Oct 7, 2015 – LONDON and McLEAN, Va. – Crimson Hotels has acquired London's Regency Hotel for more than £100 million and reached an agreement to convert it to DoubleTree by Hilton London – Kensington. The news follows a franchise agreement between Crimson and Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT).
DoubleTree by Hilton London – Kensington will be Crimson Hotels' fourth hotel under the brand, joining properties in London's West End, Victoria and Woking. Crimson plans to invest £10 million prior to opening under DoubleTree by Hilton, including the addition of a new lobby, and refurbished bar and lounge, serving fresh, seasonal dishes.
Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, Europe & Africa, Hilton Worldwide said: "We are opening, on average, one DoubleTree by Hilton hotel every month across Europe, Middle East & Africa. London is a particularly active market with robust fundamentals – and is now home to 10 DoubleTree by Hilton hotels. Crimson's strong track record with our upscale brand makes it the ideal partner with which to introduce our newest property in the capital."
London's appeal as a cultural and commercial hub means that there is year round demand for quality hotel accommodation. The capital hosted record numbers of visitors in 20141, and investment into the city's hotel market reached unprecedented levels over the same period.
CEO of Crimson, Aly Kassam commented: "Building on our current portfolio, this will be our third DoubleTree by Hilton in central London and our fourth in the UK. This unique opportunity to renovate and rebrand the hotel under DoubleTree by Hilton is consistent with our focus on acquisition of hotels in prime locations."
The hotel is situated in the exclusive Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea within close proximity of Hyde Park, and includes 203 stylish guestrooms, a health club and a range of meeting spaces. Guests will be within walking distance of many of London's top cultural attractions, including the Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Science Museum.
DoubleTree by Hilton hospitality starts with a warm chocolate chip cookie upon arrival and continues through the award-winning Hilton HHonors® guest reward program, a Sweet Dreams® by DoubleTree Sleep Experience and its industry-recognized Culture of CARE.
John Greenleaf, global head, DoubleTree by Hilton said: "DoubleTree by Hilton London – Kensington is set to be an impressive new destination, on the doorstep of some of the city's top visitor attractions. Our unique service culture provides guests with the welcoming touches to ensure an exceptional stay – leaving visitors to our 10 London hotels plenty of time to explore the city."
DoubleTree by Hilton London – Kensington will be located at 100 Queen's Gate, London SW7 5AG and is expected to welcome its firsts guests in early 2016.
[1] Source: London & Partners
