Orient-Express plays down Horseguards interest

Hotels group Orient-Express has refused to confirm reports that it is holding talks with BIL International about buying the Royal Horseguards hotel in London.

The group declined to comment on speculation that it was offering £100m for the 280-bedroom Thistle hotel.

But a source close to the company, which has just bought the Ritz in Madrid and already owns Le Manoir aux Quat‘Saisons in Oxfordshire, indicated it had been approached by agents to see if it might be interested in owning the property.

Orient-Express is looking to expand by about two to three hotels a year and so is known to be in the market for acquisitions.

"If the right property was available, we would always be interested in having something in London, but we are not geographic about our objectives.

"The Royal Horseguards was worth looking at because it is an historic building. But there have been no discussions and definitely no offers," said the source.

by Nic Paton