After the collapse of GuestInvest in autumn 2008 the future of Blakes Hotel, in London, UK, seemed uncertain. But good news has arrived this week with the announcement that the hotel (the London haunt of many a celebrity) has been saved from administration by Meir Abutbul, owner of the Apostrophe chain of cafés, and hotelier Navid Mirtorabi for £20 million. This duo of entrepreneurs is now reportedly planning to give the 51-room boutique hotel the star treatment and put it through an extensive refurbishment and renovation with the involvement of its original creator, designer Anouska Hempel, at a cost of £2.5 million. Rumours abound that the hotel’s new owners plan to expand the Blakes brand internationally. Some years ago a Blakes Hotel was opened in Amsterdam. But with change of ownership and some changes to the design of Hempel, the hotel was renamed The Dylan.