TDR Capital in running to buy Hotel du Vin and Malmaison
The British private equity firm which holds investments in David Lloyd Leisure and the Stonegate Pub Company, is believed to be one of several parties bidding for the Malmaison and Hotel du Vin hotel brands.
TDR Capital is understood to be willing to pay around £350m for the two groups - according to The Times - which were sold to US-based company KSL two years ago for around £200m.
Key developments during KSL's ownership of the two boutique groups include the opening of a Malmaison hotels in Dundee, the conversion of a property in St Andrews to Hotel du Vin and the acquisition of Cannizaro House in Wimbledon, which is currently in the process of being relaunched as Hotel du Vin Wimbledon.
The two groups were united in 2004 when the founders of Hotel du Vin, Robin Hutson and Gerard Basset, sold the group to Malmaison's owner, MWB.
Both brands are looking to expand, with Nick Halliday, chief operating officer of Hotel du Vin, confirming at the end of 2014 that he was looking at sites in central London, Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford.
The portfolio is currently comprised of 16 Hotel du Vin and 13 Malmaison hotels.