing outstanding properties in key gateway cities. The company�s North American acquisition coincides with its aggressive expansion in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, where Le Meridien has secured 12 new hotel management contracts since the beginning of this year.

�Le Meridien Beverly Hills complements our six hotels in North America,� said Bernard Lambert, President and Managing Director, Le Meridien. �More and more, international travelers are buying brands and, with our ever-strengthening network, characteristic European style and high service standards, we intend to make Le Meridien their top choice in Beverly Hills.�

As a Meridien, the hotel will benefit from Forte�s expertise in sales and marketing including an international network of 15 Forte sales offices; Forte�s 37 reservation centers worldwide; a dedicated Meridien web site; partnership with 18 frequent flyer programs; and a strong Corporate Privilege program.

Minimal renovations will be required to ensure the property reflects the high standards of Le Meridien. The hotel already boasts excellent facilities with exceptionally large guestrooms and more than 50 suites, all equipped with the latest technology. The renowned conference and banquet facilities are complemented by the leisure complex, bar and restaurant.
Renovations will be carried out quickly with no impact on the guests.

A prime location, Le Meridien at Beverly Hills is situated on the eastern border of Beverly Hills, in the middle of Restaurant Row and two blocks from one of the region�s top 20 most visited attractions, the Beverly Center. It is also well situated for access to the airport, Hollywood and the Santa Monica beach area.

There are 113 Le Meridien hotels worldwide, with almost 30,000 rooms in more than 50 countries. Le Meridien is positioned to expand to more than 150 hotels in the near future.
Forte Hotels is the UK�s largest hotel group, and is part of Granada Group Plc which has 430 hotels in more than 50 countries worldwide operating under four brands - contemporary, mid-market Posthouse; traditional, niche market Heritage; international, upscale Le Meridien and the UK�s leading budget hotel brand, Travelodge.

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Contact:
Hill and Knowlton
Joan Bloom/Susan Suss
212/885-0300
  [email protected]
 
Also See: Forte Signs New Contract with REZsolutions Inc.'s Utell International / July 1998 
Nikko Hotels Offers The ABCs of Global Table Manners / July 1999 

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