LHM decides on string of Aliases

Luxury Hotel Management (LHM) has created a second hotel chain, Alias Hotels, to plug what it sees is a gap in the market.

Alias will comprise town hotels targeted at the growing army of younger business travellers, including lone females.

Since its formation in 1993, LHM has concentrated onluxury country house hotels aimed at the family leisure trade under the Luxury Family Hotels name.

First in the Alias portfolio will be Cheltenham's 41-bedroom Savoy hotel, LHM's fifth property, which it snapped up last month in an off-market deal. The Savoy could be joined within several weeks by a second hotel.

The Savoy will undergo a £1m-£2m total overhaul, including the addition of six bedrooms, to offer what director Nigel Chapman sees as "a simple, uncluttered but stylish and people-friendly environment".

Prices (£55-£80 a night) will be pitched at the budget corporate end, although Chapman also hopes to pick up leisure business as corporate customers return with their partners.