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.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is growing its boutique hotel portfolio opening a new Hotel Indigo in London today, situated moments from the city’s iconic Tower Bridge.

Located on Minories in the City of London, between Aldgate and the Tower of London, Hotel Indigo London-Tower Hill has 44 bedrooms and two suites. The converted office building will offer guests easy access to the city’s most famous sights, with excellent transport links to London’s airports and train stations. Owned by the Thai Square Group, the hotel has eight floors with a bar, two restaurants and views over Tower Bridge from the top floors.

Hotel Indigo is IHG’s newest hotel brand and offers guests boutique hotel design with the peace of mind they get from staying with a large hotel group. There are 34 hotels open worldwide and 53 more planned including four new hotels in the UK. The brand began its global roll out last year with the opening of Hotel Indigo London-Paddington in January 2010.

All Hotel Indigo properties have a unique character. Brand standards don’t dictate the number or size of rooms, making it ideally suited to conversion properties. Conversions are attractive to developers because they require less financing than new builds and can be up and running in a shorter period of time.

Kirk Kinsell, IHG’s president for Europe, Middle East and Africa, commented: “Hotel Indigo is our youngest brand but it’s already proving to be a winning formula. We opened the first Hotel Indigo in the UK last year and have since signed five new hotels in London, Liverpool and Glasgow. The success of the brand lies with the fact that it offers guests the best of both worlds – the individuality and unique design you get at a boutique hotel with the reassurance and benefits of booking with a big hotel group.”

Haim Danous, managing director, Thai Square Group, said: “Our location close to the historic Tower Bridge and Tower of London but also moments from London’s financial centre makes the hotel an ideal base for tourists and businesspeople. Because we have just 44 bedrooms and two suites, we’re able to provide a personalised approach to customer service which we believe will be a winning formula with our guests.”

In October last year, IHG signed two new Hotel Indigo properties in Glasgow and Liverpool. Hotel Indigo Glasgow with 96 bedrooms and the 151-room Hotel Indigo Liverpool are both scheduled to open in spring 2011.

Hotel Indigo first launched in Atlanta in 2004. IHG plans to open its first Hotel Indigo in Asia later this year. Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund is expected to open to guests in autumn. IHG has also signed the first Hotel Indigo in Southeast Asia. Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road is expected to open by the end of 2012.

Luxury hotel brand’s first European outpost set to open in summer 2011

Thompson Hotels, an elite collection of service and design-driven hotels in major urban centers, has proudly announced its transatlantic expansion with the planned addition of Belgraves, a Thompson Hotel to its portfolio.  In a joint venture with The Harilela Group, Belgraves is scheduled to open in summer 2011 in London’s affluent and international Belgravia neighborhood, featuring bold interior architecture and design by acclaimed British designer, Tara Bernerd and architectural design by EPR Architects.  The 85-room hotel will include an 80-seat signature restaurant, an intimate library bar and a fitness center, offering a seductive oasis in the heart of Central London.  The chic and eclectic lobby is set to become a second home for both hotel guests and London’s glitterati alike.

“Our first hotel, 60 Thompson in NY, was ideologically based on the intimacy of British hotels,” said Jason Pomeranc, co-owner of Thompson Hotels.  ”They have always been an inspiration to our brand, particularly those of London, and the British traveler has been very supportive of our US hotels.  London is a natural transition for the Thompson brand.  The opening of Belgraves brings us full circle.”

Blending traditional British hospitality with an American bohemian attitude, Belgraves will interpret the Thompson luxury experience in London, joining the on-going creative movement in design, dining and art that is currently forging the “new Britannia”.

“Thompson Hotels is known for offering unique experiences and first-rate service in stylish, urban areas,” said Stephen Brandman, co-owner of Thompson Hotels.  ”I am delighted to extend this reputation to the European market.  Whether staying at Thompson LES or Smyth in NY, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in LA or Belgraves in London, guests will rest assured that they will receive the same high level of service that defines the Thompson brand.”

Business and leisure travelers will delight in Belgraves’ attention to privacy, personalized amenities and thoughtful design.  Working closely with progressive interior architect and designer, Tara Bernerd, Thompson Hotels has set out to create a luxurious home away from home in the desirable Belgravia district, just minutes from London’s renowned shops, sites and the bustling Sloane Square.

“Belgraves is iconic for location alone.  Combining this with the opportunity of working with the forward-thinking and design-savvy Thompson Hotels, has magnified the appeal of the project and allows us all as a team to create a very seductive hotel,” commented Tara Bernerd.  ”We intend on creating a rich, eclectic and tactile design that combines traditional elegance with a modern architectural language.”

“Thompson Hotels has a style that London is calling for,” said Dr. Aron Harilela.  ”There is a niche in the market that is waiting to be filled and I believe we have found the perfect match.  I am confident that bringing Thompson Hotels to the heart of Belgravia in creating Belgraves, we will reinvigorate the area, giving Londoners what they have been looking for and international travelers a slice of the new London.”