luxury

I have seen (hotelbusiness.com) and heard (through a friend of a friend at FS Corp HQ and a Concierge) rumours that Four Seasons is in the running to takeover management of Claridges in London. However, contacts at FS emphasize that these are current rumours within the company...... does anyone have any additional information on this?

The new owners of Claridges already do own a couple FS hotels, I believe, the Dublin and Milan properties......

Although this would be great if true, would the London market be able to sustain 3 FS Hotels and the Hampshire resort? Would, or might, FS drop the "original" near Hyde Park Corner? Any thoughts?

oximoron

Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information US, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Caterer and Hotelkeeper

August 5, 2004

News; Pg. 6

293 words


Claridge's could become a Four Seasons

By Samantha McClary

Claridge's, one of London's best-known hotels, is rumoured to be joining the Four Seasons portfolio.

Industry sources have exclusively revealed to Caterer that Canada-based Four Seasons is poised to take over management of the five-star, 203-bedroom property imminently.

The deal would give the group its third property in the capital to go with the 220-bedroom hotel on Park Lane and a 142-bedroom property in Canary Wharf.

Claridge's is part of the Savoy Group of hotels, which was bought by Irish property investor Derek Quinlan in April for £750m.

The conversion of Claridge's to a Four Seasons hotel will not come as a surprise to many. Quinlan already owns Four Seasons hotels in Dublin, Milan, Budapest and Prague, and is understood to have wanted to bring Claridge's under the Four Seasons umbrella since he bought the Savoy Group.

None of the remaining three hotels in the group -- the Savoy, the Connaught and the Berkeley -- will be brought under Four Seasons management.

Four Seasons was linked to the Savoy Group during its sale via another investor. Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, who has substantial stakes in both Four Seasons and its rival Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, was understood to have been bidding to buy the group of hotels and convert one or more of them to Four Seasons or Fairmont.

A spokeswoman for Four Seasons said: "We continue to look at new opportunities but there's nothing to confirm on Claridge's."

Scotland's Taymouth Castle in Perthshire is also understood to be coming under the Four Seasons banner, although the company could not yet confirm this. If planning permission for the conversion of the castle is granted, the group claims it will become the UK's first "six-star" hotel.

August 06, 2004

luxury

I was surfing the net a few nights ago and saw an article from some hospitality industry trade magazine which suggested that the Quinlan Group, which owns the FS Dublin, Prague, Budapest, and Milan, want to start a chain of Claridges branded hotels.

If this is true I wonder if they are thinking of eventually re-branding the FS hotels they own to the Claridges brand.....

Anyone hear more on this?

NickW

That strikes me as a very dumb move. I would think that FS has much, much better brand recognition than Claridges.

speedbird001

I believe that this at one time was a consideration but never materialized. BTW, the GM at Claridges is now at The Dorchester and has made some wonderful improvements to a great hotel.

Marin 1K

It is unlikely that FS would drop the "original" on Hamilton Place; that property, opened as the Inn on the Park, is the first FS opened after the original in Toronto, and I believe it is one of the very few properties still owned by FS.

luxury

Good point. I had been wondering if London could sustain 3 FS hotels. I don't think they would let go of the template FS. The FS is way more elegant and sophisticated than Claridges and the staff at Claridges are so pretentious and high on themselves. Finally, I believe that the Hamilton Place hotel is owned by Prince Alwaleed.

rfrost

It's funny the way experiences differ. For me, Claridge's has it all over the Hamilton Place FS, whether the test is decor, gym, or service (which I found at Hamilton Place to be several cuts below what I expect and generally receive from FS).

jaguarpig

Stayed at FS Hamilton Place recently and will not be returning.Service was terrible, ignorant head barman who was oh so more important than customers and the over priced conservatory room was a great disapointment.Such a contrast to our fantastic stay at Tokyo FSM.